Crepusculario / El hondero entusiasta / Tentativa del hombre infinito

by Pablo Neruda

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1923

About the author

Pablo Neruda, born Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto in 1904 in Parral, Chile, was a poet, diplomat, and politician, widely considered one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century. From an early age, he showed a deep passion for poetry, publishing his first works as a teenager. He adopted the pen name Pablo Neruda to avoid disapproval from his father, who discouraged his literary ambitions. His breakthrough came with Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada (Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, 1924), a collection of deeply emotional and sensual poetry that gained international recognition and remains one of his most celebrated works.
Neruda’s career took him beyond literature into diplomacy, a path that allowed him to travel extensively and engage with political movements around the world. Beginning in 1927, he served in various consular posts in Asia and later in Spain, where he witnessed the Spanish Civil War and became an outspoken advocate for the Republican cause. His experiences led him to embrace communism, a commitment that would shape much of his later poetry and political activism. His collection España en el corazón (Spain in Our Hearts, 1937) reflected his deep sorrow over the war and marked a shift toward politically engaged writing.
Returning to Chile, he was elected to the Senate in 1945 as a member of the Communist Party. However, his vocal opposition to the repressive policies of President Gabriel Gonzalez Videla led to his exile. During this period, he traveled through various countries, including Argentina, Mexico, and the Soviet Union, further cementing his status as a global literary and political figure. It was during these years that he wrote Canto General (1950), an epic work chronicling Latin American history and the struggles of its people.
Neruda’s return to Chile in 1952 marked a new phase in his life, balancing political activity with a prolific literary output. He remained a staunch supporter of socialist ideals and later developed a close relationship with Salvador Allende, who appointed him as Chile’s ambassador to France in 1970. The following year, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, recognized for the scope and impact of his poetry. His later years were marked by illness, and he died in 1973, just days after the military coup that overthrew Allende. His legacy endures, not only in his vast body of work but also in his influence on literature, political thought, and the cultural identity of Latin America.

Reviews

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is divided in three parts.
Crespuculario (1920-1923), El hondero entusiasta (1923-1924) and Tentativa del hombre infinito (1925).
Crespuculario is ,in my opinion, a poetry made of innocence when he describes his feelings in such a way that you even smile, how can be a love be this pure? When Neruda wrote this verses he was between 16 -19 years old. My favorites in this part are Tengo miedo and Canción de los amantes muertos.

El hondero entusiasta has the most passion, he begs for anything his lover can provide him, it's just too beautiful, he expresses himself like he is sick in despair for love.

Tentativa del hombre infinito is more calm.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really deep and full about love. a perfect time to read this book.

[Sebastian Cardemil · Rating 3 out of 5]

No en todos, pero Neruda, con sus versos, me ha hecho querer llenarme más de lo que es la poesía.

[Victor QM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crepusculario- 4
El hondero entusiasta-4
Tentantiva del blablabla-2