What do you think?
Rate this book
Sekretna historia Costaguany
Mieszkając w Londynie kolumbijski emigrant, Jose Altamirano, na wieść o śmierci Josepha Conrada, zaczyna spisywać opowieść stanowiący swoisty i bardzo osobisty rozrachunek z wielkim pisarzem, szczególnie zaś z jego powieścią Nostromo. Ta nigdy by nie powstała, gdyby kiedyś nie doszło do spotkania Kolumbijczyka z piszącym po angielsku Polakiem. Powieść Conrada o fikcyjnej Republice Costaguana okazuje się być przetworzeniem, a może nawet plagiatem opowieści Altamirano o sobie, swoim ojcu, o Kolumbii targanej nieustającymi wojnami domowymi, o budowie kanału panamskiego. Sarkazm, drwina, przeplatanie się zmyślenia z prawdą, niezwykła gra literacka uczyniły z Sekretnej historii Costaguany jedna z najniezwyklejszych powieści latynoamerykańskich ostatnich lat, w której splatają się pastisz i artystyczna polemika dotycząca nie tylko Józefa Conrada Korzeniowskiego.
280 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
74 people are currently reading
1198 people want to read
About the author
Juan Gabriel Vásquez
73 books1,437 followersJuan Gabriel Vásquez is a Colombian writer, journalist and translator. Regarded as one of the most important Latin American novelists working today, he is the author of seven novels, two volumes of stories and two books of literary essays, as well as hundreds of pages of political commentary.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
May 6, 2023
This novel is a 'three-for' – three stories wrapped around one. Mostly it’s a historical novel about Panama, at the time when the Isthmus was still part of the nation of Colombia. The story is built around the failed attempt by the French to construct a canal in the late 1800s, before the US engineered a coup to split Panama off from Colombia and take over the canal project. Although the French effort was led by a brilliant engineer, de Lesseps (who built the Suez Canal), the project was essentially sabotaged by graft and corruption.
Any great event like this in those days necessarily cost thousands of lives. Our main character, a young medical student in Colombia, becomes aware of the project after being tasked to arrange for the bodies of Chinese workers who die on the project to be shipped to Bogota medical schools to be used as cadavers.
The student migrates to the Panama province to meet up with his father. His father turns out to be a journalist who sold out to the graft and corruption crowd. The father is obsessed with the canal and he is paid to write fictitious articles about “smooth progress” on its construction. Meanwhile our main character gets involved with a French woman but he experiences personal tragedy as collateral damage in the endless political wars.
That leads me to the second theme of the book: the continuous, essentially institutionalized violence in Colombia that has led to continuous civil wars. Many nations have had “a” Civil War with a tremendous death toll that reshaped their history but they move on. The US and Spain come to mind as examples. But Colombia has had the same civil war over and over again – Liberals vs. Conservatives. (I researched the following – all the dates and info in the next paragraph are not in the book.)
These wars often result in a quarter-million dead, with the utmost brutality and gruesome killings of women and children on each side. (So ‘civil’ war is a gross misnomer.) Periods of Colombian internal violence have included 1839-1841, 1860-1862, 1876, 1899-1902 (the time of this novel) and 1948-1958. We might include the present era with the on-and-off-again battles against the FARC guerrillas and the drug lords. And we’re not counting The War of Independence from Spain 1811-1823, two wars against Peru, and one against Ecuador in the meantime.
Last, the novel pays homage to Joseph Conrad. Conrad fans will recognize in the title of the book, Costaguana (great name, by the way), the fictitious Latin American country of Conrad’s novel Nostromo. The author, Vasquez, wrote a biography of Conrad, so he knows Conrad’s life inside and out. So the third theme is that during his seaman days, Conrad’s ships stopped in Panama several times. Our fictitious main character told him his story, which Conrad then incorporated into Nostromo. Vasquez structures the book to make constant references to what Conrad was doing and where he was, concurrent with what our main character was doing.
Other famous people who actually visited Panama at the time of the novel have walk-on roles, such as Sarah Bernhardt and Paul Gauguin. All in all, excellent writing (translated from Spanish) and a good read.
The Colombian author (b. 1973) is a journalist and translator who has written seven novels. I also read and enjoyed his best-known work, The Sound of Things Falling, about a young man impacted by the Pablo Escobar narco-wars.
[Revised, pictures and shelves added 5/6/23]
Top photo of Panama Canal construction from neh.gov
The author from theguardian.co.uk
Any great event like this in those days necessarily cost thousands of lives. Our main character, a young medical student in Colombia, becomes aware of the project after being tasked to arrange for the bodies of Chinese workers who die on the project to be shipped to Bogota medical schools to be used as cadavers.
The student migrates to the Panama province to meet up with his father. His father turns out to be a journalist who sold out to the graft and corruption crowd. The father is obsessed with the canal and he is paid to write fictitious articles about “smooth progress” on its construction. Meanwhile our main character gets involved with a French woman but he experiences personal tragedy as collateral damage in the endless political wars.
That leads me to the second theme of the book: the continuous, essentially institutionalized violence in Colombia that has led to continuous civil wars. Many nations have had “a” Civil War with a tremendous death toll that reshaped their history but they move on. The US and Spain come to mind as examples. But Colombia has had the same civil war over and over again – Liberals vs. Conservatives. (I researched the following – all the dates and info in the next paragraph are not in the book.)
These wars often result in a quarter-million dead, with the utmost brutality and gruesome killings of women and children on each side. (So ‘civil’ war is a gross misnomer.) Periods of Colombian internal violence have included 1839-1841, 1860-1862, 1876, 1899-1902 (the time of this novel) and 1948-1958. We might include the present era with the on-and-off-again battles against the FARC guerrillas and the drug lords. And we’re not counting The War of Independence from Spain 1811-1823, two wars against Peru, and one against Ecuador in the meantime.
Last, the novel pays homage to Joseph Conrad. Conrad fans will recognize in the title of the book, Costaguana (great name, by the way), the fictitious Latin American country of Conrad’s novel Nostromo. The author, Vasquez, wrote a biography of Conrad, so he knows Conrad’s life inside and out. So the third theme is that during his seaman days, Conrad’s ships stopped in Panama several times. Our fictitious main character told him his story, which Conrad then incorporated into Nostromo. Vasquez structures the book to make constant references to what Conrad was doing and where he was, concurrent with what our main character was doing.
Other famous people who actually visited Panama at the time of the novel have walk-on roles, such as Sarah Bernhardt and Paul Gauguin. All in all, excellent writing (translated from Spanish) and a good read.
The Colombian author (b. 1973) is a journalist and translator who has written seven novels. I also read and enjoyed his best-known work, The Sound of Things Falling, about a young man impacted by the Pablo Escobar narco-wars.
[Revised, pictures and shelves added 5/6/23]
Top photo of Panama Canal construction from neh.gov
The author from theguardian.co.uk
December 24, 2015
What an amazing tale. This is one of the best books I have read in the last decade evoking "Cien Anos de Soledad" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez in both power and scope.
This is the story of the founding of Panama as told through the eyes of Jose Altamirano, the son of a leading journalist who was forced to flee Columbia for political reasons. The conflict with Columbia coupled with the political machinations of the French and Americans and its famous Panama Canal during the turbulent years of the 1800's are the background to this history. Yet through all the political stories, it is the human story of Altamirano whose life is tossed that brings the story alive. Central to the book is the fact that Joseph Conrad ("Heart of Darkness") wrote a fictional book "Nostromo" based on Panama which Conrad calls Costaguana. Years later when Altamirano meets Conrad in London, he accused Conrad that, "You have robbed me of a country!" The telling of the "Secret History" is Vasquez's way of recorrecting Conrad's novel but it goes deeper than something as simple as correcting a novel.
It is the story of fabrication, how different points of view are needed to tell a story, the humanity (Altamirano's love of his daughter) and the inhumanity (the Columbian general who sends an order to rape and pillage when he realizes all is lost), being deceived (the French constructor Lessep who kept telling his backers at home that all is well, when his engineers and workers were dying of Yellow fever while building the canal), revenge (Altamirano for his wife) and the fact that history is written by those who conquer or are more powerful (Conrad). All these layers makes this book so amazing.
Put all this together coupled with Vasquez's easy and whimsical style where Altamirano constantly addresses his "Dear readers" and his 17-year old daughter Eloisa makes this a master crafted tale. Easily Vasquez recalls his Columbian colleague Marquez and yet he feels more contemporary and often more moving.
In the "Authors Notes" Vasquez quotes Julian Barnes , "We invent history to cover up the deeds that we are ignorant of or cannot accept; we preserve some of the truest parts and around them we weave a new story." In this haunting book, Vasquez plays with literary history to outline a new story, one that I knew little about, and makes one reflect on what we read will always be subject to change, depending on one's point of view, circumstances and background.
This is the story of the founding of Panama as told through the eyes of Jose Altamirano, the son of a leading journalist who was forced to flee Columbia for political reasons. The conflict with Columbia coupled with the political machinations of the French and Americans and its famous Panama Canal during the turbulent years of the 1800's are the background to this history. Yet through all the political stories, it is the human story of Altamirano whose life is tossed that brings the story alive. Central to the book is the fact that Joseph Conrad ("Heart of Darkness") wrote a fictional book "Nostromo" based on Panama which Conrad calls Costaguana. Years later when Altamirano meets Conrad in London, he accused Conrad that, "You have robbed me of a country!" The telling of the "Secret History" is Vasquez's way of recorrecting Conrad's novel but it goes deeper than something as simple as correcting a novel.
It is the story of fabrication, how different points of view are needed to tell a story, the humanity (Altamirano's love of his daughter) and the inhumanity (the Columbian general who sends an order to rape and pillage when he realizes all is lost), being deceived (the French constructor Lessep who kept telling his backers at home that all is well, when his engineers and workers were dying of Yellow fever while building the canal), revenge (Altamirano for his wife) and the fact that history is written by those who conquer or are more powerful (Conrad). All these layers makes this book so amazing.
Put all this together coupled with Vasquez's easy and whimsical style where Altamirano constantly addresses his "Dear readers" and his 17-year old daughter Eloisa makes this a master crafted tale. Easily Vasquez recalls his Columbian colleague Marquez and yet he feels more contemporary and often more moving.
In the "Authors Notes" Vasquez quotes Julian Barnes , "We invent history to cover up the deeds that we are ignorant of or cannot accept; we preserve some of the truest parts and around them we weave a new story." In this haunting book, Vasquez plays with literary history to outline a new story, one that I knew little about, and makes one reflect on what we read will always be subject to change, depending on one's point of view, circumstances and background.
October 4, 2014
If you want to understand the history of Colombia and the birth of Panama, this book is perhaps not the place to start. The multitude of generals and numerous wars can be confusing. The speed with which names and events are thrown at you is daunting. Previous knowledge helps. Check out David McCullough’s The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914, which covers both how the Panama Canal came into existences and the split between Panama and Colombia. It doesn't cover Colombia's fight for independence from Spain, as Vásquez's does, and it stops in 1914 when the canal was completed. Vásquez's continues only to 1904. I have not read McCullough's book myself, but have discussed it with my husband who read it, it being a paper book I could no longer read. Another book that begins with a section about travel across the isthmus before the canal was built is Fanny Stevenson: A Romance of Destiny. This was very good. The railroad monopoly and the diseases are all there. Each book you read imparts a little more and makes it easier to continue. You have to start somewhere, so if you don't demand complete understanding, OK, give this a try. There is always Wiki..... The facts in Vasquez's book are reliable.
Then there is the fictional aspect of the book, which is easily separated from the historical facts. Supposedly, Joseph Conrad got his story for Nostromo from the central character, José, in Vasquez's book. This is not true. The facts about Joseph Conrad are historically accurate. So, you do indeed get a lot of interesting historical details, both Colombian history and a bit of Joseph Conrad's life. However the story feels sidetracked when it covers Conrad's travel in the Congo. Also some of José decisions just didn't make sense to me.
I liked the attitude, the tone José uses as he tells us HIS version of the story, what Conrad got wrong and/or cut out! It felt like this is how someone who had lived through the events would feel. There is humor, even if he never shies from the grizzly truths of war. A good book.
I would not recommend the audiobook if you are reading this for its historical content. There is nothing wrong with the narration, by Armando Duran, but if you are not familiar with Spanish it is even harder to keep track of all the names.
Then there is the fictional aspect of the book, which is easily separated from the historical facts. Supposedly, Joseph Conrad got his story for Nostromo from the central character, José, in Vasquez's book. This is not true. The facts about Joseph Conrad are historically accurate. So, you do indeed get a lot of interesting historical details, both Colombian history and a bit of Joseph Conrad's life. However the story feels sidetracked when it covers Conrad's travel in the Congo. Also some of José decisions just didn't make sense to me.
I liked the attitude, the tone José uses as he tells us HIS version of the story, what Conrad got wrong and/or cut out! It felt like this is how someone who had lived through the events would feel. There is humor, even if he never shies from the grizzly truths of war. A good book.
I would not recommend the audiobook if you are reading this for its historical content. There is nothing wrong with the narration, by Armando Duran, but if you are not familiar with Spanish it is even harder to keep track of all the names.
February 9, 2025
Excelente y original novela histórica que recrea el momento del inicio de la construcción del canal de Panamá y de la independencia de este país de Colombia. Su protagonista y narrador, José Altamirano, exiliado en Londres, recuerda en un texto con tono irónico y confesional los últimos cien años de su familia, la historia de su padre, el periodista Miguel Altamirano, y la suya propia hasta el momento en que ha de dejar su tierra.
El propósito de Altamirano es explicar su relación con Joseph Conrad y su novela Nostromo, pero eso acaba siendo poco relevante: justificar ese encuentro da pie a un paseo lleno de humor negro y de personajes extraordinarios por la Colombia del último tercio del XIX y principios del XX. Hay mucha historia, mucha política, grandes descripciones, momentos hilarantes, relaciones humanas y una buena dosis de crítica. El estilo de Vásquez es elaborado, original y atractivo; a pesar de la densidad de algunas páginas, se leen de tirón y te dejan con ganas de más. He aprendido mucho sobre la construcción del canal, el papel de EEUU y el fracaso de Lesseps, pero no me ha despertado las ganas de leer a Conrad (y sí de leer más a Juan Gabriel Vásquez).
El propósito de Altamirano es explicar su relación con Joseph Conrad y su novela Nostromo, pero eso acaba siendo poco relevante: justificar ese encuentro da pie a un paseo lleno de humor negro y de personajes extraordinarios por la Colombia del último tercio del XIX y principios del XX. Hay mucha historia, mucha política, grandes descripciones, momentos hilarantes, relaciones humanas y una buena dosis de crítica. El estilo de Vásquez es elaborado, original y atractivo; a pesar de la densidad de algunas páginas, se leen de tirón y te dejan con ganas de más. He aprendido mucho sobre la construcción del canal, el papel de EEUU y el fracaso de Lesseps, pero no me ha despertado las ganas de leer a Conrad (y sí de leer más a Juan Gabriel Vásquez).
November 7, 2018
Juan Gabriel Vásquez, Colombiano a viver em Barcelona desde 1999, foi considerado um dos escritores mais promissores da literatura sul-americana. É fã de futebol, de Joseph Conrad e Philip Roth.
José Altamirano conta-nos a história da sua família misturada com alguns dos momentos mais extraordinários da Colombia (como diz o narrador: Aquela Merda de Lugar) no século XIX e no início do século XX - Os conflitos entre conservadores e liberais e a conturbada construção do Canal do Panamá, que pertencia à Colômbia e se tornou independente em 1903.
Altamirano conta-nos também a sua vida de Londres, onde tem um encontro com Joseph Conrad — autor de Nostromo, romance que fala de um país inventado, Costaguana, inspirado na Colombia.
O livro é interessante mas faltou-lhe algo.
6/198 - Colombia
José Altamirano conta-nos a história da sua família misturada com alguns dos momentos mais extraordinários da Colombia (como diz o narrador: Aquela Merda de Lugar) no século XIX e no início do século XX - Os conflitos entre conservadores e liberais e a conturbada construção do Canal do Panamá, que pertencia à Colômbia e se tornou independente em 1903.
Altamirano conta-nos também a sua vida de Londres, onde tem um encontro com Joseph Conrad — autor de Nostromo, romance que fala de um país inventado, Costaguana, inspirado na Colombia.
O livro é interessante mas faltou-lhe algo.
6/198 - Colombia
April 11, 2022
Con el lenguaje riquísimo,frondoso y danzante de García Màrquez,pero sin realismo màgico.Una novela triste y maravillosa.
With García Màrquez's rich,dancing and soaring writing,but with no magical realism.A marvellous,sad novel.
With García Màrquez's rich,dancing and soaring writing,but with no magical realism.A marvellous,sad novel.
January 21, 2012
Growing up during France’s disastrous attempt to construct a canal across Panama, José Altamirano’s young life is shaped by the business, politics, disease, and warfare associated with the project. Years later, however, his life becomes a quest to reclaim the life he feels he lost after telling his story to Joseph Conrad, who incorporates Altamirano’s experiences into his novel, Nostromo, set in the fictional South American country of Costaguana. “I disappeared from history by magic,” Altamirano writes.
Altamirano’s first person narration is steeped in cynicism about historical truth. His parents tell different stories about his conception, his mother celebrates his birthday on three different days, and his father writes propaganda about the progress of the canal. In addition, Altamirano watches battling political factions in his country spin ideas and events to their version of the truth. Even Joseph Conrad has spun the truth of his early years to cover up a suicide attempt and now as a writer makes “a profitable profession out of lying.” Altamirano learns that the truth is simply what one person writes and others accept. It is not magic, but the writing of an alternative version of events that has made him disappear and so The Secret History of Costaguana is Altamirano’s attempt to write himself back into history. This novel is an intellectual treat that asks the reader to consider the ethics of writing, civil revolution, and the building of the Panama Canal.
Altamirano’s first person narration is steeped in cynicism about historical truth. His parents tell different stories about his conception, his mother celebrates his birthday on three different days, and his father writes propaganda about the progress of the canal. In addition, Altamirano watches battling political factions in his country spin ideas and events to their version of the truth. Even Joseph Conrad has spun the truth of his early years to cover up a suicide attempt and now as a writer makes “a profitable profession out of lying.” Altamirano learns that the truth is simply what one person writes and others accept. It is not magic, but the writing of an alternative version of events that has made him disappear and so The Secret History of Costaguana is Altamirano’s attempt to write himself back into history. This novel is an intellectual treat that asks the reader to consider the ethics of writing, civil revolution, and the building of the Panama Canal.
August 31, 2018
Il romanzo, come esplicitamente spiegato dall’autore, si svolge sui due piani paralleli della “grande storia”, ovvero la storia della Colombia, di Panama e del canale, e della “piccola storia” della vita del protagonista-narratore; piani paralleli ma che si intrecciano continuamente e influiscono l’uno sull’altro (o meglio: il primo sul secondo; il secondo influisce sul primo più che altro nel racconto del protagonista). A fare da cornice, l’ulteriore piano in cui egli narra la propria storia/storia del suo paese a Joseph Conrad, il quale gliela “ruba” per scrivere Nostromo.
Il libro è scritto secondo me con maestria e umorismo, e soprattutto con grande passione. Mi sembra che la fine sia un po’ confusa, forse gli eventi sono troppo concentrati o forse mi sono persa io in tutti i rivolgimenti delle guerre civili, dei patti e dei tradimenti; ma quasi fino alla fine, e in particolare la parte che racconta i primi tentativi di costruzione del canale da parte dei francesi, il libro mi è piaciuto moltissimo.
Il libro è scritto secondo me con maestria e umorismo, e soprattutto con grande passione. Mi sembra che la fine sia un po’ confusa, forse gli eventi sono troppo concentrati o forse mi sono persa io in tutti i rivolgimenti delle guerre civili, dei patti e dei tradimenti; ma quasi fino alla fine, e in particolare la parte che racconta i primi tentativi di costruzione del canale da parte dei francesi, il libro mi è piaciuto moltissimo.
bitiremediklerim
March 16, 2024Elveda Gringo!
Şükürler olsun ki bitiremedim! Uzun zamandır kitap bitiremiyordum. Bir daha bitiremeyeceğim diye endişeleniyordum. Kitapları bitiremedikçe bitirebiliyorum ancak. Aksi durumda ben biterim. Bende böyle. Okuma formumu bu felsefeye borçluyum. (Meraklanmaları gidermek adına yazayım: Felsefelerimi doğadan alıyorum; katkısız ilavesiz tamamen kafa yapımıdır, salonlarda işlenmiş falan değil yani. Nefes vermeden alabilir misin, mümkün değil. Çaktın? Karşıt kutuplar. Bir şey karşıtıyla vardır. Denge. Felsefenin para edeceği günleri bekliyorum, hele bi gelsin anında satışlara başlıyorum. İnsanlığın sakinleşmesini bekliyorum. Reklamı kesiyorum.) Romanı okuyamadım ki, anlaşamadık. İyi başladı aslında, iyi de gidiyordu, sonra kendisini tekrar etmeye başladı. Ve düştü. Ne yapabilirim ki. Düştü işte! Canı cehenneme! Konusu sorun olsaydı şuraya bir çırpıda yazar hayatıma kaldığım yerden devam ederdim. Maceralı heyecanlı gündemi var romanın. Niye düştü peki? Araştırıyorum dur patlama! Sanırım şöyle: Romanı anlatım tarzı düşürdü.Tipik bir Latin geveze. Bana hitap etmiyor. Çok tuzlu, bol soslu. İkisi de uymaz bana. Adam habire babasını anlatıyor. Babam da babam, babam da babam, babam da babam; tamam baban da, yeter daa! Aha burama geldi. Ben de gevezeyim, bu işleri az çok bilirim. Adam, "Joseph Conrad'la buluşmak benim kaderimdir" deyip duruyordu. Tamam işte, ne güzel, hadi buluşmanı anlat, olur mu, illa saracak. Nasıl ve nerede buluşacaklarını merak etmeye inan cesaret bile edemedim, düşün; etseydim dibine kadar okuyacaktım, aman aman lazım değil. Mezarımdan Tükürüyorum romanını hatırlattı bana. Affedersin yanlış hatırladım, Mezarımdan Yazıyorum olacaktı. Onu da bitirememiştim. Dünyanın şeyini anlatırsın da ortada bir şey yoktur ya, o hikaye. Sam Savage'nin yazdığı Cam mesela. Benzer tarz. Calvino'nun sarmaları mesela. Fakat şu da var: Ben doydum. Geçende Javier Cercas okudum, 'anlatı'ya doydum. Bu ara aç değilim yani. Gringoyu Cercas'ın gölgesinde okudum. Zamanlamayı yapamadık yani. Bu da var yani. Şu da var. Hey nereye gidiyorsun, bitmedi gel buraya, otur şöyle. Şu da var: Aç olsaydım da zamanlama yapsaydım yıldızları çakar mıydım? Hiç sanmıyorum. Damak zevki denen bir şey var. Benim gibi zevkli okuma kovalayan cennetten atılmış sersemler sarmaydı, acılı sostu falan sevmezler. Bu da var yani. Latin tarzı sevenlere tavsiye ederim. Huhhh. Bitirdim.
Şükürler olsun ki bitiremedim! Uzun zamandır kitap bitiremiyordum. Bir daha bitiremeyeceğim diye endişeleniyordum. Kitapları bitiremedikçe bitirebiliyorum ancak. Aksi durumda ben biterim. Bende böyle. Okuma formumu bu felsefeye borçluyum. (Meraklanmaları gidermek adına yazayım: Felsefelerimi doğadan alıyorum; katkısız ilavesiz tamamen kafa yapımıdır, salonlarda işlenmiş falan değil yani. Nefes vermeden alabilir misin, mümkün değil. Çaktın? Karşıt kutuplar. Bir şey karşıtıyla vardır. Denge. Felsefenin para edeceği günleri bekliyorum, hele bi gelsin anında satışlara başlıyorum. İnsanlığın sakinleşmesini bekliyorum. Reklamı kesiyorum.) Romanı okuyamadım ki, anlaşamadık. İyi başladı aslında, iyi de gidiyordu, sonra kendisini tekrar etmeye başladı. Ve düştü. Ne yapabilirim ki. Düştü işte! Canı cehenneme! Konusu sorun olsaydı şuraya bir çırpıda yazar hayatıma kaldığım yerden devam ederdim. Maceralı heyecanlı gündemi var romanın. Niye düştü peki? Araştırıyorum dur patlama! Sanırım şöyle: Romanı anlatım tarzı düşürdü.Tipik bir Latin geveze. Bana hitap etmiyor. Çok tuzlu, bol soslu. İkisi de uymaz bana. Adam habire babasını anlatıyor. Babam da babam, babam da babam, babam da babam; tamam baban da, yeter daa! Aha burama geldi. Ben de gevezeyim, bu işleri az çok bilirim. Adam, "Joseph Conrad'la buluşmak benim kaderimdir" deyip duruyordu. Tamam işte, ne güzel, hadi buluşmanı anlat, olur mu, illa saracak. Nasıl ve nerede buluşacaklarını merak etmeye inan cesaret bile edemedim, düşün; etseydim dibine kadar okuyacaktım, aman aman lazım değil. Mezarımdan Tükürüyorum romanını hatırlattı bana. Affedersin yanlış hatırladım, Mezarımdan Yazıyorum olacaktı. Onu da bitirememiştim. Dünyanın şeyini anlatırsın da ortada bir şey yoktur ya, o hikaye. Sam Savage'nin yazdığı Cam mesela. Benzer tarz. Calvino'nun sarmaları mesela. Fakat şu da var: Ben doydum. Geçende Javier Cercas okudum, 'anlatı'ya doydum. Bu ara aç değilim yani. Gringoyu Cercas'ın gölgesinde okudum. Zamanlamayı yapamadık yani. Bu da var yani. Şu da var. Hey nereye gidiyorsun, bitmedi gel buraya, otur şöyle. Şu da var: Aç olsaydım da zamanlama yapsaydım yıldızları çakar mıydım? Hiç sanmıyorum. Damak zevki denen bir şey var. Benim gibi zevkli okuma kovalayan cennetten atılmış sersemler sarmaydı, acılı sostu falan sevmezler. Bu da var yani. Latin tarzı sevenlere tavsiye ederim. Huhhh. Bitirdim.
May 3, 2013
Excelente libro. Está muy bien escrito, además de transmitir cada una de las ideas y sentimientos con mucha claridad. Es un libro que se puede leer y disfrutar sin conocimientos previos, pero que se vuelve una verdadera joya conociendo un poco de la historia colombiana y habiendo tenido contacto con otros libros. Fue un verdadero placer para mí haber leído esta novela y aumenta mi admiración por Juan Gabriel Vásquez. Recomendado.
April 19, 2014
Interesante historia, pero me desquició su narrativa... querido escritor, como lector del juzgado al que Ud. me nombró, lo condeno a no escribir más de esa manera tan burlonamente desordenada. Cúmplase.
March 8, 2024
just some guy talking about the panama canal and joseph conrad for almost 300 pages
August 3, 2023
The Secret History of Costaguana is about the lies we perpetuate in our past that have a part in how history unfolds, it is about the teeming history of a nation on the brink of a civil war, and at the same time a literary inquiry into the essence of the narrative and the influence of literary theft that plays a part in structuring a novel, essentially a historical one. Juan Gabriel Vasquez, one of the greatest literary minds to come out of Latin America in recent times and a master of the modern novel, lays down bare the essence of his country's history in a three-pronged narrative that unfolds over the course of several time and place shifts in the narrative. He is a very clever writer and has an indisputable mastery over how a single act leads to a shift in the narrative to the historical past- a past that dares to draw a parallel with the present to reveal some incriminating fact. Here, as in his first novel The Informers, we have a main protagonist who has written a biography of the great 20th-century writer Joseph Conrad and his novel Nostromo and the events that led to the germ of the classic narrative. The very fact that Conrad based the cream of the novel on an oral narrative from the mouth of the protagonist who knows the life of Conrad inside out was hard to digest for me here. For I hold Conrad in the highest regard and consider most of his novels among the very best I have ever read. It is not immediately apparent whether this sole fact has its basis in truth, or whether it is a fabricated thing to drive the narrative further from its preliminary stages. Here the historical past lays down the incriminatory facts about Conrad's supposed plagiarism, while in The Informers the protagonist has written his first book which gets mired in controversy over its plot that enlists German Jews who featured as immigrants following WWII- and they feature there as the incriminatory evidence for a treacherous act perpetrated in those dark days.
The writer draws a parallel between the current life of the protagonist with the supposed life of Conrad during the writing of his great work where he based it on the fictional country of Costaguana- which is just a fictionalized representation of Panama that was a part of Colombia in the 19th century. The 'secret history' underneath is both about the numerous civil wars that Colombia got itself mired into in the 19th century till the dawn of the 20th century and also about the failed attempt by the French to construct a canal in the late 1800s, before the US engineered a coup to split Panama off from Colombia and take over the canal project. The French project was sabotaged and aborted and lies down in obscure history as a mere fiasco. At the same time 'the secret' alluded in the title is a 'literary' secret about the supposed genesis of the narrative of Nostromo- Conrad's great masterpiece. That is why I liken it to a three-pronged narrative that shifts back and forth in time and place.
The writing, as can be expected from Vasquez's other works, is glorious and drives along at a momentous pace. In fact, one can draw parallels between Vasquez's first two novels (this, being his second) for the very fact that both lay down a thick slab in the history of Colombia and looks at it from the viewpoint of a literary sleuth and questions the very facts of history and about literary narrative and its authenticity (if that were really the case here but I am unsure about that!). Overall, a brilliant historical novel in the grand sense. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
The writer draws a parallel between the current life of the protagonist with the supposed life of Conrad during the writing of his great work where he based it on the fictional country of Costaguana- which is just a fictionalized representation of Panama that was a part of Colombia in the 19th century. The 'secret history' underneath is both about the numerous civil wars that Colombia got itself mired into in the 19th century till the dawn of the 20th century and also about the failed attempt by the French to construct a canal in the late 1800s, before the US engineered a coup to split Panama off from Colombia and take over the canal project. The French project was sabotaged and aborted and lies down in obscure history as a mere fiasco. At the same time 'the secret' alluded in the title is a 'literary' secret about the supposed genesis of the narrative of Nostromo- Conrad's great masterpiece. That is why I liken it to a three-pronged narrative that shifts back and forth in time and place.
The writing, as can be expected from Vasquez's other works, is glorious and drives along at a momentous pace. In fact, one can draw parallels between Vasquez's first two novels (this, being his second) for the very fact that both lay down a thick slab in the history of Colombia and looks at it from the viewpoint of a literary sleuth and questions the very facts of history and about literary narrative and its authenticity (if that were really the case here but I am unsure about that!). Overall, a brilliant historical novel in the grand sense. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
June 6, 2011
I admit I have never read Joseph Conrad's Nostromo, but after reading this book, it is definitely going on my "to be read" list.
Juan Gabriel Vasquez, a Colombian writer, has taken the germ of an idea from Conrad, his mythical country of Costaguana, and recast it as Colombia/Panama. He creates a character, Jose' Altamirano, to narrate his convoluted and non-linear tale of nineteenth and early twentieth century Colombia and Panama, a time when the French attempted to construct a canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific but were defeated by Nature in the form of disease, insects, unbearable heat, and earthquakes. Finally, in the early twentieth century, Panama declared its independence from Colombia (with the encouragement and assistance of the United States) and struck a deal with President Theodore Roosevelt's government to try again to build the canal, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Altamirano's story begins in the mid-nineteenth century with his father, Miguel Altamirano, a journalist who was an idealist, activist, and booster of his home country. Most of all, he believed in the idea of the canal and did everything to support it, including turning a blind eye and ear to all minor problems that cropped up - e.g., Yellow Fever which killed thousands. But at that time our narrator did not know his father. He was being raised by his mother in Bogota'. He had been conceived in a brief encounter between his mother, a married woman, and his father and had never known the name of his father until he was a teenager.
When he finally learned who his father was, he went looking for him and, finding him, stayed with him in Panama throughout the rest of his father's life.
Vasquez/Altamirano switches back and forth in time in the telling of his tale, but the climactic moment comes when he goes to London (after Panamanian independence has been declared, leaving his teenaged daughter Eloisa behind!) and there meets Joseph Conrad who is having trouble with the novel that he is working on. Altamirano is persuaded to tell his personal life story and the story of Colombia while Conrad takes notes and that story becomes the basis of Nostromo. When the book is published and Altamirano sees it, he feels cheated because the story is not his. He goes to confront Conrad who points out to him that Nostromo is fiction!
This is a delicious novel, both humorous and sad, ironic and tragic, and very well-written and well-translated by Anne McLean. Moreover, it is a novel with a lot of actual history woven into it, enough to entice any history buff.
I had three quibbles with story.
First, as a teenager, Altamirano leaves his mother to go looking for his father. We never hear anything about his mother again. What happened to her?
Second, he kisses his teenaged daughter goodbye while she sleeps and heads off to London with hardly a backward glance. What happened to her?
Third, we never get to know the source of the narrator's income. From whence came the money that kept him and his family fed, clothed and housed all those years?
Ah, well, did I mention that the story is told in a non-linear fashion?
Mr. Vasquez is a very interesting writer and I look forward to reading more of his work.
Juan Gabriel Vasquez, a Colombian writer, has taken the germ of an idea from Conrad, his mythical country of Costaguana, and recast it as Colombia/Panama. He creates a character, Jose' Altamirano, to narrate his convoluted and non-linear tale of nineteenth and early twentieth century Colombia and Panama, a time when the French attempted to construct a canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific but were defeated by Nature in the form of disease, insects, unbearable heat, and earthquakes. Finally, in the early twentieth century, Panama declared its independence from Colombia (with the encouragement and assistance of the United States) and struck a deal with President Theodore Roosevelt's government to try again to build the canal, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Altamirano's story begins in the mid-nineteenth century with his father, Miguel Altamirano, a journalist who was an idealist, activist, and booster of his home country. Most of all, he believed in the idea of the canal and did everything to support it, including turning a blind eye and ear to all minor problems that cropped up - e.g., Yellow Fever which killed thousands. But at that time our narrator did not know his father. He was being raised by his mother in Bogota'. He had been conceived in a brief encounter between his mother, a married woman, and his father and had never known the name of his father until he was a teenager.
When he finally learned who his father was, he went looking for him and, finding him, stayed with him in Panama throughout the rest of his father's life.
Vasquez/Altamirano switches back and forth in time in the telling of his tale, but the climactic moment comes when he goes to London (after Panamanian independence has been declared, leaving his teenaged daughter Eloisa behind!) and there meets Joseph Conrad who is having trouble with the novel that he is working on. Altamirano is persuaded to tell his personal life story and the story of Colombia while Conrad takes notes and that story becomes the basis of Nostromo. When the book is published and Altamirano sees it, he feels cheated because the story is not his. He goes to confront Conrad who points out to him that Nostromo is fiction!
This is a delicious novel, both humorous and sad, ironic and tragic, and very well-written and well-translated by Anne McLean. Moreover, it is a novel with a lot of actual history woven into it, enough to entice any history buff.
I had three quibbles with story.
First, as a teenager, Altamirano leaves his mother to go looking for his father. We never hear anything about his mother again. What happened to her?
Second, he kisses his teenaged daughter goodbye while she sleeps and heads off to London with hardly a backward glance. What happened to her?
Third, we never get to know the source of the narrator's income. From whence came the money that kept him and his family fed, clothed and housed all those years?
Ah, well, did I mention that the story is told in a non-linear fashion?
Mr. Vasquez is a very interesting writer and I look forward to reading more of his work.
February 23, 2011
The famous writer Joseph Conrad struggles to provide for his young family in early 20th century London, and is plagued with self-doubt about his ability to become a successful writer. The novel he is working on is set in South America, where he briefly captained a ship along the Colombian coast, but he finds himself unable to recall details about the country or its people, as he spent very little time there. He seeks the assistance of a well connected Colombian émigré, who puts Conrad in touch with José Altamirano, who has recently arrived in the capital. Altamirano shares the troubled and tragic story of his life and country with Conrad, hoping that the great novelist will tell the world what he has experienced.
The following year the first segment of Conrad's novel Nostromo is published in a weekly literary magazine, which is set in the fictionalized country of Costaguana. Altamirano is infuriated, as the story is not about him at all, and confronts Conrad: "You've eliminated me from my own life. You, Joseph Conrad, have robbed me." The Colombian then decides that only he can tell his story, which serves as a retort to Conrad's life and work.
Vásquez uses the life of Altamirano and his father, who was intimately involved in the initial disastrous attempt to build the Panama Canal, to create a fictionalized history of post-independence Colombia and Panama, one filled with opportunistic but deeply flawed characters whose plans brought misery and death upon thousands of its citizens and continue to haunt the country to the present day.
The Secret History of Costaguana was an instructional and interesting novel. However, I found it to be a somewhat difficult read, as it was filled with far too many peripheral characters and too much inconsequential detail, which diluted the power of Altamirano's narrative. I would recommend this for anyone interested in the history of 19th century Colombia and Panama, and for anyone who has read Nostromo (which I will do later this year).
The following year the first segment of Conrad's novel Nostromo is published in a weekly literary magazine, which is set in the fictionalized country of Costaguana. Altamirano is infuriated, as the story is not about him at all, and confronts Conrad: "You've eliminated me from my own life. You, Joseph Conrad, have robbed me." The Colombian then decides that only he can tell his story, which serves as a retort to Conrad's life and work.
Vásquez uses the life of Altamirano and his father, who was intimately involved in the initial disastrous attempt to build the Panama Canal, to create a fictionalized history of post-independence Colombia and Panama, one filled with opportunistic but deeply flawed characters whose plans brought misery and death upon thousands of its citizens and continue to haunt the country to the present day.
The Secret History of Costaguana was an instructional and interesting novel. However, I found it to be a somewhat difficult read, as it was filled with far too many peripheral characters and too much inconsequential detail, which diluted the power of Altamirano's narrative. I would recommend this for anyone interested in the history of 19th century Colombia and Panama, and for anyone who has read Nostromo (which I will do later this year).
December 14, 2016
It took me three attempts to read this book in full but I'm so glad I did. It's definitely very rewarding. A knowledge of Joseph Conrad and of Panama-Colombia history would be useful, though it was kind of fun to read this and have no idea what was true and what wasn't (I definitely want to know if the anal abcess story is true!). Part of what made this book a bit hard for me was all the names, but at a certain point I was just like well, I'm just going to keep reading and not be too fussed if I don't know who everyone is, and that really worked for me. The big thing I admired about this book is the angle it took towards writing historical fiction. A big theme is the story of individuals versus that of Big Historical Events, and what gets forgotten as opposed to remembered. I also really loved the seemingly digressive sections, like the one that focused on a single gun and who used it. All in all major respect for this book. Another fine addition to the author's canon. There is much food for thought in here.
August 8, 2018
Una telaraña de pequeñas anécdotas, historias, vivencias, dolores se forma alrededor de la o las historias protagonistas de este libro. La manera magistral de escribir del autor me ha vuelto a hiptonizar dejando en mi mente imágenes pintadas que tardaré en olvidar. Un dolor que se va acumulando a lo largo de su historia y la de su país; y un juicio que el autor va desenredando o enredando a través de una novela diferente pero que no deja indiferente. Es una lectura poco lineal, que zigzaguea en tiempo y lugar, pero que al final te explota en la cara con la verdad. Supongo que de haber conocido más la historia de Colombia y Panamá mi disfrute del libro hubiera sido aún mayor.
May 9, 2018
(CAT)L'escriptura de Juan Gabriel Vásquez et transporta, embolcalla i et colpeja amb intensitat Un grandíssim autor (amb veu pròpia) per una magnífica obra. Benvinguts a Costaguana.
(ESP) La escritura de Juan Gabriel Vásquez te transporta, envuelve i golpes con intensidad. Un grandíssim autor (con voz propia) para una magnífica obra. Bienvenidos a Costaguana.
(ESP) La escritura de Juan Gabriel Vásquez te transporta, envuelve i golpes con intensidad. Un grandíssim autor (con voz propia) para una magnífica obra. Bienvenidos a Costaguana.
February 17, 2016
Dude. There's nothing more annoying than when someone tells you, I've got this great story to tell you, and then spends the entire book building up to telling you the story. Meandering, redundant, laborious, and forgettable.
October 16, 2019
This is the second novel in a row that I've read from Colombian author Juan Gabriel Vasquez. The author did a great job in writing 3 different and related stories simulaneously. In 1924, the narrator and leading character writes his story, his side of his stories and History. The author, through the narrator, wrote about:
1. the fictive biographies of the narrator and his father,
2. Colombia's History during the 19th century and the birth of Panama as an independant country early 20th century,
3. and an imagined and/or real biography of real Polish/British sailor and author Joseph Conrad, who wrote "Nostromo".
The characters of the narrators are very well developped. There are countless secondary characters, whom are developped enough to understand the stories. The stories are well written and more importantly the intrigues are well maintained throughout the novel. It was interesting for me to read about Panama, going from a province of Colombia to an independant country and how the Panama Canal came to be realized. I had no prior knowledge to Panama Canal's history and tragic stories. I hadn't read Joseph Conrad, thus his story wasn't much of interest to me; especially that I suppose his story in the book is only a brief summary of his life.
Overall, I liked the novel very much because the stories were captivating and always on the move from beginning until end.
1. the fictive biographies of the narrator and his father,
2. Colombia's History during the 19th century and the birth of Panama as an independant country early 20th century,
3. and an imagined and/or real biography of real Polish/British sailor and author Joseph Conrad, who wrote "Nostromo".
The characters of the narrators are very well developped. There are countless secondary characters, whom are developped enough to understand the stories. The stories are well written and more importantly the intrigues are well maintained throughout the novel. It was interesting for me to read about Panama, going from a province of Colombia to an independant country and how the Panama Canal came to be realized. I had no prior knowledge to Panama Canal's history and tragic stories. I hadn't read Joseph Conrad, thus his story wasn't much of interest to me; especially that I suppose his story in the book is only a brief summary of his life.
Overall, I liked the novel very much because the stories were captivating and always on the move from beginning until end.
December 11, 2022
Muszę przyznać, że Vasquez “zaskoczył” od pierwszych stron, ponieważ jestem wielkim miłośnikiem takiej płynnie napisanej - ale bardzo dygresyjnej - prozy, gdzie anegdoty przeplatają się z plotkami, domysłami i zasłyszanymi na ucho opowieściami, po to żeby swobodnie przejść w jakąś utrwaloną, ale wciąż nieciągłą i niestałą, wizję historii. Tu się naprawdę wiele dzieje w samym sposobie prowadzenia narracji, co oczywiście przekłada się dość mocno na nasze postrzeganie głównego bohatera, bo to jak i co mówi, tworzy specyficzny portret.
Jest to też książka, która przez swój flirt z historią, wzbudzała we mnie pewien dystans. Nie mogłem się w nią w pełni zanurzyć, bo nie jest to “moja” historia, a patrzenie na tę opowieść wyłącznie przez pryzmat fikcji wydaje mi się nie do końca zasadne. Stąd gdyby Vasquez np. rozciągnął “Sekretną historię” o kolejne 100 czy 200 stron, istniałoby duże prawdopodobieństwo, że nie doczytał bym do końca, właśnie przez ten regionalny charakter, jakby modelowym czytelnikiem byłby jednak Kolumbijczyk znający zarówno historię swojego kraju, jak również “Nostromo” Conrada.
Jest to też książka, która przez swój flirt z historią, wzbudzała we mnie pewien dystans. Nie mogłem się w nią w pełni zanurzyć, bo nie jest to “moja” historia, a patrzenie na tę opowieść wyłącznie przez pryzmat fikcji wydaje mi się nie do końca zasadne. Stąd gdyby Vasquez np. rozciągnął “Sekretną historię” o kolejne 100 czy 200 stron, istniałoby duże prawdopodobieństwo, że nie doczytał bym do końca, właśnie przez ten regionalny charakter, jakby modelowym czytelnikiem byłby jednak Kolumbijczyk znający zarówno historię swojego kraju, jak również “Nostromo” Conrada.
August 28, 2024
I've read this novel twice, the first time I thought something was lacking. I read it again in 2019 during lockdown and my response was more favourable but still unenthusiastic but I couldn't give it less than four stars. But by then I had read his 'The Shape of the Ruins' a novel so dazzlingly brilliant that it shone retrospectively onto 'The Secret History of Costaguanna'.
The Secret History tries to wrap up the history of the French Panama Canal debacle and a woman destroyed by it, the creation of the state of Panama by military/political coup d'etat from Colombia, Joseph Conrad and the genesis of his masterpiece Nostromo, more Colombian history and more intertwining of ordinary lives in history and literature. It is a great story but it didn't work for me, or at least I didn't get that shuddery frisson that really great novels, like 'The Shape of the Ruins' by Vasquez give me.
I would never dream of discouraging anyone from reading it but, well I've given enough buts.
The Secret History tries to wrap up the history of the French Panama Canal debacle and a woman destroyed by it, the creation of the state of Panama by military/political coup d'etat from Colombia, Joseph Conrad and the genesis of his masterpiece Nostromo, more Colombian history and more intertwining of ordinary lives in history and literature. It is a great story but it didn't work for me, or at least I didn't get that shuddery frisson that really great novels, like 'The Shape of the Ruins' by Vasquez give me.
I would never dream of discouraging anyone from reading it but, well I've given enough buts.
June 26, 2019
Met deze geheime geschiedenis speelt Vásquez vooruit op de thema's die in zijn later werk met meer fijnheid en diepgang benaderd worden. (zie mijn review van 'De reputaties' - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... )
Hoewel ik - net zoals Altamirano, de verteller, bij het lezen van Joseph Conrads 'Nostromo' - voortdurend op gemis las, wist het verhaal doorheen een vreemd stilistische opbouw (alsof de schrijver steeds beter wordt) grip op me te krijgen...
Hoewel ik - net zoals Altamirano, de verteller, bij het lezen van Joseph Conrads 'Nostromo' - voortdurend op gemis las, wist het verhaal doorheen een vreemd stilistische opbouw (alsof de schrijver steeds beter wordt) grip op me te krijgen...
November 24, 2019
Práchtig boek met één groot manco: als je de roman waar het op gebaseerd is van Joseph Conrad (Nostromo) niet gelezen hebt, snap je het eind niet...
July 4, 2021
Magnífica narrativa en clave de Joseph conrad
March 14, 2024
trochę rozwaliła mi ta książka łeb
August 25, 2024
Juan Gabriel Vasquez is a Colombian author and has presented the history of Colombia through his writings. I had read his earlier book ‘The Sound of things falling’ about drug cartels in Colombia. His writing style impressed me. When this book started it appeared to be a book about revolution but as it progressed various threads revolution, writing, building of canal emerged and the author took them all to logical conclusion. The book is about Nostromo the historical book written by Joseph Conrad which Jose Altamirano feels is a distorted version of history and on the day of his death starts non stop writing himself back into history. Overall a captivating read
October 20, 2018
Aunque no me gustó el tono y las 'libertades' del autor nombrándome miembro del jurado que juzgaria el libro, Juan Gabriel Vásquez tiene la capacidad de llevarme a su mundo de historias entrelazadas por el dolor, la felicidad y la injusticia y hacerme llorar de tristeza y de rabia en menos de trescientas páginas. Me quedo con ganas de leer a Conrad y cuanto libro sobre Panamá que se me atraviese.
July 7, 2011
This review first appeared on my blog: http://www.knittingandsundries.com/20...
In this rather convoluted tale, the narrator, Jose Altamarano, the illegitimate son of a married cynic and an idealistic Renaissance man, poor, anonymous, exiled and Colombian, tells the reader how his story was hijacked by the Great Novelist (caps from the novel) Joseph Conrad, and twisted into Nostromo.
Through various anecdotes, scraps of history, and personal recollections, we read about an unconventional life from the son of an unconventional union: a journalist father who eventually becomes a propaganda machine for the building of the Panama Canal, and a married woman whose husband kills himself when he finds out that she is pregnant by another man.
There is a great mix of tragedy, history, and personal drama that should make this a wonderful historical tale. There are also flashes of brilliance in the writing that will probably land this one on one or more long-and-shortlists for a literary award. For THIS reader, however, the writing style was difficult to muddle through. More often than not, I found myself backtracking, because whatever I'd just read didn't 'gel' in my mind to something I could understand (and on a couple of these occasions, even reading it over didn't help). I must admit that I haven't read Nostromo, and I knew almost nothing of the history of Colombia and Panama, so someone with a deeper background may not have some of the same issues with it. It also simply may not have translated over very well.
This one is not for the casual reader; it's like certain movies - if you look away from them for a minute or two, you simply can't figure out what's going on. In this novel, you have to pay attention, or you'll find yourself scratching your head and going back a page or two to catch up. I've included some quotes that are illustrative of the writing style and may help guide you into knowing if this book is right for you. I think that some readers will LOVE it, and some, like me, will merely like it, feeling that it should have been a better reading experience for them.
QUOTES (from an ARC; may be different in final copy):
In other words, leave it all in my hands. I'll decide when and how to tell what I want to tell, when to hide, when to reveal, when to lose myself in the nooks and crannies of my memory for the mere pleasure of doing so. Here I shall tell you of implausible murders and unpredictable hangings, elegant declarations of war and slovenly peace accords, of fires and floods and intriguing ships and conspiratorial trains; but somehow all that I tell you will be aimed at explaining and explaining to myself, link by link, the chain of events that provoked the encounter for which my life was destined.
You'll see, with the passing of the years and the reflection on the subjects of this book, which I'm now writing, I have discovered what undoubtedly comes as no surprise to anyone: that stories in the world, all the stories that are known and told and remembered, all those little stories that for some reason matter to us and which gradually fit together without us noticing to compose the fearful fresco of Great History, they are juxtaposed, touching, intersecting: none of them exists on their own. How to wrest a linear tale from this? Impossible, I fear.
After the fire, "sixteen Panamanians were admitted to the hospital with breathing troubles," wrote my father (the breathing trouble consisted of the fact that they were not breathing, because the sixteen Panamanians were dead). In my father's article, the Canal workers were "true war heroes" who had defended the "Eighth Wonder" tooth and nail, and whose enemy was "fearsome nature" (no mention was made of fearsome democracies).
Writing: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Characters: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Reading Immersion: 3 out 5 stars
BOOK RATING: 3.6 out of 5 stars
In this rather convoluted tale, the narrator, Jose Altamarano, the illegitimate son of a married cynic and an idealistic Renaissance man, poor, anonymous, exiled and Colombian, tells the reader how his story was hijacked by the Great Novelist (caps from the novel) Joseph Conrad, and twisted into Nostromo.
Through various anecdotes, scraps of history, and personal recollections, we read about an unconventional life from the son of an unconventional union: a journalist father who eventually becomes a propaganda machine for the building of the Panama Canal, and a married woman whose husband kills himself when he finds out that she is pregnant by another man.
There is a great mix of tragedy, history, and personal drama that should make this a wonderful historical tale. There are also flashes of brilliance in the writing that will probably land this one on one or more long-and-shortlists for a literary award. For THIS reader, however, the writing style was difficult to muddle through. More often than not, I found myself backtracking, because whatever I'd just read didn't 'gel' in my mind to something I could understand (and on a couple of these occasions, even reading it over didn't help). I must admit that I haven't read Nostromo, and I knew almost nothing of the history of Colombia and Panama, so someone with a deeper background may not have some of the same issues with it. It also simply may not have translated over very well.
This one is not for the casual reader; it's like certain movies - if you look away from them for a minute or two, you simply can't figure out what's going on. In this novel, you have to pay attention, or you'll find yourself scratching your head and going back a page or two to catch up. I've included some quotes that are illustrative of the writing style and may help guide you into knowing if this book is right for you. I think that some readers will LOVE it, and some, like me, will merely like it, feeling that it should have been a better reading experience for them.
QUOTES (from an ARC; may be different in final copy):
In other words, leave it all in my hands. I'll decide when and how to tell what I want to tell, when to hide, when to reveal, when to lose myself in the nooks and crannies of my memory for the mere pleasure of doing so. Here I shall tell you of implausible murders and unpredictable hangings, elegant declarations of war and slovenly peace accords, of fires and floods and intriguing ships and conspiratorial trains; but somehow all that I tell you will be aimed at explaining and explaining to myself, link by link, the chain of events that provoked the encounter for which my life was destined.
You'll see, with the passing of the years and the reflection on the subjects of this book, which I'm now writing, I have discovered what undoubtedly comes as no surprise to anyone: that stories in the world, all the stories that are known and told and remembered, all those little stories that for some reason matter to us and which gradually fit together without us noticing to compose the fearful fresco of Great History, they are juxtaposed, touching, intersecting: none of them exists on their own. How to wrest a linear tale from this? Impossible, I fear.
After the fire, "sixteen Panamanians were admitted to the hospital with breathing troubles," wrote my father (the breathing trouble consisted of the fact that they were not breathing, because the sixteen Panamanians were dead). In my father's article, the Canal workers were "true war heroes" who had defended the "Eighth Wonder" tooth and nail, and whose enemy was "fearsome nature" (no mention was made of fearsome democracies).
Writing: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Characters: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Reading Immersion: 3 out 5 stars
BOOK RATING: 3.6 out of 5 stars
April 18, 2023
4,5 ⭐️
Jedna z lepszy lektur jakie miałam okazję czytać na uczelnie 💛
Jedna z lepszy lektur jakie miałam okazję czytać na uczelnie 💛
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews