Colombian-born author Gabriel García Márquez, or "Gabo" as he is known, is the preeminent figure among Latin American writers and an internationally recognized leader in contemporary literature. García Márquez, a writer, journalist, political activist and screenwriter, is considered the "father of magical realism," spawning a new genre of literature forty five years ago with a solitary composition.

To date, the Nobel Prize-winning author has written more than twenty works, including novels, novellas, short stories, and nonfiction, which have resulted in numerous adaptations as plays and films. One Hundred Years of Solitude alone has sold more than thirty million copies throughout the world, with translations of his works appearing in thirty five languages. In this compact volume, gain an understanding of García Márquez the man and his most respected works.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Angela Bussone received a juris doctor and Advanced Legal Research, Writing and Drafting Certificate from Florida Coastal School of Law, where she served on the Law Review Board as technical editor. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of North Florida, where she was president of the Playwrights' Club, Features Editor for the school's newspaper, and wrote a play selected for the New South Young Playwrights Festival at the Horizon Theatre Co. Her writings have appeared in The Florida Times-Union, where she was a writer; the Florida Coastal Law Review, and in various publications and academic journals. She lives in a small coastal town in Northeast Florida with her husband and six-pound Persian cat, where she performs as violinist and composes songs for an Americana band, supports the local symphony and artists, and volunteers her time with organizations devoted to encouraging literacy, protection and enjoyment of the ocean, and preventing homelessness.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

Although García Márquez has permeated the literary world and has been just as equally embraced, his career has not been without controversy. Last September of 2011, The Guardian reported copies of García Márquez's book, News of a Kidnapping, had sold out in Iran because of comments by opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, who was reported in The Guardian as saying the book's account of kidnappings in Colombia as "an accurate reflection of his life under house arrest." News of a Kidnapping gives the account of the kidnappings of prominent Colombians in the 1990s under the direction of Pablo Escobar.

A piece in The Atlantic by William Kennedy uncovers the financial strain during this period for the family, and how Mercedes got the family through it by selling most of the couple's possessions and borrowing twelve thousand dollars from family and friends. García Márquez told Kennedy he was unaware of how Mercedes was able to provide during this time, but never asked any questions. Yet a supply of whiskey and "[g]ood Scotch" was always on hand for the writer and future Nobel Prize winner in his Mexico City "Cave of the Mafia" writing space, where he spent eight to ten hours a day writing.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Background and Basics