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Reflections of a working writer and reader

 

 

One Hundred Years of Solitude

john baker, April 3rd, 2007. 4 comments. Filed under literature, quotations, reading, writing.

A piece in The Guardian describes a Columbian reception for Gabriel García Márquez for his eightieth birthday. He recounted “how his wife Mercedes had to hock her jewels to pay the rent and put food on the table for their two boys during the 18 months it took him to write what many consider the greatest novel in Spanish since Don Quixote – One Hundred Years of Solitude.”

When the novel was finished they couldn’t find enough cash to send the MS to his editor in Buenos Aires, so they sent half of it instead. When the parcel had gone they discovered they’d sent the second part of the novel instead of the first.

Luckily, the editor “was so eager to read the first half that he forwarded us the money so we could send the rest.”

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4 Responses to “One Hundred Years of Solitude”

  1. Jerry Prager says:
    4th April 2007 at 2:37 am

    I love that book, haven’t read it in a long time. I should again.

    Nice post, funny.

    jb says: You know, Jerry, I keep thinking the same thing . . . must read One Hundred Years of Solitude again . . .

  2. Brendan Frost says:
    4th April 2007 at 5:25 am

    Hah, nice. I’m in the middle of “Love in the Time of Cholera” right now– quite good so far. Oh, and thank you for recommending “Lucy Gault”, John, it was fantastic. Still didn’t make me cry, but nearly…

    Another one I read which was great was J.M. Coetzee’s “Disgrace”, which was also very good but did not draw a tear. I think i’m expecting and waiting for it too much. Doh, well…

    jb says: You’re gonna need a big handkerchief one of these days, Brendan.

  3. Yadira says:
    8th February 2010 at 4:38 am

    Just started “One Hundred Years” . Really enjoying it. wanted a blog to discuss . anyone interested??

  4. Solitude says:
    15th June 2011 at 10:41 am

    I love this story. Thank for sharing for me.