Garcia Marquez, Gabriel. Living to tell the tale.

GARCIA MARQUEZ, Gabriel. Living to tell the tale. Tr. by Edith Grossman. Random House, Vintage. 533p. c2003.1-4000-3454-X. $14.95. A *

In this first volume of his autobiography, spanning the years 1927-1955, Garcia Marquez writes with stunning detail of his family, his education, his friends, and his passion for reading and writing. His parents, who were "both excellent storytellers," had a significant impact on his work, but convincing them that he wanted to become a writer instead of a lawyer was a defining moment in his life. He recalls a doctor explaining his desire as "something that one carries inside from the moment one is born."

Garcia Marquez demonstrates his gift by recalling people, stories, and events with apparent effortlessness. The reader is mesmerized as one remarkable story leads into the next. One reality of his life in Colombia is poverty. The author almost delights in acknowledging that he "did not have the five centavos to buy the paper" in which his first story appeared in print. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that many of the people with whom he came in contact in these years are presented with such clarity that they would recognize themselves even if their names had not been given. Among his friends are many young intellectuals he met in coffeehouses as well as a young Cuban student leader named Fidel Castro.

This book provides a unique opportunity to follow the development of one of the most important writers of the 20th century. The next volume of this Nobel Prize winner's autobiography will be eagerly awaited by many. Anthony Pucci, English Dept. Chair., Notre Dame H.S., Elmira, NY

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code help librarian and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.