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Memories of My Melancholy Whores

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Edith Grossman (Translator)

(71)

| Hardcover | 9781400044603

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Book Description

Memories of My Melancholy Whores is Gabriel García Márquez’s first work of fiction in ten years, written at the height of his powers, the Spanish edition of which Ilan Stavans called, “Masterful. Erotic. As hypnotizing as it is disturbing” (Los Angeles Times).
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Memories of My Melancholy Whores is Gabriel García Márquez’s first work of fiction in ten years, written at the height of his powers, the Spanish edition of which Ilan Stavans called, “Masterful. Erotic. As hypnotizing as it is disturbing” (Los Angeles Times).

On the eve of his ninetieth birthday, our unnamed protagonist–an undistinguished journalist and lifelong bachelor–decides to give himself “the gift of a night of wild love with an adolescent virgin.”

The virgin, whom an old madam procures for him, is splendidly young, with the silent power of a sleeping beauty. The night of love blossoms into a transforming year. It is a year in which he relives, in a rush of memories, his lifetime of (paid-for) sexual adventures and experiences a revelation that brings him to the edge of dying–not of old age, but, at long last, of uncorrupted love.

Memories of My Melancholy Whores is a brilliant gem by the master storyteller.

Critics

  • A sad affair

    Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel García Márquez translated by Edith Grossman 115pp, Jonathan Cape, £10 Shortly before his 90th birthday, the anonymous hero of Gabriel García Márquez's new novella, a columnist for a smalltown newspaper, dec ... (read full critics)

    guardian.co.uk published on Sat, 25 Sep 2010

  • Memories of My Melancholy Whores-- book review

    Memories of My Melancholy Whores Gabriel Garcia Marquez translated by Edith Grossman Knopf Hardcover 128 pages October 2005 It’s a concept that practically screams “Ick!” at the top of its lungs: a 90-year-old man, hearing the ticking clock of mortal ... (read full critics)

    curledup published on Tue, 7 Sep 2010

7 Reviews

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  • 1 person find this helpful

    We could just say this tale is just pure fantasy considering the sexual drive of the 90 year old male protagonist. Apart from that, I guess it's a novel on sex as substitute of love;or maybe just about despair for companionship no matter how to obtain it; or maybe about an unideal type of love; , or ... (continue)

    We could just say this tale is just pure fantasy considering the sexual drive of the 90 year old male protagonist. Apart from that, I guess it's a novel on sex as substitute of love;or maybe just about despair for companionship no matter how to obtain it; or maybe about an unideal type of love; , or maybe it's actually about fear to love and compromise with someone;or about self-discovery before death comes... Maybe it's about all those things together. It's a quick read, a bit sordid, a bit detached, still a love story?

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    Marcial said on Jun 9, 2010 | Add your feedback

  • This book was written in 2005 and Marquez was born in 1927, so the author was 78 years old at the time of publication. One can ask if this is a book about an old man's dream. Marquez is another author who doesn't appeal to all. I have read one of his other books 'One Hundred years of Solitude' wh ... (continue)

    This book was written in 2005 and Marquez was born in 1927, so the author was 78 years old at the time of publication. One can ask if this is a book about an old man's dream. Marquez is another author who doesn't appeal to all. I have read one of his other books 'One Hundred years of Solitude' which I enjoyed. The one theme that does seem to run between these two stories is love and sex in a debauched way. I like the South American writers, the way they write with ease about love, sex and lust which is central to many of their books. This book does not focus on folklore and spiritual beliefs which is also a common theme in Latin writing.
    Marquez' character is a selfish man, look at the odd relationship with his housekeeper. He does not want commitment with any woman, just a desire to fulfill his sexual needs. The story is well written and an easy read, but it may not appeal to everyone.

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    Booketta said on Apr 28, 2011 | Add your feedback

  • The story is kind of depressing - who wants to hear an old man reminisce about the lovely whores he has slept with? This is a male's book, some references a la Lolita. Feminists beware. But I love Gabriel Garcia Marquez's language that I read this slim volume pretty quickly.

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    guiltlessreader aka screamingbanshee said on Dec 15, 2009 | Add your feedback

  • Started with a quote from Kawabata 'The House of Sleeping Beauties' and probably will seem better after I re-read that.

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    huntch said on Oct 10, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • Though I read the English translation (by Edith Grossman) of this novella, the prose is beautiful in its simplicity. A very quick read, although I almost feel guilty for having read so fast--there certainly is much more to be gleaned from a slow and thorough second reading about what it means to lov ... (continue)

    Though I read the English translation (by Edith Grossman) of this novella, the prose is beautiful in its simplicity. A very quick read, although I almost feel guilty for having read so fast--there certainly is much more to be gleaned from a slow and thorough second reading about what it means to love, and how we let age and its expectations affect the lives we lead.

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    Chezmerelda said on Jul 7, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

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