One Hundred Years of Solitude

Published in 1967 as Cien años de soledad, this novel is considered García Márquez’s masterpiece, the breakthrough work that put him on the literary map. It was written in eighteen months of solitude, where García Márquez locked himself into his room with paper and cigarettes, writing day and night while his wife took care of family affairs. Translated into thirty some languages, winner of four international prizes, One Hundred Years of Solitude is certainly one of the most remarkable books ever written, a tale that spans generations, told against a backdrop where the absurd can seem logical and the sensible ludicrous.

Although a summary is close to impossible, I will nevertheless try. In essence, the novel paints the picture of an enduring family living in a South American town called Macondo, a mysterious place where every day brings its inhabitants a share of wonder, magic, grief, sorrow, and almost magical opportunities for transformation. The book picks up the Buendía family from its establishment by a eccentric patriarch and a tenacious matriarch, and tracks their descendants through the family’s rise, fall, and decay. The book is woven from a rich tapestry of unique characters, each brimming with a life that makes their passions and quirks seem like reflections of us all – it is an emotional swirl that is sensuous and filled with sentiment, but never sensational or sentimental. As we follow the Buendía family through growth and decay, war and peace, hardship and joy, we realize that we a witnessing nothing less than the slow process of life itself – like watching rust form beautiful patterns in the timeless eye of God.

Allen B. Ruch - 17 November 2003