Colombia's 1982 Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez is considered the best Spanish-language writer of this century.He is not only the most famous in Latin America, but also attracts the attention of the whole world literary world.His works have been translated into various languages, and there are about 400 monographs on his research alone.Since the early 1980s, my country’s commentary on García Márquez has become increasingly extensive and in-depth. It can be said that he has been “tracked” and not only translated and published all his important works (some have several editions) , but also published a large number of insightful research articles. Recently, Mr. Lin Yian, a famous translator of Western languages ​​in my country, even edited the tome "García Márquez Research".It should be said that he, Jorge Amado of Brazil and Vargas Llosa of Peru are the three most popular Latin American writers among Chinese readers today.

Following this, we now dedicate another masterpiece by García Márquez to the readers.This book describes a phantom trip made by Simon Bolivar, the famous leader of the Latin American War of Independence in December 1830, along the Magdalena River to Santa Marta in the last 14 days of his life.Around this legendary story, the author not only narrates his battle with the Spanish Royal Army and the struggle with dissidents in the independence movement in a Greek tragic style, but also introduces his little-known private life in a large amount of space. Thereby completely unveiling the veil and myth of this great Latin American icon, making him leave the marble statue seat, and make him a real historical figure-statesman, military strategist, visionary and martyr-and a Ordinary people full of human touch are vividly displayed in front of readers with flesh and blood.The life of Bolivar, a legendary hero described by García Márquez, is brilliant: he has always pursued the freedom and unity of the Americas. through countless pains, sorrows, misfortunes and failures until his desolate death in Santa Marta.But at the same time, he also has thirty-five mistresses, and countless "little birds" that fly at night. He is so greedy for women, and always wants to get all the beauties. He failed in the battle; he was irritable, competitive, spoke inappropriately, sometimes cursed people, and tried to remedy it afterwards, he liked to sleep in a hammock, and he had to take a bath every day... In short, after three or four years of hard work, García Márquez, After reading all the materials about Bolivar and Bolivar himself, including his approximately 10,500 letter programs and speeches, he has shaped a rigorous and sharp brushwork for us and many books, movies, photos, The bronze statue of the sculpture has both similarities and differences. The literary image portrays a much more humane Bolívar than those historians and historians who are inevitably manipulated by the government. A man deeply influenced by European Romanticism caribs.This man is far from the regime, his heart is broken, his face is ashen, and his extremely weak body is only supported by a will like steel.Friends and people have betrayed him, and even his own body and mind are no longer at his command.He was wearing a uniform that was much bigger than he was, and he looked completely out of place.He was alone, surrounded by shadows, miserable, suffering in extreme loneliness and pain.He went into exile and went to death... Belisario Betancur, the former Colombian president, poet, short story writer, and translator who was fortunate enough to have access to the manuscript of the novel, commented: "Garcia Malchés's Bolivar is a real person, he lives, he loves, he gets angry, he entertains, he speaks foul language, in short, a real Bolivar."

A Venezuelan historian who had read the original manuscript and was unable to make any accusations said to the author: "This is a naked Bolivar, please, please put some clothes on him." Latin American literary critics and readers, especially Colombians, once believed that the publication of "Marquez" marked the peak of Marquez's literary creation, and it was impossible to float into the clouds.However, the publication of "The General in the Speed ​​Palace" made them suddenly refreshed. They not only admired the artistic genius and dedication to art shown by the writer again, but also admitted convincingly that "Marquez clearly knows how to break through himself".

It is a brand new novel.It uses history without sticking to it.The protagonist's memory is harmoniously woven into the main story from time to time, and the image of Bolivar is subtly restored to historical reality, fully expressing his human nature, coupled with brilliant strokes, this work and Marquez His other novels are indeed more perfect and mature.It is both novelty, elegant and easy to understand, and the plot is so sad, sad and vivid that Alvaro Mutis, a famous Colombian writer and friend of Marquez, couldn't help crying after reading the manuscript of the novel surge.In this novel.The author once again used some of his usual expressive techniques, such as symbolic description.Bolivar was ill and lay in a hammock for a long time. This hammock symbolizes multiple meanings: it symbolizes his downfall, his loneliness, the deterioration of his health, his hopelessness, his hopelessness, and his never giving up hope. Stubborn psychology, especially his unwillingness to give up his rights easily.Abandoned like a scabbed, dirty, bony black dog that Bolivar kept on his sampan, when Jose Palacios dragged the dog and asked Bolivar to name it At that time, Bolivar said without hesitation: "Bolivar".This is naturally also a realistic and vivid symbol.In addition, the author once again described the beautiful scenery along the Magdalena River as in his famous book "The Bridge of Love in the Time of Cholera" with the skillful way of integrating news and words, poles and creation, because "he is very fond of horses. He has a special feeling for the Gdalena River. He has traveled back and forth on this river eleven times and is familiar with every village and every tree on the river. The manatees there and the crocodiles with their mouths open to catch butterflies are so familiar. He's fascinated." Also, in this work, Márquez always uses dialogue carefully and sparingly.He neither narrates nor describes with dialogue, but uses it for finishing touches.He only occasionally inserts a sentence or two of sporadic dialogue in the fluent prose narration, like a bang explosion, which either defines things, or starts or ends a plot, and Bolivar himself speaks with humor and style. Rhetorical talent makes Marquez's genius shine even more.

On the occasion of Marquez's 61st birthday on March 6 this year, the first edition in Colombia was printed by "Black Sheep" 700,000 copies, and then another 100,000 copies were printed, and then in Argentina, Mexico, A large number of publications in Spain and other countries.The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy in Europe heard the news and rushed to buy translation copyrights. The United States, which has many admirers and researchers of Marquez, was naturally the first to go.Book critics and booksellers believe that Marquez's new book will undoubtedly become the best-selling book in Europe and America in recent years, because "this is another major event in the history of Latin American culture" and "its response is no less than that of a star. Heavy shells".

Latin American literary critics have made enthusiastic comments on this novel. It is generally believed that this novel not only has profound and significant social significance, but also has reached a new height in art. There are two outstanding features: this is the author's first historical novel. ．It interweaves historical imagination with a tragic, moving and fascinating story, and vividly depicts a Boli who was trapped in a labyrinth of illness, despair, hatred, slander and pain in the short years before his death. Val is a breakthrough and development of all works written about this historical figure.Second, although it is a novel, the main characters in the book are written in a real, true, accurate and credible way, "as if they were all people living around Marquez".Especially the protagonist Bolivar himself.Here we might as well quote a passage that García Márquez talked about with an interviewer after he finished writing: "This is the only book that makes me feel at ease and have a clear conscience. First of all, I have never paid so much for any novel. Labor: Three years of research and two years on the typewriter. This is exactly the book I wanted to write, and I am very satisfied whether it is from a technical point of view, a historical point of view, or a literary point of view, because it is exactly what I envisioned. I One hundred percent guarantee: Bolivar is what it is."

Naturally, like every work of García Márquez, there are critics. The Columbia Historical Society even issued a statement, accusing this work of being far-fetched and contrary to historical facts.But García Márquez retorted, "I wrote this book to exact revenge on those who write calendars as they please." He also decided to use all of the work's royalties to create a foundation, In order to organize a group of untainted young historians to write the real history of Colombia, not the official history.This history will be as vivid and interesting as a novel. Yin Chengdong On June 18, 1989, at Xixie Street, Beijing