(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed)
Gabriel García Márquez’s most political novel is the tragic story of General Simón Bol&#... read full description
Gabriel García Márquez’s most political novel is the tragic story of General Simón Bol&#... read full description
reviews
Sep 15, 2008
Lamski Kikita
rated it: 
Everyone knows of the big historical events that took place in the 1800 during the liberation of Latin America from the Spanish colonization that are of course associated with Simon Bolivar-aka the Liberator. Apart from his vision for a united Latin America that would form the biggest country that would be "half of the world," his wars for integration, and his glories, no one cares to know about his end.
Gabo had to do extensive reasearch for two years, contacting people fr More...
Gabo had to do extensive reasearch for two years, contacting people fr More...
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Jun 26, 2007
Brent
rated it: 
Boy, I trudged my way through this fictionalized account of Simón Bolívar's final voyage along the Magdalena River. The prose is sharp and beautiful when it needs to be (this is, after all, García Marquez), but the story held no interest. In fact, I'm tempted to ask in response: what story?
People and places from the General's life are constantly evoked, but on this point I have two major critiques: first, the flashbacks are far too paltry (a page or two at most) to really generate an More...
People and places from the General's life are constantly evoked, but on this point I have two major critiques: first, the flashbacks are far too paltry (a page or two at most) to really generate an More...
Nov 06, 2011
Michael VanZandt
rated it: 
A provocative read into the psyche of Bolivar. I feel as though I am hamstrung by my own ignorance of South American history during this period, as well as much of Bolivar's life.
It was fascinating to read into the inner politics between his generals and him. The names really lacked meaning they should have.
All that set aside, Marquez does an admirable job delving into the existential questions that Bolivar faced, or that Bolivar should have been asking himself in the More...
It was fascinating to read into the inner politics between his generals and him. The names really lacked meaning they should have.
All that set aside, Marquez does an admirable job delving into the existential questions that Bolivar faced, or that Bolivar should have been asking himself in the More...
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Oct 03, 2011
Ajay
rated it: 
'The General In His Labyrinth' is Marquez's fictional reconstruction of Simon Bolivar's, the liberator of South America from the Spanish, last days. Being an Indian I am not 100% sure of the historical accuracy in the novel, but people expecting a hardcore historical novel may be disappointed as Marquez weaves his own brand of magic interspersing events and actions that you would not expect in a novel of this genre while maintaining the relevance of the genre also. After all, this is a person w
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Apr 24, 2011
Benji
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jul 27, 2010
Rowland
rated it:
Simon Bolivar almost succeeded in his lofty goal of liberating all of South America from the colonial powers that controlled it in the early days of the nineteenth century. But he lived to see many of his dreams and ambitions crumble amid the decay of his own health. This book chronicles his last days, trying to keep his dreams alive while his followers dwindle and his resources evaporate. Bolivar was never in doubt about his own place in history. He was born a true megalomaniac, a genius, a rem
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Apr 03, 2010
Rick
rated it:
Garcia-Marquez, one of the world’s literary masters, not just of this era but of all time, tells the story of Simon Bolivar’s last months in this thoughtful, moving, elegiac novel. Bolivar is the Great Liberator, freeing the South American holdings of Spain from imperial rule, intending to create a single federalist republic of the former colonial states, a United States of South America, but having won independence, there are squabbles and rebellions among the armies of liberation. Military and
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Nov 06, 2009
Barberry
rated it:
The subject of the story is the journey of the General, the ex-President of the Republic of Gran Colombia Simon Bolivar along the Magdalena River to the Caribbean coastline. The greatest hero of Latin America, who had sacrificed his youth and health for the independence of the continent, advocated the abolition of slavery and popular education, and, though "...had wrested from Spanish domination an empire five times more vast than all of Europe" and "...led 20 years of wa
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Dec 16, 2009
dirt
rated it:
Triumphantly Rock Star Great, especially when it comes to use of swear words.
Favorite quotes:
1. "Well, you have chosen the wrong destiny," he said. "The only wars here will be civil wars and those are like killing your own mother."
2. "We have always been poor and we haven't needed anything," he told him.
"The truth is just the opposite," said the General. "We have always been rich and we haven't anythin
Favorite quotes:
1. "Well, you have chosen the wrong destiny," he said. "The only wars here will be civil wars and those are like killing your own mother."
2. "We have always been poor and we haven't needed anything," he told him.
"The truth is just the opposite," said the General. "We have always been rich and we haven't anythin
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Sep 22, 2011
Tim
rated it: 
Garcia Marquez is one of my all-time favorite authors (heck, our daughter is named after him). "One Hundred Years of Solitude" is at #2 on my All-Time Top 5 Books and I like magical realism. Unfortunately, that is where "The General ..." parts ways with me. This book is told in basically a journalistic style. That's not surprising, given that Garcia Marquez worked as a reporter in his early days, but this book could have been so much more if it followed in the wake of his oth
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Sep 22, 2009
Logan
rated it:
Everybody loves a hero. Everybody loves it even more when a hero falls from grace. There are few things that humans enjoy more than taking a powerful person down a peg or two. In fact, we get a sick thrill from it. Whether it’s the rising up of a virginal starlet (take your pick, they’re a dime a dozen) so that we may delight in tearing her to pieces when she is unable to live up to the exceptionally demanding standards of behavior we set for others to abide by, or the fall from grace of an
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Jan 28, 2012
Gabriel Jaime
rated it:
Excelente obra del maestro GGM, se ve porque es una de las mejores.
Nos hace un recuento de los últimos días del Libertador en su estado de profunda enfermedad, soportando un largo viaje a través del río Magdalena, partiendo desde Santa Fe de Bogotá, de donde fue "expulsado", hasta su lugar de muerte, la ciudad de Santa Marta; viaje en el que enfrentó adversidades como la muerte de su reemplazo el Mariscal Sucre, la traición de sus "amigos" de revolución, la ovació More...
Nos hace un recuento de los últimos días del Libertador en su estado de profunda enfermedad, soportando un largo viaje a través del río Magdalena, partiendo desde Santa Fe de Bogotá, de donde fue "expulsado", hasta su lugar de muerte, la ciudad de Santa Marta; viaje en el que enfrentó adversidades como la muerte de su reemplazo el Mariscal Sucre, la traición de sus "amigos" de revolución, la ovació More...
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Mar 05, 2010
Steve
rated it:
This is a fictionalised account of the last days of Simon Bolivar as he attempts to leave South America to seek exile in Europe. Wracked by illness and mental exhaustion, the protagonist is a shadow of the charismtaic leader he once was. His deteriorating health reflects the downturn in his political fortunes as the country of Gran Colombia he envisioned and forged by his military campaigns of 1811-24 is now beset by petty political squabbling and secession. The novel contrasts the General's cur
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Sep 14, 2011
أحمد أبازيد
rated it:
و من مثلُ ماركيز ؟!!
التاريخ يتكلّم هنا و بلادٌ عانت قرونا من الأشلاء و الحروب و الهويّة ,
و " البطل " الذي يتجسّد في الحروف كإنسان منعتق من أسطورته , يترك حروبه على خصر أنثاه , ويرشّ ماء الكولونيا بينما يتذكّر آخر من حاول اغتياله , و يتمرجح على وقع الأحلام التي تتصارع كآلهة اليونان ...
جميلة هذه الرحلة بتفاصيلها و قفزاتها عبر الزمن و النهر الذي تمشي فيه البلاد و ذاكرة البشر حوله بما تحويه من شعارات بطولة و أمجاد و عار و حروب و دم و أحقاد و أحلام و بنادق و وطن و نساء More...
التاريخ يتكلّم هنا و بلادٌ عانت قرونا من الأشلاء و الحروب و الهويّة ,
و " البطل " الذي يتجسّد في الحروف كإنسان منعتق من أسطورته , يترك حروبه على خصر أنثاه , ويرشّ ماء الكولونيا بينما يتذكّر آخر من حاول اغتياله , و يتمرجح على وقع الأحلام التي تتصارع كآلهة اليونان ...
جميلة هذه الرحلة بتفاصيلها و قفزاتها عبر الزمن و النهر الذي تمشي فيه البلاد و ذاكرة البشر حوله بما تحويه من شعارات بطولة و أمجاد و عار و حروب و دم و أحقاد و أحلام و بنادق و وطن و نساء More...
Jul 16, 2011
Mohammed Abbas Al Soufi
rated it:
ككل كتابات ماركيز،، رائع في الوصف، سردي جدا، حوارات قليلة ولكن مفعولها قوي، هذه المرة هناك حقيقة لانه عبارة عن سيرة لشخص وليست رواية واقعية سحرية كما عودنا ماركيز ..
قد يكون تقييمي باربعة نجوم من خمسة هو انتقاصا من قرائتي للكتاب وليس للكتاب نفسه،، حيث مرت فترات في الكتاب لم اعد اميز ان ما مكتوب هو الزمن الحالي للنص او ذكريات وتشابكت الامور، ساحاول قرائته مرة اخرى لاحقا لان كل ما كتبه ماركيز يجب ان يُقرأ مرتين على الاقل. More...
قد يكون تقييمي باربعة نجوم من خمسة هو انتقاصا من قرائتي للكتاب وليس للكتاب نفسه،، حيث مرت فترات في الكتاب لم اعد اميز ان ما مكتوب هو الزمن الحالي للنص او ذكريات وتشابكت الامور، ساحاول قرائته مرة اخرى لاحقا لان كل ما كتبه ماركيز يجب ان يُقرأ مرتين على الاقل. More...
Dec 15, 2010
Alexander
rated it:
"As they sailed down to the coast the river had grown more vast and solemn, like a swamp with no beginning or end, and the heat was so dense you could touch it with your hands. Without bitterness the General gave up the sudden dawns and piercing twilights that had kept him in the stern of the barge for the first few days, and he yielded to dejection. He did not dictate letters, or read, or ask his companions any question that might reveal a certain interest in life. Even during the hottest
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Jul 26, 2010
Drew
rated it:
Marquez's writing walks a thin line between magical lyricism and aimless wandering. Part of the enjoyment is reading his writing which takes the reader down many different paths simultaneously; it is both maddening and pure pleasure, depending on the context. In his two most known books, it works perfectly. In a book like this one, though, which lacks (for me) a truly compelling story, it became somewhat laborious. I was a bit disappointed because I loved One Hunderd Years of Solitude and Lo
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Oct 16, 2010
Scott
rated it:
Mostly disappointed. I've read two other books by Marquez (One Hundred Years of Solitude and The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor) and liked both. This story rambled, with lot's of unnecessary details. I felt there was no central theme to the book or central aspect of Bolivar's life that he was trying to bring out.
One thing in particular that I found frustrating. As the story went along Marquez would introduce new characters, provide detailed background, involve them briefly and the More...
One thing in particular that I found frustrating. As the story went along Marquez would introduce new characters, provide detailed background, involve them briefly and the More...
Feb 17, 2011
Mariana
rated it:
A contradiction of most Venezuelans is that we grow up venerating Simón Bolívar as this mythical figure, yet learn almost nothing of who the man truly was, or of the extent of his failures and battles. García Márquez does a pretty good job of adding a human dimension to his path and in particular to his painful last months. But far from being dry history, the book is pure García Márquez, full of color and humour. It's also a great companion for a trip through Colombia, from the mountains of Bogo
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Aug 08, 2011
Once again, Garcia Marquez creates a literary environment in which you can smell the mud and hear the mosquitos. His portrayal of Bolivar as both a 'superman' and a deeply flawed, but unstintingly passionate human being to the very last, through his wasting illness, is extraordinary. Had Bolivar not existed, you'd have to say Garcia Marquez had created one of the great fictional characters. A wonderful book, filled with pathos and bravado, in which the supporting cast is as brilliantly sketched
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Jul 30, 2011
it lacks the beautiful lyricism of his other writings,ggm paints a very complex picture of a hero,its well crafted but it shows how hard it is to weave a narrative out of a political story,he tries really hard to extract the character from the idol but i believe the only message drawn out from the novel is that bolivars shadow still looms large over south america,nevertheless its an inspiring homage to the idealism of bolivar yet ggm still points to the drawbacks,obstacles and mishaps of a dream
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Jul 28, 2011
Es el mejor libro que he leído de Gabriel García Márquez. El general en su laberinto no sólo representa los últimos momentos de la vida de “Simón Bolívar”; sino que nos muestra un “Libertador” muy humano con: “debilidades y fortalezas”, “bondad y rencores” y otras facetas que muchos historiadores y políticos cambiaron para hacer una leyenda ó un superhombre. “Ya entiendo porque criticaron a Gabriel García Márquez en su momento”. Yo lo recomiendo es de lo mejor que he leído acerca de Bolívar.
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Nov 22, 2011
John
rated it:
I first read this book back in 1992, when I was attending a school populated largely with mid-level military officers from the US and Latin America. I thought it would an appropriate and entertaining way to learn more about General Simón Bolívar, one of Latin America's most famous heroes. Before starting the book, I did not know whether this would be another challenging voyage of discovery--trying to unravel Gabriel García Márquez' oft used (and often difficult to penetrate) literary style of ma
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Apr 11, 2008
Tanja
rated it:
I have always enjoyed Gabriel Garcia Marquez's books tremendously: their imagination, flights of fancy, interesting characters, atmospheric settings and wonderful stories. For some reason, I had never read this particular book of his before, an oversight I am glad to have corrected. that said, though, 'The General in his Labyrinth' is not a good introduction to Marquez and his magical realism for those not familiar with his masterpieces 'Love in the time of cholera' and 'One hundred years of sol
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Feb 28, 2010
Daniel
rated it:
This is a fictionalization of the last days of Simon Bolivar.
I always wonder, when reading something in translation, just how much I miss, what sorts of nuances may be in the original if only I could read it. For a few writers whose language I do not know, Flaubert, Tolstoy, Eco, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a few others, what might be lost in translation seems not to matter because even in translation their works are marvels.
The story of the last few months of Boliva More...
I always wonder, when reading something in translation, just how much I miss, what sorts of nuances may be in the original if only I could read it. For a few writers whose language I do not know, Flaubert, Tolstoy, Eco, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a few others, what might be lost in translation seems not to matter because even in translation their works are marvels.
The story of the last few months of Boliva More...
Nov 01, 2010
Emily
rated it:
I am almost ashamed to admit that I picked up a second hand copy of this book because of my slight obsession with Looking For Alaska by John Green, in which Alaska is fascinated by the notion of the labyrinth as represented by Garcia Marquez and therefore I thought, I know I'll read that book and become as beautifully messed up as Alaska. That didn't happen but I did really enjoy the book and the intricate details within it.
Sep 15, 2011
Madeleine
rated it:
It took me six months to plod through this fictionalized account of General Simón Bolívar's final journey; had it been written by anyone other than Gabo, I probably wouldn't have tried again after abandoning it in May.
The writing is beautifully melodic, which is exactly what I expect from García Márquez. And the melancholia that permeates throughout the narrative is both palpable and touching -- I never thought I'd care so much about a nineteenth-century South American liberator. The More...
The writing is beautifully melodic, which is exactly what I expect from García Márquez. And the melancholia that permeates throughout the narrative is both palpable and touching -- I never thought I'd care so much about a nineteenth-century South American liberator. The More...
Nov 24, 2009
Emily
rated it:
i think this is a great portrait of a the flawed, weak, human side of a liberator. the general is a man who fights his entire life to preserve the unity of liberated latin america, only to see if crumble and decay in the last few weeks of his life. it's filled with awesome one-liners and historical insights.
it is marquez book though, so it's also full of characters that named but not really flushed out, making it confusing to follow at times.
it is marquez book though, so it's also full of characters that named but not really flushed out, making it confusing to follow at times.
Feb 06, 2012
Evelyn
rated it:
Although this novel is only about 250 pages long, it feels much longer. I think that Garcia Marquez was incredibly ambitious to write a fictionalized account of the last days of the infamous General Simon Bolivar, but the story feels disjointed and almost muddled at times, especially when the brief flashbacks are used. The writing is more often than not beautiful and descriptive, but the story itself didn't really engage me.
May 22, 2011
Pedsplace
rated it:
This could be a 2 star or a 4 star depending on your knowledge of Bolivar. If you know little of his story, you will get lost in the multitude of characters but can still admire the writing. If you know the story of Bolivar well, the book becomes a brilliant encapsulation of his last months and last reflections. Few writers have the tight and brilliant prose of Gabriel Garcia Marquez
