The Chase

by Alejo Carpentier

Fiction Introduction by Timothy Brennan Three works of fiction by the inventor of magic realism-now back in print! "In a nameless, Havana-like city, an anonymous man flees a team of shadowy, relentless political assassins, and ultimately takes refuge in a symphony auditorium during a performance of Beethoven's Eroica. . . . This nightmarish novel does not so much tell a story as map the secret political infrastructure of cities, governments, churches, music, and bodies." The Independent "Carpentier was one of the early giants of modern Latin American literature, a man whose writing helped shape and define the period of 'magic realism.' . . . [The Chase is] a masterpiece." New York Times Book Review "A taut tale of political violence and psychological suspense." San Francisco Chronicle "One of the few perfect novellas in Spanish." G. Cabrera Infante Perhaps Cuba's most important intellectual figure of the twentieth century, Alejo Carpentier (1904-1980) was a novelist, a classically trained pianist and musicologist, a producer of avant-garde radio programming, and an influential theorist of politics and literature. Best known for his novels, Carpentier also collaborated with such luminaries as Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud, Georges Bataille, and Antonin Artaud. Born in Havana, he lived for many years in France and Venezuela but returned to Cuba after the 1959 revolution.

Genres: Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American, 20th Century, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Classics

121 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Writings of Cuban author, musicologist, and diplomat Alejo Carpentier influenced the development of magical realism; his novels include El siglo de las luces! (1962) and The Kingdom of This World (1949).

Alejo Carpentier Blagoobrasoff, an essayist, greatly influenced Latin American literature during its "boom" period.

Perhaps most important intellectual figure of the 20th century, this classically trained pianist and theorist of politics and literature produced avant-garde radio programming. Best known Carpentier also collaborated with such luminaries as Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud, Georges Bataille, and Antonin Artaud. With Havana, he strongly self-identified throughout his life. People jailed and exiled him, who lived for many years in France and Venezuela but after the revolution of 1959 returned. He died in Paris, but survivors buried his body in Havana.

Reviews

[Anneli]

2.5 oisin varmaa tarvinnu enemmän taustatietoo et oisin tajunnu tn paremmin

[Jonna]

Takaa-ajettu päähenkilö pakenee konserttisaliin, jossa esitetään Beethovenin kolmatta sinfoniaa, tutummalta nimeltään Eroica sinfoniaa. Sinfonia kestää 46 minuuttia ja tänä aikana takaa-ajettu mies käy läpi elämänsä vaiheet siitä, miten lupaavasta yliopisto-opiskelijasta tuli takaa-ajattu.

Kirja on musiikillisesti mielenkiintoinen, johtuisiko siitä että Carpentier oli musiikkitieteilijä. Päähenkilö käy sinfonian kautta läpi elämäänsä ja itse teos on rakennettu kolmiosaisen sonaattirakenteen mukaan. Eikä pidä unohtaa varhaista maagista realismia, joka teoksesta tihkuu. Kokonaisuutena teos on mielenkiintoinen ja osaltaan valottaa Kuuban historiaa, mutta valitettavasti itseltäni meni tämän lukemiseen huomattavasti enemmän aikaa kuin 46 minuuttia.