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El arpa y la sombra book cover
El arpa y la sombra
1979
First Published
3.72
Average Rating
205
Number of Pages
Exploring the consequences of the European discovery of the Americas and challenging the myth of Columbus, Alejo Carpentier—"the father of magical realism"—studies the first meetings of the Western and American cultures and the tragic consequences of tarnished and abandoned idealism.
Avg Rating
3.72
Number of Ratings
684
5 STARS
25%
4 STARS
36%
3 STARS
27%
2 STARS
10%
1 STARS
2%
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Author

Alejo Carpentier
Alejo Carpentier
Author · 13 books

Writings of Cuban author, musicologist, and diplomat Alejo Carpentier influenced the development of magical realism; his novels include Lord, Praised Be Thou! (1933) 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.

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