THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD
by CARPENTIER, Alejo
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- Condition
- Fine in a Fine slipcase. A beautiful book
- Seller
-
Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Reviews
Written by the Cuban Alejo Carpentier (1904-1980), this novel’s literary genre is that one of “the marvelous real” –often mixed up with the magical realism (made famous by Horacio Quiroga in the first place and achieving its greatest fame with Gabriel García Márquez), even though the differences are remarkable–, which was created by Carpentier himself. In the prologue the author gives a passionate explanation of his view of the genre –text on which the definition we nowadays have is based– ending it with a question in which he confesses to the reader what he thinks is the projection of the genre in the material. The aforementioned question if the following: “What, after all, is the history of the Americas but a chronicle of the marvelous real?” America’s history if then, to Carpentier, the clearest expression of the genre, as the natural finds itself interlaced with the supernatural.The novel tells about the Haitian revolution from a closer view concentrated on the life of the black slaves and their repeated misfortunes when falling time and again in the hands of dictators. The tale is faithful to the historical facts but, which is precisely what gets it to be marvelous real, mixes up inherently with the blacks’ believes and superstitions, making something wonderful out of reality. The story mentions characters such as Henri Christophe, Paulina Bonaparte and General LeClerc, whose existence have being confirmed. Yet there are those who play important parts whose existence are though doubted such as, for instance, Mackandal; a controversial character who’s inseparably accompanied of the rumours created by the people, believers in his supernaturality and, of course, convinced of his existence.Widely accepted by the critics, this work is one of the most important ones in the Spanish-American literature and of compulsory reading for the student of its history.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Charles Agvent (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 008390
- Title
- THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD
- Author
- CARPENTIER, Alejo
- Illustrator
- Roberto Juarez
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine in a Fine slipcase. A beautiful book
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- Limited Editions Club
- Place of Publication
- [New York]
- Date Published
- (1987)
- Keywords
- Cuban Literature, Signed, Limited Editions, John Hersey, Original Etchings
- Bookseller catalogs
- Haiti;
Terms of Sale
Charles Agvent
All books subject to prior sale. Payment with order; institutions may be billed. Postage additional: $11.00 for the first book, $6.00 each thereafter. Overseas postage billed at approximate cost. Pennsylvania residents must add 6% sales tax. Mastercard, Visa, and American Express accepted. We are also open to reasonable payment terms. A book may be returned within 7 days of receipt for any reason provided it is in the same condition as sent and prior notice is given. Please insure returns for their full value.
About the Seller
Charles Agvent
About Charles Agvent
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Goatskin
- Goatskin, leather made from goat, is durable and easy to dye. The original and finest examples of Morocco binding are goatskin....
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Colophon
- The colophon contains information about a book's publisher, the typesetting, printer, and possibly even includes a printer's...
- Folio
- A folio usually indicates a large book size of 15" in height or larger when used in the context of a book description. Further,...