Crónicas de un Nómada: Memorias de un Inmigrante, representa un auspicioso debut en el género de ficción para A. A. Alvarez, un joven autor venezolano. Esta interesante novela es narrada en primera persona y es una combinación de las experiencias del autor y las de otros inmigrantes durante su peregrinaje por Caracas, Venezuela; Denver, Colorado; y Atenas, Grecia. Es además una aventura de autodescubrimiento que durante el transcurso de treinta años se enfoca en temas de familia, cultura, educación, religión, política, inmigración, matrimonio y búsqueda de empleo, cuyo relato culmina con un oportuno quo vadis. La cautivadora narración del libro, entrelazada con numerosas frases de personajes célebres, refleja honestidad; observaciones inteligentes; simpatía por los desfavorecidos; dedicación a la lucha por la justicia; sensibilidad por los aspectos positivos y negativos de Venezuela, Estados Unidos y Grecia; y un magnífico sentido del humor por parte del autor. Aun cuando en sus propias palabras, “en los Estados Unidos, los latinos no somos necesariamente la champaña de la fiesta,” el autor [a través de su personaje] sin embargo confiesa su gran aprecio por “mis queridos Estados Unidos” aun después de haber tenido que partir. Probablemente esta sea la razón por la cual el libro fue publicado primeramente en inglés. Esta lectura es recomendable para adultos y adolescentes, y por supuesto, es también muy apropiada para programas educativos de estudios étnicos. Reseña por Vladimir F. Wertsman de la Librería Pública de Nueva York, para la revista, MultiCultural Review Magazine (Edición de Verano, 2009).
Alex A. Alvarez (February 19, 1982) is the author of "Chronicles of a Nomad: Memoirs of an Immigrant" and "v2036: Sustaining Power in a Militarized Venezuela." Born and raised in Venezuela, he grew up in Caracas and left his country after witnessing social unrest, a major economic disaster and two coup attempts.
Alvarez first hit the literary scene with Chronicles of a Nomad: Memoirs of an Immigrant (2009), a first-person adventure narrated by an intrepid young immigrant who grew up realizing that home wasn't the place where he was born.
Six months later, he followed up with the Spanish version titled, Crónicas de un Nómada: Memorias de un Inmigrante (2009), and twelve months later with v2036: Sustaining Power in a Militarized Venezuela (2010), a political novel in which he sends Carlos Rodríguez, the "nomad" from his first novel, back to his home country.
"v2036: Sustaining Power in a Militarized Venezuela" is a political thriller where presidential elections, coup d'états, international conflicts, and social uprisings put the Bolivarian Republic under the magnifying glass. Driven by iconic characters that push the boundaries of fiction, v2036 reopens many of the wounds Venezuela has sustained through its rocky path to 21st Century Socialism.
Following the lives of three resolute men that represent the country's warring factions, the story boldly illustrates that leading the people of such a volatile Latin American nation is well beyond the job description of any single man. A military ruler, an opposition activist and an expatriated citizen will play the famous (and infamous) roles that will lead the once proud nation to a brighter future . . . or to its final demise.
Taking historical events as a starting point, v2036 pushes the boundaries of fiction with delightful characters in pivotal roles that will alter not just the way that these events enfolded, but the influence they had in the current sociopolitical climate of the controversial Bolivarian Republic. As the timeline advances, the story flows through the Venezuela that was to the one that is, and to the one that it might become in the not so distant future while highlighting the rivalry that divides the most influential sectors of today's Venezuelan society.
In the words of The Feathered Quill, V2036 is, "An impressive, groundbreaking view into the lifeblood of Venezuela."
"The passion A. A. Alvarez feels for Venezuela oozes from every page of this tale, a tale that interweaves fact and fiction, taking a glimpse at the past and making a hypothetical leap into the future. Each of the characters is so well developed that the reader could sympathize and side with them depending on where they are in the book. It was as if the author spun a cocoon around them and unraveled the thread bit by bit uncovering their motivation and obsessive love for their country.
This is not a book that gives the reader a wide spectrum of the country's history, but rather microscopically zooms in on the socio-political aspects of its revolutionary history and its potential ramifications in the future. It's amazing how well the author was able to impart what this country's political climate is all about without becoming overly judgmental. Light shades of criticism can be felt, but there was no bashing of any particular political ideology, something that is difficult to accomplish in such a work. This was an impressive, groundbreaking view into the lifeblood of Venezuela, a country that more people should take a look at, examine, and think about."
The author's first book, "Chronicles of a Nomad," serves as a prequel to "v2036" and provides an insider's perspective to the world of immigration. It highlights the reasons that entice many of today's young Latin Americans, even those born wealthy, to leave their home countries and try their luck in other continents.
Independent book critics such as the MultiCultural Review Magazine, Midwest Book Review, TeensReadToo, and ReviewYourBook called his novel "captivating," "witty and wise," "inspirational," and one that "should be mandatory reading" respectively. His writing style has also been described as humorous, brutally honest, and touching.
In an interview conducted by Elena del Valle for Hispanic MPR, Alvarez shared:
"When I wrote Chronicles of a Nomad: Memoirs of an Immigrant, I imagined a readership composed of international students who wanted to enjoy an easy read in which they could feel a special connection with the main character. Leaving one's country, one's culture, and one's language behind is an experience that only us immigrants can truly understand. It is a bond that unites us all regardless of origin and I believe that every migrant has a story worth sharing with the world. It would be wonderful if my work could encourage other fellow expatriates to publish their stories as well."
While Alvarez's first novel is too a work of fiction, it is a reflection of his own experiences and also those of the many immigrants with whom he has crossed paths.
Naturally, the author's native language is Spanish. He also speaks Greek, but he will continue to publish his works in English.
Comments
"The expansion of technology and the globalization of the English language have contributed immensely in making immigration a part of our daily lives, be it because our neighbors came from abroad or because we are foreigners ourselves. By exchanging experiences with immigrants from all walks of life, I have learned precious lessons about growing beyond our nationalities, beyond our languages, and beyond our deepest prejudices. In Carlos Rodriguez's story, I have merged all of our lives into one, and even though his journey is one of adaptation, his message is about those moments of clarity when we make the decisions that shape who we become. With my work, I hope to shed some light on the shadow cast by the nations that divide us, because with or without borders, we are all citizens of the world." - A. A. Alvarez
Press Extracts
2010
v2036, the New Novel by A. A. Alvarez, Highlights Venezuela's Endless Political Contradictions.
A. A. Alvarez returns with his new title, v2036, a political novel set in Venezuela where presidential elections, coup d'états, military conflicts, and social uprisings put the Bolivarian Republic under the magnifying glass. Driven by iconic characters that push the boundaries of fiction, v2036 reopens many of the wounds that Venezuela has sustained during its rocky path to 21st Century Socialism.
By introducing historical events such as these in the fictional world of v2036, A. A. Alvarez has created an engaging novel that blurs the line that separates fact from fiction. In v2036, we follow the lives of Eleazar Maso (a military leader), Bernardo Acosta (a political activist), and Carlos Rodríguez (a scholar in exile) as we travel through time to the Venezuela that was, the one that is, and the one it might become in the not-so-distant future.
2009
Venezuelan author A. A. Alvarez puts the "I" in immigration with a fun novel that demonstrates that money is not the only reason young people emigrate abroad. "Chronicles of a Nomad: Memoirs of an Immigrant" gives you a backstage pass to the life of a well-established Latin American youngster whose path first leads him to Denver, USA, and then to Athens, Greece.
With a passionate and entertaining writing style, the debutant author provides an insider's perspective about the way plenty of today's young immigrants live their lives and why well-established Latin Americans also pursue their dreams in North America and Europe. Alvarez's book, Chronicles of a Nomad: Memoirs of an Immigrant, is a first-person adventure told from the perspective of an intrepid immigrant named Carlos Rodriguez.
The eventful story takes the reader on an exciting roller-coaster ride through three very different countries and a multitude of obstacles that are often serious and humorous at the same time. The author's easy-going style can be enjoyed by readers of all origins and political affiliations, and his chapters include topics on family, education, culture, religion, economy, politics, love, and of course, immigration.
