El Rey de La Habana (Narrativas Hispanicas) [Paperback]

Pedro Juan Gutierrez (Author), Pedro Juan Gutierrez (Author)

Book Description

Series: Narrativas Hispanicas | Publication Date: January 1, 2000

esta es la historia de un joven adolescente lanzado a las calles de La Habana de los anos noventa. Una novela basada en hechos reales, escrita crudamente, sin aderezos ni adornos, en la mejor tradicion del realismo sucio. Pedro Juan Gutierrez continua aqu su saga sobre la ciudad caribena y su gente mas pobre y marginal: mendigos, prostitutas, travestis, vendedores callejeros, pcaros, borrachos, los habitantes de un edificio abandonado y en ruinas, gente sin un centavo, con hambre, siempre al borde de la muerte. Una fauna terrible y apocalptica. «esta es la voz de los sin voz», dice el autor acerca de sus personajes. «Los que tienen que aranar la tierra cada da para buscar algo de comer, no tienen tiempo ni energa para nada mas. Su objetivo unico es sobrevivir. Como sea. De cualquier modo. Ni ellos mismos saben por que ni para que. Se empecinan en sobrevivir un da mas. Solo eso.» A pesar de todo, el amor, el sexo y la ternura marcan las vidas de estos seres atormentados. Tras su deslumbrante debut con ""Triloga sucia de La Habana"", que fue unanimemente saludada por la crtica como una de las revelaciones mas impactantes de la literatura latinoamericana reciente, con esta novela se confirman las muchas esperanzas depositadas en Pedro Juan Gutierrez.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: Spanish

About the Author

Pedro Juan Gutierrez (Cuba, 1950) fue vendedor de helados y periodicos desde los once anos. Soldado durante casi cinco ans, instructor de natacion y kayaks, cortador de cana de azucar y obrero agricola de 1966 a 1870, tecnico en obras de construccion, dibujante tecnico, periodista y locutor de radio y television, pintor, escultor, poeta visual. Premio Alfonso Garcia-Ramos de Novela 2000.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Anagrama (January 1, 2000)
• Language: Spanish
• ISBN-10: 8433910981
• ISBN-13: 978-8433910981
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,749,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another reality check about Cuba, May 12, 2003

By 

Marianopolita2005 - See all my reviews

This review is from: El Rey de La Habana (Narrativas Hispanicas) (Paperback)

El Rey de la Habana is one of the many books that have become increasingly popular about the portrait of the "real Cuba" that most tourists and outsiders do not see nor hear about. This book is raw and spares no expense when it comes to describing the life of Rey, a young Cuban street boy who struggles to survive life on the streets by stealing, abusing his body and basically prostituting himself (for fun and natural desires only not for money) as he moves from town to town just hoping to beg for enough money for at least one day's meal. The Cuba portrayed here is representative of the urban street life of many young Cubans both male and female who are forced to adopt this life style at a young age when faced with numerous adversities. A Cuban himself wrote the book so the picture could not be more real. Prepare yourself for some harsh and vulgar language, drug abuse and unlimited female encounters. Out from his ability to clean up streets and women he is know as "El Rey de la Habana". This is a sad portrait but a very true one in country that has forced its citizens to live impoverished and destitute lives. This is a well written novel in my opinion because the author did write the book using the everyday speech of these "street people". I suggest reading the book in Spanish only and purchasing a dictionary of Cuban colloquialisms because there are plenty and the meaning can not be assumed. Otherwise it is a great read and I don't think a translated version can retain the rawness and crudeness of the language.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Incredible reading!, May 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: El Rey de La Habana (Narrativas Hispanicas) (Paperback)

This is a quick-reading novel. It's full of very graphic sex about the lifes of the main character and those he encounters in his short life.
On the other hand, it gives those who have no idea what it's like inside this country a sense of the sordidness of their lives, the crumbling of a system purported to be the best in Latin America. These folks live on a day-to-day basis, scratching a living by their wits, while everything around them is in every sense falling apart.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars King of Habana?, March 27, 2001

By 

Joaquin (Richboro, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: El Rey de La Habana (Narrativas Hispanicas) (Paperback)

Great book! The author, Pedro Juan Gutierrez, presents his main character living in modern Cuba. He is led to believe that he is the "King" of Havanna. However, as you read the book you will find that he has no "royal blood" at all.

The book is written in very clear spanish. His descriptions are vivid and full of sex. If you want to read about modern Cuba and its people, this book is for you. Rey, the main character, is probably not the typical cuban. However, it does provide with examples of the obstacles that these people face in their daily routine. It also makes you think, what has Castro accomplished in his forty-two years of power?