Translated by Randolf Hogan. In 1955, Garcia Marquez was working for El Espectador, a newspaper in Bogota, when in February of that year eight crew members of the Caldas, a Colombian destroyer, were washed overboard and disappeared. Ten days later one of them turned up, barely alive, on a deserted beach in northern Colombia. This book, which originally appeared as a series of newspaper articles, is Garcia Marquez's account of that sailor's ordeal.
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From Publishers Weekly
In 1955, eight crewmen were cast overboard from the Colombian destroyer Caldas, en route to its home port of Cartagena from Mobile, Ala. The sole survivor, Luis Alejandro Velasco, told his adventures to Garcia Marquez, then working as a reporter for the Bogota daily El Spectator, where Velasco's story of a seeming eternity of thirst, hunger and hallucinations first appeared. The Nobel Laureate's lean prose perfectly captures the straightforwardness of the sailor's voice as he recounts his 10-day drift at sea in a cork raft: the fading senses of direction, motion, time; his struggle against sharks, which appeared punctually each evening at 5:00; starvation that drove him to tryin vainto eat the soles of his shoes. "My heroism consisted of not letting myself die," states Velasco. This slim volume is a superb example of journalism by a professional of the art.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
On February 26, 1955, Luis Alejandro Velasco was washed off the deck of the Colombian destroyer Caldas along with seven of his crewmates. His companions drowned, but Velasco was left to drift "in the midst of the sea's dark murmur" for ten days and nights before he could reach shore. Afterwards, he was surprised to find himself a hero. This small literary jewel compares favorably with the very best of modern tales of the sea, e.g., Richard Hughes's In Hazard and Peter Matthiessen's Far Tortuga. In Garcia Marquez's later works, his raw ability as a storyteller is often obscured by his extraordinary strength as a fabulist, his mastery of irony, and the translucent quality of his descriptions. In this barebones narrative, his stature as a storyteller is immediately apparent. An exceptional book. David Keymer, Dean of Students, SUNY Coll. of Technology, Utica
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor," by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, has an interesting history (which is described in a short introduction by the author). In 1955, 8 crew members of a Colombian naval vessel were washed overboard. One of them, Luis Alejandro Velasco, survived 10 harrowing days on a drifting life raft before reaching land. The sailor collaborated with Garcia Marquez to produce a series of newspaper articles about the ordeal; those articles eventually became this book, which has been translated into a very readable English by Randolph Hogan.
The book is written as the sailor's own first-person narrative. This is truly an amazing tale of endurance under some horrible conditions. Velasco describes his experiences in graphic detail: the harsh weather elements, the disorienting hallucinations, the times of despair. Particularly interesting are his encounters with a variety of marine animals. But it's not all suffering; there are moments of poetic beauty.
I've never experienced anything as harrowing as this. But as a U.S. Navy veteran, I can say that Garcia Marquez skillfully captures the wonder that can only be encountered at sea, far from land. An excellent book.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is a marvel. The writing is so engaging in its simplicity and clarity. Vivid details abound in this account of Luis A. Velasco's ten days at sea in a little raft after he was swept overboard from his Colombian naval ship, en route from Mobile, Alabama to Cartagena, Colombia. He endured watching fellow crew members drown, followed by daily visits from sharks, intense sun that blistered his skin, near starvation and thirst, and fear. It's an amazing account of just what it is to survive, and not think or ponder about life, but just survive. And all with one oar bitten in half by a shark!
I've loved this author for a long time, and consider this early work of his a special treat. Stories of the sea can be so magnificent! I kept thinking of the Old Man and the Sea when reading this. Very highly recommended! You won't be able to put it down.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is an amazing little book. The factual, detached style adopted by Marquez makes the horrible suffering of the sailor seem even more real. Incredibly, the sailor manages to see the humor in his circumstance, and in the human condition, even after ten days at sea. Marquez communicates beautifully his sure grasp of human motivation.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor
Although I'm not usually a fan of this author, this book was fascinating. I read it first in Spanish and liked it so much I got it in English for my book club. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Barbie
5.0 out of 5 stars
beautifully real
This is a form of Garcia-Marquez rarely seen. He is a surreal writer (magical realism to be specific) and this is an early piece in which he writes non fiction in a journalistic... Read more
Published 13 months ago by I Read Stuff...A Lot
5.0 out of 5 stars
needed for school, good book tho
i needed this as a part of my finally effin graduated program, and wow--just great. i would recommend it to anybody who loves good literature in general.
Published on April 30, 2011 by S. Andrews
4.0 out of 5 stars
UNFORGETABLE
A sailor gets standed on a life raft for 10 days - no food - no drink - lot of sharks - and birds - he survives
I was enthralled throughout, but was surprised by the... Read more
I was enthralled throughout, but was surprised by the... Read more
Published on April 9, 2011 by Rocke Harder
3.0 out of 5 stars
Shipwrecked Sailor - get the background
A quick read - This story is told in painstaking detail, and one has to admire the recall of the narrator as he recounts the circumstances of the shipwreck, the ensuing 10 days at... Read more
Published on July 27, 2010 by Wy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Master of Description
I read this book as a teenager and loved the fact that despite the fact that there is only one character, the story never becomes boring. Read more
Published on November 18, 2007 by ydlg
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes real life stories. Marquez tells a true life story full of great detail. Read more
Published on July 29, 2007 by R. Hamel
3.0 out of 5 stars
Intense story telling
The book is written in the first person voice: as a Columbian sailor named Luis Alejandro Velasco recounting his 10 days at sea fighting for survival. Read more
Published on July 6, 2007 by S. Park
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor
The story of a shipwrecked sailor is an adventerous encounter by a man whose will to live and whose bravery help inspire all r eaders. Read more
Published on August 2, 2005 by Patricia Porter-Gill
5.0 out of 5 stars
A gripping narrative
Mr Marquez based his narrative on the true story of 8 members of the destroyer "Caldas" of the Colombian Navy who fell overboard during a storm in the Caribbean Sea on February 28,... Read more
Published on December 23, 2004 by HORAK
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