Swallowing Stones: A Novel [Paperback]

Lisa St. Aubin de Teran (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 3, 2006

Lisa St Aubin de Terán's Swallowing Stones is a fictionalized account of the extraordinary life of one Oswaldo Barreto Miliani, code-named Otto -- adviser to Castro, confidant of Salvador Allende, and sharp thorn in the sides of both the CIA and the KGB. In the riveting and remarkable invented memoirs of the legendary seventy-year-old revolutionary scholar, the explosive history of twentieth-century Latin America unfolds before us -- viewed through the sharp, unflinching eyes of a uniquely indomitable character as he progresses, through consequence and fateful accident, from philosophy student to guerrilla fighter, political activist, and outlaw.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This fictional autobiography of one of the 20th century's more colorful, if obscure, revolutionaries presents a delightful ramble through five decades of international political intrigue while connecting the dots among dozens of armed revolts. Narrated by Oswaldo Barreto Miliani, a Venezuelan intellectual, Communist revolutionary and social philosopher, the book—part apology and part corrective—follows Barreto from his birth in San Cristobal in 1934 up to the present. His ostensible purpose is threefold: to set the record straight about his exploits, to offer his view of post–Cold War communism and world revolution and to present an entertaining narrative, rife with irony and good humor, but marked by the ultimate loss of ideals. Although he remains a committed Marxist, Oswaldo loses faith in the practical application of communism. Terán (The Hacienda) renders Oswaldo as an erudite, candid, witty commentator as she unspools a narrative that reads like a who's who of world revolution. Cameos of Che, Castro, Lukás, Ben Barka, Allende and many others propel the story forward, and Barreto's on-and-off romance with his Persian wife, Vida, keeps his personal life lively. Although dense and sometimes redundant, the narrative entices and fascinates with its breadth and scope. (Jan.)
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Review

“[A] beautifully written, utterly convincing novel.” (New Statesman )

“[A] delightful, picaresque tale.” (Baltimore Sun )

“Boldly conceived and beautifully written.” (Elle )

“[An] extraordinary novel.... Dazzling.” (The Guardian )

“A delightful ramble through five decades of international political intrigue.... The narrative entices and fascinates with its breadth and scope.” (Publishers Weekly )

“There is a lightness and vividness to the narrative which speeds the reader from episode to episode.” (Times Literary Supplement (London) )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (January 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060781041
• ISBN-13: 978-0060781040
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,920,786 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cervantes meets Castro and other revolutionaries., May 25, 2006

By 

A. Durant (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Swallowing Stones: A Novel (Paperback)

I had never heard of the author or the book, but bought it as one of three books to sustain me on a two-week trip in Asia. On more than one occasion, I was asked by strangers what I was reading that made me lol. This is, quite simply, one of the best books that I have ever read. There is a sadness over the failures of human nature with a sweetness and lyrical humor. More than once, I thought of Cervantes. Only here, you get Castro and a whole, wide, cast of characters. A classic.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars silya the translator::), May 10, 2006

By 

celia zz (istanbul-turkey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Otto (Hardcover)

hi:) this is my first time writing a review... and I am so proud that I am writing this review for the book I am translating from English to Turkish:) I can say that this book is fascinating. Teran has made her best efforts for writing this book. Otto is a great character, who has a very very different life than you would imagine... I am laughing and I am crying at some pages... but I am really having fun while reading and translating:) so, what I can say is that you really have to buy and read this book and have a journey throughout in otto's life which passed on the WORLD:)

5.0 out of 5 stars incredibly good, funny, interesting, May 13, 2010

By 

A. Posner "does not like every book" (Curacao) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Swallowing Stones: A Novel (Paperback)

Can this book really been written by a woman? Lisa St. Aubin de Teran must have had a lot of information from people like Oswaldo, the narrator in this book, to be able to tell his story. It is all so believable, I caught myself trying to figure out who this person could have been!

There are a lot of very funny and amusing things going on in Oswaldo's life, but the overall message is almost scary. I'm not going to reveal anything, you have to read it for yourself. It surely helped me understand a little more about guerillas, terrorists and people who are dissatisfied with life in their country or the world.

A nice extra is the information about things that have been going on in the world only a few decades ago. It can make you remember -if you're a little older- or wondering -if you're still young-.

It took me some time to finish this book, because once in a while I wanted to read something simpler, but finishing it was worth it. Excellent book choice for serious readers!