LA Voragine / The Whirlpool (Intemporales) (Spanish Edition) (Paperback)

by Jose Eustasio Rivera (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Es un clasico de la narrativa realista pre-mágica, hasta el punto de ser considerada por muchos como la gran novela de la selva latinoamericana. El esquema cronologico de la novela esta dividido en cuatro grandes capitulos: Los Llanos de Casanare, donde parece que la libertad no va a tener límites; La selva que devora la vida de manera insaciable, para su ciclo interminable de procreación espontanea; Las barracas del Guaracu, la dramatica existencia de los caucheros, que se debaten cada dia con los arboles y los capataces sin otro fin que la pura subsistencia; y El diario de Arturo Cova, quien es el protagonista romantico de esta historia de amor y celos, de odio y egoísmo, de infierno y de paraiso, de muerte y tal vez de resurrección. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Language Notes
Text: Spanish --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Losada/Argentina (June 1998)
• Language: Spanish
• ISBN-10: 9706512330
• ISBN-13: 978-9706512338
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,074,433 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adventure in an Exotic Environment, November 17, 2000

By	durangok "durangok" (Tiburon, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: La voragine (COLECCION LETRAS HISPANICAS) (Spanish Edition) (Paperback)

The style and the content of this novel are unique. The language is beautiful and the story engrossing, but don't pick it up to learn elementary or intermediate spanish-- it's too difficult. On the other hand, if you want to experience natural, silky Latin American spanish prose at it's finest this book is for you. It provides a unique glimpse into life on the rubber plantations that vanished with the advent of new technology. it's a great adventure story, and it's written in exemplary and, at times, poetic, idiomatic spanish.

Jose Eustacio Rivera was in New York working on a North American edition when he died of pneumonia on his 39th birthday.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect, March 18, 2008

By	M. Galvis "The Dark Skinned" (Margate, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: La voragine (COLECCION LETRAS HISPANICAS) (Spanish Edition) (Paperback)

I'm biased, in the way that this is my all time favourite, not only because of the narrative, but also because of the prosaic poetry.

When you read this book, you feel swallowed by the jungle, in the same way that you feel like fighting a marlin in "The Old Man and the Sea". But beleive me, you won't feel a bullhorn through your head (litterally), except when you read it.

When I left Colombia, I tried and bring the book with me, but I left it there, halfway through the story. I can finally have it back. It just feels right when you are Colombian and read this book.

Now, I can't speak for the non-spanish talkers, but I know as a fact that the biggest context that you can put yourself to read a book like this is to imagine to be a latin american. But I'll say that you won't feel dissapointed by the pace.

You'll feel the jungle getting thicker when you turn the pages.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Garcia Marquez of "caucho"., October 29, 2003

By	Juan C Villamil (Bogota, Colombia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: La voragine (COLECCION LETRAS HISPANICAS) (Spanish Edition) (Paperback)

Together with Garcia Márquez, Jorge Isaacs and Tomás Carasquilla, Jose Eustasio Rivera is one of the great colombian and latinamerican writers.

Garcia Maquez has written to the world about the "bananero" crisis and Colombia, while Rivera does the same but for the "caucho" plantations situation.

This book is written with probably the same passion that Vincent van Gogh painted. Once you start reading it you will be inmersed in a world that is probably new to you, that of the inclemencies of the south american "selvas" (jungles) and the way they devour those who defy them.

This book is definitely worth reading and is written in a fast paced elegant Spanish.