One of the most popular and acclaimed of Latin American authors presents an unforgettable memoir. An exquisitely rendered, deeply moving mother-daughter story that doubles as Allende's autobiography, Paula is a prodigious evocation and a hymn to life, written from the heart.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
"Listen, Paula. I am going to tell you a story so that when you wake up you will not feel so lost." So says Chilean writer Isabel Allende (The House of the Spirits) in the opening lines of the luminous, heart-rending memoir she wrote while her 28-year-old daughter Paula lay in a coma. In its pages, she ushers an assortment of outrageous relatives into the light: her stepfather, an amiable liar and tireless debater; grandmother Meme, blessed with second sight; and delinquent uncles who exultantly torment Allende and her brothers. Irony and marvelous flights of fantasy mix with the icy reality of Paula's deathly illness as Allende sketches childhood scenes in Chile and Lebanon; her uncle Salvatore Allende's reign and ruin as Chilean president; her struggles to shake off or find love; and her metamorphosis into a writer.
One of the most popular and acclaimed Latin American authors of our century presents this unforgettable memoir, an exquisitely rendered, deeply moving mother-daughter story that doubles as her autobiography.
Paula is a soul-baring memoir one reads without drawing a breath, like a novel of suspense. The point of departure for these moving pages is a tragic personal experience. In December 1991, Isabel Allende's daughter, Paula, became gravely ill and shortly thereafter fell into a coma. During hours in the hospital, the author began to write the story of her family for her unconscious daughter. In the telling, bizarre ancestors appear before our eyes, and we hear both delightful and bitter childhood memories, amazing anecdotes of youthful years, the most intimate secrets passed along in whispers. Chile, Allende's native land, comes alive as well, with the turbulent history of the military coup of 1973, the following dictatorship and her family's years of exile.
As an exorcism of death, in these pages Isabel Allende explores the past and questions the gods. The result is a magical book that carries the reader from tears to laughter, from terror to sensuality and wisdom. Paula is a prodigious evocation and a hymn to life, written from the heart of the courageous and estimable woman who created The House of the Spirits.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 5.25
Within U.S.A.
Seller: The Yard Sale Store, Narrowsburg, NY, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. RELIABLE library withdrawal with the front cover having a slight forward lean in the plastic protective covers. Stamped at the page edge with a card pocket pasted on the inside blank back cover page. Some shelf wear. Clean clear text. This edition is PRESENTABLE!. Seller Inventory # RSCLibDec7VI26
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1.8. Seller Inventory # G0783813732I3N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Casa del Libro A Specialty Bookstore, Sultan, WA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. With remains of exlibris on first page and a initial on the back end paper. LARGE PRINT. Seller Inventory # 006901
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Ergodebooks, Houston, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. Large Print. One of the most popular and acclaimed of Latin American authors presents an unforgettable memoir. An exquisitely rendered, deeply moving mother-daughter story that doubles as Allende's autobiography, Paula is a prodigious evocation and a hymn to life, written from the heart. Seller Inventory # SONG0783813732
Quantity: 1 available