No One Writes to the Colonel

Thanks to Alejandra Fernandez, a former RA, who sent me another great Gabriel Garcia Marquez book to read.  This time a collection of short stories called No One Writes to the Colonel.  Marquez is adept at bringing in the reader to a time and place of the “salt of the earth” South American.  The marriage struggles, the hard times, etc. are all captured in this one.  I loved the humor, especially in the title story (same as the name of the book) and Tuesday Siesta.  There are themes that run across all of the stories and some of the characters re-appear from one story to another.  The government and how it plays a role in continually “taking” from the people for its own gain is a mantra that my own wife’s family felt growing up in Argentina.  Marquez paints experiences through his works.  His characters are real; people you would find on any street corner in any city across the globe.  Survival even through the extreme level of poverty hits many of the characters, even when on her deathbed, Big Mama won’t let stop clutching the jewels that had been left to her knowing they will be pawned by her relatives as soon as she is in the grave.  A simple, but complex cast of characters.  I really enjoy his storytelling.  Very nice read!