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Original Essays | November 5, 2009

John Buntin: IMG Notes from the (Bibliographic) Underground



For more than 60 years, Los Angeles's origins, its underbelly, and (yes) its blondes have fueled the imagination of writers and directors from... Continue »
  1. $18.20 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

The House of the Spirits

by Isabel Allende

The House of the Spirits Cover

ISBN13: 9780553383805
ISBN10: 0553383809
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

Only 2 left in stock at $7.50!

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Here, in an astonishing debut by a gifted storyteller, is the magnificent saga of proud and passionate men and women and the turbulent times through which they suffer and triumph. They are the Truebas. And theirs is a world you will not want to leave, and one you will not forget.

Esteban — The patriarch, a volatile and proud man whose lust for land is legendary and who is haunted by his tyrannical passion for the wife he can never completely possess.

Clara — The matriarch, elusive and mysterious, who foretells family tragedy and shapes the fortunes of the house of the Truebas.

Blanca — Their daughter, soft-spoken yet rebellious, whose shocking love for the son of her father's foreman fuels Esteban's everlasting contempt... even as it produces the grandchild he adores.

Alba — The fruit of Blanca's forbidden love, a luminous bearty, a fiery and willful woman... the family's break with the past and link to the future.

From the Paperback edition.

Review:

"Extraordinary... Powerful... Sharply observant, witty and eloquent." — Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, The New York Times

"Mesmerizing... A novel of force and charm." — The Washington Post

"That rarest of successes — a book about one family and one country that is a book about the world and becomes the world in a book." — Cosmopolitan

"Nothing short of astonishing... In The House Of The Spirits Isabelle Allende has indeed shown us the relationships between past and present, family and nation, city and country, spiritual and political values. She has done so with enormous imagination, sensitivity, and compassion." — Jane Futcher, San Francisco Chronicle

From the Paperback edition.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
jcinoregon, January 26, 2007 (view all comments by jcinoregon)
I got my first copy of this fictional book 14 years ago recommended by my sister and have since read it several times over. Isabel Allende draws you into the generational tale of the Trueba family who in many ways are relatable. Its set in during the political face change of a nation moving painfully into the "modern" world while grasping when able to the pride of the past. The emotions and familial sagas that are revealed in this story have the ability to hit personal chords unexpectedly. Here I first learned of the writing style called magical realism. Does Rosa the beautiful really have green hair? It sure made me pause and imagine just how beautiful that might be. I connected with Clara and applauded her inner goodness, silent struggles (literally) and ultimately her innocent, sincere self. And even Esteban with his "macho" borderline tyrannical ways won me over. It caught me from the start and has not let go. If you are looking for a bite of history, the transparency of human experience and a revelation of deep felt family connections this is a great choice to make! Take some time, kick back with some cafe con leche and soak up the goodness found in this tale.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780553383805
Author:
Allende, Isabel
Publisher:
Dial Press
Author:
Allende, Isabelle
Subject:
Literary
Publication Date:
August 2005
Binding:
Paperback
Language:
English
Pages:
448
Dimensions:
8.24x5.26x.99 in. .76 lbs.

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