The brillance of wood

Héctor Aguilar Camín

NOVEL. PRH, 1999. 512 PAGES.

The Brilliance of Wood is the story of Casares, a poor Mexican who listened to his mother and chose to study and embark upon a professional career to escape from poverty and ignorance rather than ‘losing his way’ like his father who lost his fortune, identity and family by investing in impossible business ventures. But Aguilar Camín tells much more than the story of a single individual, combining Casares’ misadventures with the story of his ancestors and the place in Mexico where the novel is set. With his characteristic perspicacity and eye for detail, Aguilar Camín mixes the two cycles with enthralling narrative skill capable of combining the descriptive prose of a master chronicler with the fresh, clear and dynamic voice of the best contemporary fiction. The Brilliance of Wood is the saga of a family of timber merchants who bring civilization to inhospitable Central American jungles, fighting a cruel war with despotic governments and foreign interests who covet the precious wood that will be the cause of much bloodshed.

 

Review on Letras Libres (Spanish)             Opinion on Aceprensa (Spanish)  

Review on El Cultural (Spanish)               

"The Brilliance of Wood should be seen as an exceptional novel

in contemporary Mexican fiction."

Joaquín Marco, EL CULTURAL

PUBLISHED BY: Español PRH / PLANETA

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