Overview
The book is divided into two parts. In the first, “BC,” before Cien años de soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude), his siblings speak, along with those who were friends before García Márquez became the universally loved Latin American icon—those who knew him when he still didn’t have a proper English tailor or an English biographer and didn’t accompany presidents, the drinking buddies and penniless fellow students.
The second part, “AC,” describes the man behind the legend that García Márquez became. From Aracataca, to Barranquilla, to Bogotá, to Paris, to Mexico City, the solitude that García Márquez needed to produce his masterpiece turns out to have been something of a raucous party whenever he wasn’t actually writing. Here are the writers Tomás Eloy Martínez, Edmundo Paz Soldán, and William and Rose Styron; legendary Spanish agent Carmen Balcells; the translator of One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gregory Rabassa; María Luisa Elío, to whom One Hundred Years of Solitude is dedicated; a great deal of music, especially the vallenato; the hilarious scenes of several hundred Colombians, García Márquez’s chosen delegation, flying to Stockholm for the Nobel Prize celebrations; the time Mario Vargas Llosa punched Gabriel García Márquez in the face; and much, much more.
While major retailers like Amazon may carry Solitude & Company (The Life of Gabriel García Márquez Told with Help from His Friends, Family, Fans, Arguers, Fellow Pranksters, Drunks, and a Few Respectable Souls), we specialize in bulk book sales and offer personalized service from our friendly, book-smart team based in Portland, Oregon. We’re proud to offer a Price Match Guarantee and a streamlined ordering experience from people who truly care.
We’re trusted by over 75,000 customers, many of whom return time and again. Want proof? Just check out our 25,000+ customer reviews—real feedback from people who love how we do business.
Prefer to talk to a real person? Our Book Specialists are here Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST and ready to help with your bulk order of Solitude & Company (The Life of Gabriel García Márquez Told with Help from His Friends, Family, Fans, Arguers, Fellow Pranksters, Drunks, and a Few Respectable Souls).