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A review by ale_readsbooks
A Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes: A Son's Memoir of Gabriel García Márquez and Mercedes Barcha by Rodrigo García
4.0
“In the back of my mind is the preoccupation that perhaps I didn’t know them well enough.”
I’m naturally curious. When I was younger this was seen as a bad thing. I would get in trouble for asking “adult questions” or being chismosa. It was seen as disrespectful and inappropriate. As I grew older I chose to lean on my curiosity and it became my forte. It’s led me to my career in journalism.
I’ve only lately began analyzing what I was really searching for when I would asked my parents intimate questions. I couldn’t help but feel that this book by Gabriel García Márquez’s son gave me part of my answer. This books is a beautiful memoir and tribute to Rodrigo Garcia’s parents. He wrote to make sense of Gabo’s last days and in it he contemplates on the life lessons he learned from his father and mother. Nearing the end, Rodrigo struggles with how little he feels he really knew about his father. I empathized with his fear and sadness. A way I hope to carry my multicultural heritage forward is by retelling the stories of my parents and not knowing enough of their truth terrifies me. For years I’ve said I want to document their lives before the day comes when they will no longer be with me.
Rodrigo’s memoir was raw, insightful and powerful. If you’re a fan of Márquez or not I think we can all learn something reading it.
I’m naturally curious. When I was younger this was seen as a bad thing. I would get in trouble for asking “adult questions” or being chismosa. It was seen as disrespectful and inappropriate. As I grew older I chose to lean on my curiosity and it became my forte. It’s led me to my career in journalism.
I’ve only lately began analyzing what I was really searching for when I would asked my parents intimate questions. I couldn’t help but feel that this book by Gabriel García Márquez’s son gave me part of my answer. This books is a beautiful memoir and tribute to Rodrigo Garcia’s parents. He wrote to make sense of Gabo’s last days and in it he contemplates on the life lessons he learned from his father and mother. Nearing the end, Rodrigo struggles with how little he feels he really knew about his father. I empathized with his fear and sadness. A way I hope to carry my multicultural heritage forward is by retelling the stories of my parents and not knowing enough of their truth terrifies me. For years I’ve said I want to document their lives before the day comes when they will no longer be with me.
Rodrigo’s memoir was raw, insightful and powerful. If you’re a fan of Márquez or not I think we can all learn something reading it.