Lecturas

Boris Izaguirre. A media butterfly who moves with ease between television, radio, and print. A Venezuelan expat to Spain who has become a household name in this country with his bubbly and sometimes frivlous personality (Spain is crazy for the celebrity gossip and frivolous debates about bull fighters and soccer players, cariño). He's written a few novels, and when I was in Barcelona I picked up one of the books, Villa Diamante, partly because the cover was cute (frivolous on my part, I admit), partly because he is Venezuelan and the book takes place in Caracas in the 1950's, and partly becuase the book was the runner up for the Premio Planeta, a prestigious book award given to a Spanish language book once a year. I was pleasantly surprised with the book. From the first page Izaguirre creates well written characters and settings that draw the reader into a new world that explores the recent political history of Venezuela, the oil boom, the new riches, the cut throat social circles, and the rise of a dictatorship. It's a story that lends to furthur examination of the state of Venezuela and Latin America today and in the recent past.

Now...when will it be published in English? I can translate it, Boris, if you need someone. ;)