Gastón Suárez
Encyclopedia
Gastón Suárez was a Bolivia
n novel
ist and dramatist. Suárez was born in the town of Tupiza
in the southern part of Potosí
, Bolivia
.
A self-taught writer, Suárez performed diverse activities: railroader, rural teacher, miner, bank employee, truck driver, journalist, etc. He had the opportunity to live and feel the Bolivian life in its diverse social layers. This is reflected with a particular vision in the subjects he writes most about: urban life, the country and the mines.
His first work was a story book titled Vigilia para el último viaje, from which "Iluminado" (Illuminated) was extracted to be included in several anthologies of Latin American writers, as a remarkable example of brief narration.
Amongst his works also stands out El Gesto another book of short stories
from which "El forastero y el candelabro de plata" and "El diario de Mafalda" are the most outstanding.
In 1967, Suárez published his first piece for theatre, Vértigo, a drama of social and philosophical depth that depicts the life of a man being freed after twenty years in prison and his efforts to gather his seven children who have all taken different paths in life. Vertigo was screenplayed and presented in Jornadas Julianas de la Juventud in 1967, winning the first prize.
His most famous novel is Mallko, published in 1974. It narrates the life of a humanized Condor ("a Mallko" as it is named in the Amerindian language Aymara). The novel has elements of fiction and magic realism, but ends up being much more than that. It is at the same time a vivid, real and crude narration of the life of the Andean man. It is a philosophical reflection on the man's faith of meeting his own destiny and the need to survive in isolation and constant need. It is virtually a compulsory text in Bolivia
, Spain
and in the signatory countries of the Andean Zone. In 1976 Mallko was included in the Honour List of the Hans Christian Andersen Award
and described as "an exceptional example of literature with international importance".
In 1979, the International Year of the Child
, he published another novel
Las aventuras de Miguelín Quijano, in which he works with metaphors and references with respect to the quixotic characters to obtain a beautiful parable that ignites the creative imagination of the children and incites their interest for the immortal book of Miguel de Cervantes
.
Suárez died in the city of La Paz
in November 1984, the victim of a sudden heart failure.
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
n novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
ist and dramatist. Suárez was born in the town of Tupiza
Tupiza
Tupiza is a city in Potosí Department, Bolivia. It is located at around at an elevation of about 3160 m. The population is 23,100...
in the southern part of Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
.
A self-taught writer, Suárez performed diverse activities: railroader, rural teacher, miner, bank employee, truck driver, journalist, etc. He had the opportunity to live and feel the Bolivian life in its diverse social layers. This is reflected with a particular vision in the subjects he writes most about: urban life, the country and the mines.
His first work was a story book titled Vigilia para el último viaje, from which "Iluminado" (Illuminated) was extracted to be included in several anthologies of Latin American writers, as a remarkable example of brief narration.
Amongst his works also stands out El Gesto another book of short stories
Short Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
from which "El forastero y el candelabro de plata" and "El diario de Mafalda" are the most outstanding.
In 1967, Suárez published his first piece for theatre, Vértigo, a drama of social and philosophical depth that depicts the life of a man being freed after twenty years in prison and his efforts to gather his seven children who have all taken different paths in life. Vertigo was screenplayed and presented in Jornadas Julianas de la Juventud in 1967, winning the first prize.
His most famous novel is Mallko, published in 1974. It narrates the life of a humanized Condor ("a Mallko" as it is named in the Amerindian language Aymara). The novel has elements of fiction and magic realism, but ends up being much more than that. It is at the same time a vivid, real and crude narration of the life of the Andean man. It is a philosophical reflection on the man's faith of meeting his own destiny and the need to survive in isolation and constant need. It is virtually a compulsory text in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and in the signatory countries of the Andean Zone. In 1976 Mallko was included in the Honour List of the Hans Christian Andersen Award
Hans Christian Andersen Award
The Hans Christian Andersen Award, sometimes known as the "Nobel Prize for children's literature", is an international award given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature"...
and described as "an exceptional example of literature with international importance".
In 1979, the International Year of the Child
International Year of the Child
* Maureen Millicent Bomford founded International Year of The Child and it was endorsed by the United Nations. Maureen was born in Canterbury Punchbowl in 1930 and had four brothers. Her father was a Mayor and she always learned to appreciate the value of leadership. As the wife of a prominent...
, he published another novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Las aventuras de Miguelín Quijano, in which he works with metaphors and references with respect to the quixotic characters to obtain a beautiful parable that ignites the creative imagination of the children and incites their interest for the immortal book of Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His magnum opus, Don Quixote, considered the first modern novel, is a classic of Western literature, and is regarded amongst the best works of fiction ever written...
.
Suárez died in the city of La Paz
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
in November 1984, the victim of a sudden heart failure.