The House of the Spirits is a family saga that spans three generations of the Trueba family, set against the backdrop of an unnamed Latin American country's turbulent history, widely recognized as Chile. The novel explores the lives of Esteban Trueba, the volatile and proud patriarch; Clara, his mystical and clairvoyant wife; their daughter Blanca, and her granddaughter Alba. The story delves into themes of class conflict, political upheaval, and the cyclical nature of violence and love within the family. It culminates in a crisis that pits the patriarch against his beloved granddaughter during a military coup, reflecting the broader social and political changes in the country[1][3][5].
Escrito como una forma de exorcizar la muerte, 'Paula' es un poderoso relato autobiográfico que explora el pasado y cuestiona a los dioses. La obra combina elementos reales, mágicos y espirituales, creando una historia conmovedora y hermosa que recorre desde el dolor hasta la risa. Isabel Allende comenzó a escribir este libro mientras cuidaba a su hija en el hospital, contándole la historia de su familia para que no se sintiera perdida al despertar.
Isabel Allende didn’t publish her first book until she was 39, after losing nearly everything in the wake of the Chilean military coup. More than four decades later, she’s become one of the most beloved Spanish-language authors, with over 80 million copies of her books sold worldwide.
After political exile, writing books became Allende’s way of making sense of the world. She wrote through divorce, affairs, and moving across continents. But after the devastating loss of her daughter Paula, even writing felt impossible, until her mother urged her to begin again. “My mother knew that the only way for me to walk the tunnel of grief was writing,” she says.
In this episode, Anna and Isabel talk about loss, late starts, and new beginnings. Isabel met her most recent husband, Roger, in her late 70s, “an age when most people are knitting for their great-grandchildren.”
Allende’s newest novel, “My Name Is Emilia del Valle,” is out now.
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