My Invented Country

Description

A highly personal memoir of exile and homeland by bestselling author Isabel Allende
In My Invented Country Isabel Allende evokes the magnificent landscapes of her country, a charming, idiosyncratic Chilean people with a violent history and indomitable spirit, and the politics, religion, myth and magic of her homeland that she carries with her even today.

The book circles around two life-changing moments. The assassination of her uncle, Salvador Allende Gossens, on September 11, 1973, sent her into exile and transformed her into a literary writer. And the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, on her adopted homeland, the United States, brought forth from Allende an overdue acknowledgment that she had indeed left home. My Invented Country, whose structure mimics the workings of memory itself, ranges back and forth across that distance accrued between the author’s past and present lives. It speaks compellingly to immigrants, and to all of us, who try to retain a coherent inner life in a world full of contradictions.

Isabel Allende evokes the magnificent landscapes of her country; a charming, idiosyncratic Chilean people with a violent history and an indomitable spirit; and the politics, religion, myth, and magic of her homeland that she carries with her even today.

The book circles around two life-changing moments. The assassination of her uncle Salvador Allende Gossens on September 11, 1973, sent her into exile and transformed her into a literary writer. And the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, on her adopted homeland, the United States, brought forth an overdue acknowledgment that Allende had indeed left home. My Invented Country, mimicking the workings of memory itself, ranges back and forth across that distance between past and present lives. It speaks compellingly to immigrants and to all of us who try to retain a coherent inner life in a world full of contradictions.

“Charming and entertaining.” “Isabel Allende [is] surely one of the most graceful and yet haunting writers alive.” “Allende’s writing is beautifully descriptive, with eloquent turns of phrase and vivid metaphors.” “At every bend [Allende] delights us with unexpected humor.” “A delicious exploration.” “Dazzling as a kaleidoscope: an artful tumbling and knocking that throws light and reveals strange depths.” “Poignant … Allende’s keen intelligence and lively prose keep readers wishing for more.” “Riveting in its frankness and compassion, … [Allende’s] account of why and how she became a writer is profoundly moving.” “A stunningly intimate memoir …. Allende is that rare writer whose understanding of story matches her mastery of language.” “Intriguing elements of the author’s captivating history.”

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