The ArmiesIsmail, the profesor, is a retired teacher in a small Colombian town where he passes the days pretending to pick oranges while spying on his neighbor Geraldina as she lies naked in the shade of a ceiba tree on a red floral quilt. The garden burns with sunlight; the macaws laugh sweetly. Otilia, Ismail's wife, is ashamed of his peeping and suggests that he pay a visit to Father Albornoz. Instead, Ismail wanders the town visiting old friends, plagued by a tangle of secret memories: Where have I existed these years? I answer myself: up on the wall, peering over. When the armies slowly arrive, the profesor's reveries are gradually taken over by a living hell. His wife disappears and he must find her. We learn that not only gentle, grassy hillsides surround San José but landmines and coca fields. The reader is soon engulfed by the violence of Rosero's narrative that is touched not only with a deep sadness, but an extraordinary tenderness. |
Contents
Section 1 | 3 |
Section 2 | 11 |
Section 3 | 19 |
Section 4 | 31 |
Section 5 | 45 |
Section 6 | 53 |
Section 7 | 65 |
Section 8 | 73 |
Section 12 | 107 |
Section 13 | 113 |
Section 14 | 121 |
Section 15 | 131 |
Section 16 | 139 |
Section 17 | 151 |
Section 18 | 163 |
Section 19 | 173 |
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Common terms and phrases
aguardiente alive Almida arms arrived Berrío body Bogotá Brazilian cats Celmiro Chepe coffee corner Cristina daughter dead disappear doctor door drink empanada eyes face Father Albornoz feel front garden Geraldina girl Gloria Dorado gone goodbye Gracielita grenade guerrillas hand happened head hear heard Hortensia Galindo inside Ismael kill kitchen knee landmines laugh leave legs Lesmes listen look macaws Maestro Claudino Marcos Saldarriaga Mauricio Rey morning mountain mouth naked never night orange Orduz Otilia paramilitaries plaza Popayán portable stove presbytery profesor remember Rodrigo Rosita Viterbo sacristan San José scream seems Señora Blanca shadow shot shout side silence sitting sleep smell smile soldiers someone stay stop street Sultana talk tell thing thought told took town trees turn voice waiting walk wall watch wife woman women دو