{"product_id":"becoming-reinaldo-arenas-9780822353966","title":"Becoming Reinaldo Arenas","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJorge Olivares connects the personal, political, and artistic trajectories of the Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas (1943—1990) to Arenas's insights into the Cuban Revolution, the struggles of exiles, and the politics of sexuality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Clearly the product of years of research and reflection, this is by far the most thorough, persuasive, and profound account of Arenas's career to date. The author's mastery of writings by and about Arenas is impressive. The discussion of Arenas's fiction and nonfiction, focused on what Olivares calls 'paternal erotics,' is always instructive and often quite brilliant. The use of Arenas's unpublished materials, including early drafts of published works, not only throws new light on his published fiction but allows the reader to become acquainted with a largely unknown corpus of writing. As in the best criticism, there is an intimacy between observer and observed that, without leading to uncritical appreciation, makes for a memorable reading experience.\"—\u003cb\u003eGustavo Pérez Firmat\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Havana Habit\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Jorge Olivares’s book reads like an engrossing novel whose main character—the phenomenally talented Reinaldo Arenas—has a vitality and genius that haunt our imagination. This very personal, and relevant, work of literary criticism is a fitting tribute to a brave and great writer.\"—\u003cb\u003eJaime Manrique\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eEminent Maricones: Arenas, Lorca, Puig, and Me\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[A] fascinating view of Cuban history, culture, and sexuality that should, if nothing else, send one back to that thrilling jeremiad, \u003ci\u003eBefore Night Falls\u003c\/i\u003e.” -- Andrew Holleran * Gay \u0026amp; Lesbian Review *\u003cbr\u003e“Olivares . . . draws from his personal connection with Arenas to illuminate novels and short stories by this daring writer . . . . Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.” -- R. Ocasio * Choice *\u003cbr\u003e“Jorge Olivares's admiring, meticulously researched study aims to establish Arenas's status as one of the maJor writers of the 1960s and 70s: a figure to stand comparison with Gabriel García Márquez or Mario Vargas Llosa.” -- Stephen Henighan * TLS *\u003cbr\u003e\"Olivares carries the weight of a thorough and profund critique of Arenas's work, while transcending the boundaries of literary criticism to become the novel of the life and work of Reinaldo Arenas.\" -- Maria Luisa Negrin * Bulletin of Hispanic Studies *\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eBecoming Reinaldo Arenas\u003c\/i\u003e is an exemplary work of literary criticism. Using biographical criticism, intertextuality, and queer theory, Jorge Olivares presents a comprehensive study of Arenas’s literary work that balances careful readings of a number of short stories and novels with readings of his autobiography, unpublished correspondence, and drafts.” -- Anke Birkenmaier * New West Indian Guide *\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eBecoming Reinaldo Arenas\u003c\/i\u003e simply inspires us to reread this all-too-neglected author. Olivares' book invites us to view Arenas as a central figure in multiple literary canons, not least a trans-American queer canon. But beyond its conception of queer kinship, \u003ci\u003eBecoming Reinaldo Arenas\u003c\/i\u003e advocates for the centrality of queer experience to Cuban literature.\" -- Octavio R. Gonzalez * Sargasso *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgments ix\u003cbr\u003e Note on Translations xiii\u003cbr\u003e Prologue. Encountering Arenas 1\u003cbr\u003e 1. I Scream, Therefore I Am 7\u003cbr\u003e 2. Climbing the Family Tree 36\u003cbr\u003e 3. In Search of the Father(land) 65\u003cbr\u003e 4. All About Mother 91\u003cbr\u003e 5. Facing AIDS 114\u003cbr\u003e Epilogue. After Night Falls 148\u003cbr\u003e Notes 173\u003cbr\u003e Works Cited 203\u003cbr\u003e Index 231","brand":"Duke University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49406074028375,"sku":"9780822353966","price":22.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780822353966.jpg?v=1730494437","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/becoming-reinaldo-arenas-9780822353966","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}