One Hundred Years of Solitude

By: Gabriel García Márquez, Gregory Rabassa - translator

Narrated by: John Lee

Includes a bonus PDF with a character chart!

One of the twentieth century’s enduring works, One Hundred Years of Solitude is a widely beloved and acclaimed novel known throughout the world and the ultimate achievement in a Nobel Prize–winning career.

The novel tells the story of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendía family. Rich and brilliant, it is a chronicle of life, death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the beautiful, ridiculous, and tawdry story of the Buendía family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America.

Love and lust, war and revolution, riches and poverty, youth and senility, the variety of life, the endlessness of death, the search for peace and truth—these universal themes dominate the novel. Alternately reverential and comical, One Hundred Years of Solitude weaves the political, personal, and spiritual to bring a new consciousness to storytelling. Translated into dozens of languages, this stunning work is no less than an account of the history of the human race.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©1964 Gabriel García Márquez (P)2013 Blackstone Audio

100 years too much.

Gabriel Marques Garcia was not given the pulitzer prize for "One Hundred Years of Solitude" for an incredilbly good reason. The first half he wrote his heart out as the novelist he is, as he did in Love In the Time of Cholea--a clear novel from beginning to end. What the hell happened after the first half of 100 Years? He just went off line. WTF. This not only makes me mad as an individual, but rage against a professional/author who betrays his position as a professional/author. Unbelievable, and shocking. What a great story for the first half. Unbelievable. Betrayal.

rough reading

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

very very hard to listen to, had been very excited and impressed with Audible books until this one, much less excited and thought about canceling.

Would you recommend One Hundred Years of Solitude to your friends? Why or why not?

Perhaps in print, definitely not through this performance

Would you be willing to try another one of John Lee’s performances?

not after this one

Need a different narrator

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. Reading the book, the story is difficult to follow. Listening to it is even more difficult. Unless you have a familiarity with the book, it's probably best not to try to it.

In addition, the narrator was totally inappropriate for this book and he really took me out of the book with his Scottish/British accent.

How could the performance have been better?

A new narrator is needed. I recently listened to Love in the Time of Cholera and Armando Duran's narration was excellent. I was disappointed to see that John Lee, not Duran, was narrating this. Lee's performance took me totally out of the novel.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

This novel is difficult and listening to it without having first read it, will not be easy. In any case, do not listen to this version. Wait for a more appropriate narrator. I recommend Armando Duran.

Ridiculous

What some have called magical I call ridiculous. Some memorable turns of phrase. I could not care about the characters.

Magical

Best book ever read - what a beautiful journey - what a telling of life and family !