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The Guardian
14-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Mario Vargas Llosa obituary
Many Latin American writers have been tempted to take on a public role, but few have pursued this ambition as far as the Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa, who in 1990 came close to being elected his country's president. Vargas Llosa, who has died aged 89, owed the possibility of high office almost entirely to his novels, which put him at the forefront of world writers for more than 50 years. His early works, such as The Green House (1966) or Conversation in the Cathedral (1969), firmly established him as one of the leading authors of what came to be known as the 'magical realism' school of writers, although in his case this was often more a question of novelistic technique than of any magical view of his country's history. He also developed a comic vein most evident in Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter (1977) that also set him apart from other writers of the so-called 'boom' in Latin American fiction. Vargas Llosa said that the urge to write came from the unusual circumstances surrounding his childhood. Born in the southern Peruvian city of Arequipa, he was sent by his grandfather, with his mother, Dora Llosa, brothers and sisters, to live in neighbouring Bolivia when his father, Ernesto Vargas, abandoned the family. The young Mario grew up believing his father was dead. When he was 10 his mother presented him to a complete stranger, and told him this was his father. Ernesto rejoined the family, and they lived together in the Peruvian capital, Lima. Recalling this difficult relationship in his autobiography A Fish in the Water (1993), Vargas Llosa spoke of the 'social inferiority' his father felt towards his mother, and calls it 'the national disease … the one that infests every stratum and every family in the country and leaves them all with a bad aftertaste of hatred, poisoning the lives of Peruvians in the form of resentment and social complexes'. The rancorous complexities of Peruvian life were brought home still more forcefully to the adolescent Mario when at the age of 14 he was sent to a military academy. He hated the harsh discipline, but it enabled him to meet people from different backgrounds and regions. The experience formed the subject matter of his first novel, The Time of the Hero (1963), and informed several of his later works. Vargas Llosa was well aware by now that it was literary rather than military glory that he was destined for. By the age of 16, he was working as a crime reporter on a daily newspaper, and at 19 he eloped with his much older aunt by marriage, Julia Urquidi, whom he married in 1955. Once again, he turned this to good literary effect in Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, about a radio soap opera hack who finds it increasingly difficult to separate reality from his fictional creations. This was the only one of Vargas Lllosa's books to attract Hollywood's attention. William Boyd, the writer of the screenplay for the 1990 film (released in the US as Tune in Tomorrow), described the original as 'almost Swiftian, with a quality of fantasy that sees the world as lurid and absurd'. After graduating from the National University of San Marcos, Lima, in 1958, Vargas Llosa was living in Europe, either in Barcelona, London or Paris. At that time, the French capital was thronged with young Latin American writers – including Gabriel García Márquez, Julio Cortázar and Carlos Fuentes – and it was the French publishing houses who first created the boom in Latin American literature. The young Peruvian novelist was warmly welcomed as a member of this literary club. Vargas Llosa's novels of this period are closer to the realist tradition of the novel than to 'magical realism', providing as they do incisive descriptions of many levels of Peruvian society. The magic consisted in the novelist's skill of combining different narratives and voices without explicit connections, offering a rich complexity and suggesting a huge literary appetite. These early novels contained a sweeping criticism of the state of Peruvian and, more widely, Latin American society. The younger generation of writers took the political dimension of their work extremely seriously, and it was understood that they shared a leftwing viewpoint. Mario soon came to be seen as the odd man out. As so often, it was Fidel Castro's revolution in Cuba that was the flashpoint. When Libre, a pan-Latin American magazine was launched in Paris, it was not long before Vargas Llosa, García Márquez and others quarrelled over whether to support Castro. Vargas Llosa consistently adopted a liberal attitude, and never accepted that any difference should be made between developing countries and Europe, the US or other representative democracies. His combative defence of this position earned him enemies among the left in Peru and the rest of Latin America, where it has often been argued that writers ought to be on the side of the majority of poor and downtrodden, providing them with a voice they are denied. Through the next decades, Vargas Llosa continued to publish novels that won him success and critical attention throughout the world. Some, like The Storyteller (1987) or Death in the Andes (1993), suggest he was attempting a Peruvian version of Balzac's multi-volume collection La Comédie Humaine, trying to encompass the whole of Peruvian society in his works. But, as he made plain in the critical work The Perpetual Orgy (1975), his personal preference was for another French master, Gustave Flaubert, for his modern spirit, his sense of irony and his intense preoccupation with language and style. Vargas Llosa's international reputation led the Peruvian government to involve him directly in political matters in his home country. In 1983 he was asked to help investigate the killing of eight journalists in the remote Andean village of Uchuraccay. This occurred at the height of the struggle between Shining Path guerrillas and the Peruvian armed forces, and Vargas Llosa once again infuriated the left in Peru and elsewhere when he agreed with the official version that the villagers had mistaken the journalists for guerrilla fighters and killed them, rather than insisting that the blame lay with the security forces. His move to rightwing liberalism also came from his voracious reading. It was French historians such as Fernand Braudel who convinced him that the development of markets and the possibility of trading in the Middle Ages was fundamental to human nature. He found further confirmation of his political philosophy in the careers of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, whom he fervently admired. Once more, Vargas Llosa translated these beliefs into action in his native Peru. When in 1986 the leftwing populist government under Alan García declared its intention to default on the country's foreign debt and to nationalise the banks, Vargas Llosa began a protest campaign in the name of individual freedom. It was this campaign that fed his presidential aspirations. In 1989, he presented himself as candidate for a variety of rightwing and centrist parties, campaigning on a conservative free-market ticket. He brought in campaign managers from Britain and set about using his writing and speaking skills to win over the Peruvian electorate. Unfortunately, it was plain from attending his political rallies that, although he might imaginatively understand the situation of hugely different sectors of Peruvian society, he did not have much idea of how to speak to them directly. Despite this uneasiness, he won most votes in the first round of the presidential election and was confident of winning the second round against an unknown Peruvian-Japanese agronomist, Alberto Fujimori. In the weeks between the two rounds of voting, however, Fujimori gained increasing support from poor Peruvians who saw in the light-skinned, cosmopolitan Vargas Llosa exactly the same kind of ruler who had been making unkept promises to them for several hundred years. Eventually, it came as little surprise that it was Fujimori who won. Vargas Llosa quit politics, unable at first to believe that he had been rejected in this way. His bitterness surfaced in Death in the Andes (1993), in which he portrays Peru's Andean society as so backward that it is capable of cannibalism. Around the same period, he withdrew to a more intimate fictional world, exploring the possibilities of eroticism in In Praise of the Stepmother (1988) and The Notebooks of Don Rigoberto (1997). Although no longer directly involved in politics, Vargas Llosa used his journalistic skills to lambast the Fujimori regime, especially following the 'auto-coup' the president engineered in 1992. Vargas Llosa complained that by way of reprisal, the authorities demolished his Lima home. This led him to renounce his Peruvian citizenship, and in 1993 he took Spanish nationality. The Feast of the Goat (2000) is his outstanding contribution to a long tradition of Latin American novels examining the abuses of power by dictators in the region. It deals with the Dominican Republic's dictator Rafael Trujillo, and the moral, sexual and political corruption implied by authoritarian rule. 'I wanted a realist treatment of a human being who became a monster because of the power he accumulated and the lack of resistance and criticism … Converted into a god, you become a devil,' Vargas Llosa commented of what many saw as his finest book. He continued to explore subjects outside Latin America that were nevertheless linked to Peru. The Way to Paradise (2003) concerned not only Paul Gauguin in Tahiti, but also the artist's grandmother, Flora Tristan, an early revolutionary feminist in Peru. His 2010 novel The Dream of the Celt is a fictional account of the life and death of Roger Casement, whose views on slavery and colonialism were radicalised by his experiences during the time he spent living in the Peruvian Amazon. In that same year, Vargas Llosa was awarded the Nobel prize for literature. His acceptance speech was a passionate defence of fiction and reading, insisting that 'without fiction we would be less conscious of the importance of the freedom that makes life liveable, and the hell it becomes when it is constrained by a tyrant, ideology or religion'. He had previously (in 1994) been the recipient of the Cervantes prize, the highest honour for writers in the Spanish-speaking world. In 2011, his friendship with the Spanish king Juan Carlos resulted in his being given the title of Marquis of Vargas Llosa. He and Urquidi divorced in 1964, and the following year he married his cousin Patricia Llosa. In 2015 he separated from her, and publicly announced his relationship with the socialite Isabel Preysler, much to the delight of the gossip magazines. The Neighbourhood (2018) is a steamy tale of the Peruvian jetset featuring blackmail by such a magazine. Their relationship ended in 2023, Vargas Llosa saying he wanted to devote more time to literature. His novel Tiempos Recios (2019) was his last to be published in English, as Harsh Times (2022). It examines a historical event, in this case the CIA-backed coup against the Guatemalan government in 1954, through a fictional account. In addition to novels, Vargas Llosa wrote extensively for the theatre, and acted in several of his own plays. He once told me in an interview, when asked what he thought would make a suitable epigraph for him: 'He lived life to the full, and loved literature above all else.' He is survived by a daughter, Morgana, and two sons, Álvaro and Gonzalo, from his second marriage. Mario Vargas Llosa, writer, born 28 March 1936; died 13 April 2025
Axios
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Nobel-winning Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa dies at 89
Peruvian novelist and Nobel literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa, a former leftist writer who turned to more conservative causes and once ran for president in Peru, has died. He was 89. The big picture: Vargas Llosa is the last major surviving member of Latin America's 20th Century literary Boom generation — writers who mostly used magical realism to critique society and often wrote from exile. Driving the news: His children, Álvaro, Gonzalo and Morgana Vargas Llosa, announced his death in a social media statement, which said he died peacefully on Sunday in Lima, Peru. Zoom out: Vargas Llosa came onto the literary scene with his first book, "The Time of the Hero" ("La ciudad y los perros"), in 1963, but it was his second novel, "The Green House" ("La casa verde"), that earned him international praise. Along with Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, Vargas Llosa helped shape the Latin American literary canon with sharp critiques of society through examinations of race, authoritarianism, displacement and sexuality. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010 "for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual's resistance, revolt, and defeat." The intrigue: In 2023, Vargas Llosa wrote in the postscript of his last book, "Le dedico mi silencio" ("I Give You My Silence"), that he was done writing novels after more than 60 years. "I think I've finished this book. I'd now like to write an essay on (Jean-Paul) Sartre, who was my teacher as a young man. It will be the last thing I write," he wrote. His final novel is a love letter to Peru and a homage to the nation's música criolla. "I'm 87 and, although I'm an optimist, I don't think I'll live long enough to work on a new novel, especially because it takes me three or four years to write one," Vargas Llosa said to La Vanguardia, a newspaper in Barcelona, Spain. Flashback: Vargas Llosa ran unsuccessfully as a candidate in Peru's 1990 presidential election.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Community Calendar: Powwow, women's history fundraiser, community meals and cook-off
Mar. 28—Fond du Lac PD community meal, 4:30-7 p.m., Anishinaabewigamig Language & Culture Learning Center, 1713 Animikii Road, Cloquet. Fond du Lac Tribal Police Department serves meal of wild rice hot dish and dessert to all tribal community members. Women's history fundraiser, 1-4 p.m., Oldenburg House, 604 Chestnut Ave., and The Green House, 210 Sixth St. N., Carlton. Celebrate Women's History Month with tea at the historic Oldenburg House and flower arranging and live music at The Green House. Tickets are $50 at Chili cook-off, 3-5 p..m, Carlton VFW, 124 Chestnut Ave. Free to enter; prizes for the top three entries. $5 to taste the entries. Music from Steve Solkela follows 5-7 p.m. Carlton County Animal Rescue training, 4-6:30 p.m., Journey Christian Church, 1400 Washington Ave., Cloquet. Learn about fostering and other volunteer opportunities. RSVP to carltoncountyanimalrescue@ Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College spring powwow, in the Lester Jack Briggs Cultural Center. Grand entry is at 1 p.m., dinner is at 5 p.m. and traveling song is at 7:30 p.m. Free community meal, 4-5 p.m., Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 612 12th St., Cloquet. Menu: Meatloaf, baked potato, salad, fruit and dessert. Sponsored by Community of Hope 2:16. Child tax credits presentation, 5-6 p.m., virtual. Register at Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, in partnership with Minnesota Department of Revenue and Lakes and Pines Community Action Council presents information about the Child Tax Credit, Advanced Payment Option, and Older Child Tax Credit. Carlton County Animal Rescue fundraising committee, 5:30-7:03 p.m., Journey Christian Church, 1400 Washington Ave, Cloquet. Supporters welcome to discuss upcoming events and plan a new gala. RSVP by emailing carltoncountyanimalrescue@ School tour and listening session, 5:30 p.m., South Terrace Elementary School, 530 Stine Drive, Carlton. Community members invited to tour the building and share thoughts about proposed consolidation with Carlton and Wrenshall school board members. Munger Trail open house, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-6 p.m., Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College amphitheater. Learn about plans to connect the Munger Trail from Carlton to Black Bear Casino Resort and Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, and give feedback on the design. Presentations at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. More info at Ask a scientist, 4 p.m., Cloquet Public Library. Elementary-age children can meet veterinarian Jennifer Shepherd and ask questions about her work. Author Darrell J. Pedersen, 6 p.m., Cloquet Public Library. Pedersen presents about his latest book of essays, "Who Will Carry the Fire? More Reflections from a North Woods Lake." Police versus students basketball game, 10:30 a.m., Fond du Lac Ojibwe School, Cloquet. Fond du Lac Police Department and other area law enforcement face off against students. Public welcome to watch and purchase 50/50 raffle tickets benefiting school athletics. Free tax preparation, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fond du Lac Cloquet Community Center, 1720 Big Lake Road. Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Lakes and Pines Community Action Council provide free tax preparation open to all community members. Call 320-679-1800 to schedule an appointment. Ham bingo, 6:30 p.m., Cromwell Pavilion, 5577 Cromwell Park. Immaculate Conception Catholic Church fundraiser. $10 for 20 games of bingo, plus raffles, meal available and free popcorn. Jazz orchestra concert, 2 p.m., Moose Lake Community School, 4812 County Road 10. Randy Lee Jazz Orchestra performs with singers Sarah Lawrence and Cal Metts. Part of Agate Encores Community Concerts series. Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for students. Arrowhead Bookmobile, 12:30-1 p.m. at Cromwell City Park, 1:45-2:30 p.m. at TJ's Country Corner in Mahtowa, 3:15-4 p.m. at Holyoke Town Hall, 4:45-5:45 p.m. at Barnum High School. Advanced care directives class, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Cloquet Public Library. Community Memorial Hospital nurses provide information about legal documents providing instructions for medical care if you cannot communicate your wishes. Free and no RSVP required. Tax planning for retirement workshop, 6-7 p.m., Esko School, Room S100. Free class for ages 50 and up on lowering your tax burden in retirement. Register at Hard bop jazz concert, 12-1:30 p.m., Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Commons. Minnesota Hard Bop Collective gives free performance. School tour and listening session, 5:30 p.m., Wrenshall School, 207 Pioneer Drive. Community members invited to tour the building and share thoughts about proposed consolidation with Carlton and Wrenshall school board members. Cloquet Public Library Book Club, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Cloquet Public Library. All welcome to discuss "Where Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother's Life" by Kao Kalia Yang. Northwoods history presentation, 1 p.m., Moose Lake Public Library. Author Susan Hawkinson presents about lumber barons, lumberjacks and early settlers of the Northwoods. Chair yoga, 10-10:45 a.m. Mondays at Cloquet Public Library. Free, open to all ages and no RSVP needed. Bunches of Books Book Club, 5:30 p.m. April 1 and the first Tuesday of each month, Cloquet Public Library. For ages 9-12. RSVP to 218-879-1531. Barks and Books, second Thursdays, 4-5:10 p.m., Cloquet Public Library. Read with therapy dogs. Each session is 20 minutes. Geared for pre-K-6, but older and younger children are welcome. Register at Toddler parenting class, 5-6 p.m. Thursdays, April 3, 17, May 1, 15, 28, June 12, Community Memorial Hospital Birch Room. Occupational therapists lead free class. RSVP requested to . Trash, treasure, craft and bake sale, 8 a.m. to noon Friday, April 4 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 5, Barnum Area Senior Center, 3794 Main St. Tech help, 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, April 8 and the second Tuesday of each month. Get help using your electronic devices and the library's e-resources. Ruby's Pantry, 9-10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 10 and the second Thursday of each month, Cromwell Pavilion, 5577 Cromwell Park. Purchase a $25 food bundle from the nonprofit that distributes food overages to help people stretch their food budget. Open to everyone. Storytime, 10-10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Cloquet Public Library. Storytime, Thursdays, 2-2:30 p.m., Moose Lake Public Library. Chess club, 3:30-5 p.m. Fridays, Cloquet Public Library. Open to all community members. Motherhood Walk and Talk, 10-11 a.m. Wednesdays, Northwoods Credit Union Arena, 1102 Olympic Drive, Cloquet. Carlton County Public Health hosts program for moms and children. No RSVP needed.
