The Death of Artemio Cruz

A Novel

De: Carlos Fuentes, Alfred MacAdam - translator

Narrado por: Tony Chiroldes

As the novel opens, Artemio Cruz, the all-powerful newspaper magnate and land baron, lies confined to his bed and, in dreamlike flashes, recalls the pivotal episodes of his life. Carlos Fuentes manipulates the ensuing kaleidoscope of images with dazzling inventiveness, layering memory upon memory, from Cruz’s heroic campaigns during the Mexican Revolution, through his relentless climb from poverty to wealth, to his uneasy death. Perhaps Fuentes’ masterpiece, The Death of Artemio Cruz is a haunting voyage into the soul of modern Mexico.

©1962 Carlos Fuentes. Translation copyright 1991 Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"The main character may be on his deathbed, but narrator Tony Chiroldes brings the recollections of his last moments to vivid life. As Chiroldes moves capably between the present and the past, his pronunciation of Spanish names and words is impeccable, giving the listener a sense of authentic Mexican culture. His narration is full of passion as he takes the listener through the ups and downs of one man's life--and through modern Mexican history. He alternates between empathetic narrative and softly spoken musings to give the listener a wide range, thereby avoiding an overly dramatic monotone. This will be a welcome discovery for those who have not read Carlos Fuentes or had the pleasure of listening to a volume by a skilled narrator." ( AudioFile)

An amazing book!

If you could sum up The Death of Artemio Cruz in three words, what would they be?

"Live in your days with your eyes close" more than three, but I love those words.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Death of Artemio Cruz?

the imaginary relationship with Regina, he truly loved her. or he thought so.

Which character – as performed by Tony Chiroldes – was your favorite?

I could see my father through Artemio. so I really like Artemio.

If you could rename The Death of Artemio Cruz, what would you call it?

Life is what we make of it. Artemio lived with what life gave him and made what best he could with it.

Any additional comments?

this book is so amazing. I love every minute of it. the narrator was superb. I could feel everything as Artemio did. one of the best book in a while.

So-so reader

The reader has a pleasant voice and sometimes reads with great expression, but it often seems like he doesn't understand what's happening in the novel. The emotion doesn't always fit the scene.

Great Writing

What did you love best about The Death of Artemio Cruz?

If you prefer literature over nonsense, and have an attention span that exceeds 15 minutes, you won't regret using some of your precious and fleeting time reading this creative, beautiful and powerful story.

Average. Mexican History!

Interesting book. There are better, but it is better then no book at all. On the plus side... It discusses some Mexican History.

Viva Carlos Fuentes!

Any additional comments?

Carlos Fuentes' use of three narrative points of view keeps his audience actively engaged in the story as it progresses, through events that take place in the past, present and future. It is through the main character Artemio that we are taken on a historical, social, psychological, spiritual, and political journey in order to fathom Mexico's complex national identity. Great novel in English, if you have the opportunity to read this novel in the original Spanish, you will be even more dazzled by the author's ability to manipulate language, time and space in order to create a multilayered look at Mexico and its people.

Incredible

Really incredible. Fragmented narratives like this can be difficult for me on audiobooks, but if you pull up a little cheat sheet of which chapter is when it flows really well. There’s a reason this book is a classic.

Also the performance is one of the better I’ve heard. Emotions are conveyed well by the reader but without ever going over the top or getting cartoonish which I’ve noticed can be a problem in fiction audiobooks.

Hats off to the narrator who made this incredible work come to life