Francisco Goldman is een Amerikaanse romanschrijver en journalist wiens werken duiken in de ingewikkelde thema's van identiteit en culturele botsingen. Zijn schrijven wordt gekenmerkt door een diep begrip van de menselijke ervaring, waarbij hij vaak de spanningen tussen verschillende werelden en achtergronden onderzoekt. Goldman's romans bevatten rijke proza en inzichtelijke karakterpsychologie die lezers boeit. Door zijn verhalen biedt hij een bedachtzame meditatie over wat het betekent om ergens bij te horen en hoe onze levens worden gevormd door migratie en interculturele relaties.
The book vividly captures the essence of a city, portraying it as both enchanting and daunting. Through meticulous prose, the author immerses readers in a landscape that is not only visually striking but also rich in emotional depth. The narrative offers a fresh perspective on the chronicle genre, blending beauty with underlying tension, making it a compelling exploration of urban life.
Celebrated novelist Francisco Goldman married a beautiful young writer named Aura Estrada in a romantic Mexican hacienda in the summer of 2005. The month before their second anniversary, during a long-awaited holiday, Aura broke her neck while body surfing. Francisco, blamed for Aura's death by her family and blaming himself, wanted to die, too. But instead he wrote Say Her Name, a novel chronicling his great love and unspeakable loss, tracking the stages of grief when pure love gives way to bottomless pain. Suddenly a widower, Goldman collects everything he can about his wife, hungry to keep Aura alive with every memory. From her childhood and university days in Mexico City with her fiercely devoted mother to her studies at Columbia University, through their newlywed years in New York City and travels to Mexico and Europe - and always through the prism of her gifted writings-Goldman seeks her essence and grieves her loss. Humour leavens the pain as he lives through the madness of utter grief and creates a living portrait of a love as joyous and playful as it is deep and profound. Say Her Name is a love story, a bold inquiry into destiny and accountability, and a tribute to Aura - who she was and who she would have been.
The narrative follows Esteban, a Guatemalan war veteran, and 14 other Central American men who embark on a transformative journey to America, driven by hope and their life savings. As they crew the "Urus," their individual stories unfold, revealing deep emotional struggles and resilience. The book artfully captures the complexities of their experiences, highlighting the universal themes of love, loss, and the quest for a new beginning amidst the backdrop of their shared hardships and aspirations.
A novel of enormous achievement, Monkey Boy tells the tale of Francisco Goldberg, a middle-aged writer who grapples with his heritage, career, and growing up Guatemalan and Jewish in America.
Set against the backdrop of a Central American revolution, the story follows Maria de las Nieves Moran, a former nun navigating life after being expelled from her convent. Enrolling in a writing class led by the iconic poet Jose Marti, she becomes enamored with his influence. As she escapes to New York, the narrative intertwines with a modern-day mystery involving an elderly woman claiming to be Marti's illegitimate child. Blending historical detail with humor and emotion, this novel explores love, identity, and the legacies we leave behind.