Voices en Español

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The first entry for our Spanish book club is El Túnel by Argentine writer Ernesto Sabato. Originally published in 1948, the novel is being reissued later this month by Rayo Books, the Spanish imprint of U.S. publisher Harper Collins.

Juan Pablo Castel, an artist, is the principal character and narrator of the novel. The story begins with Juan Pablo in jail, reflecting on the circumstances that landed him in the slammer. But there’s no mystery as to why he’s behind bars. You see Juan Pablo is a murderer and “El Túnel” is the story of how he came to murder María Iribarne, the one person who he admits was the only human being who understood him. El Túnel is a book that was described by the Los Angeles Times Book Review as a powerful story where the love that is presented promises danger, not tranquility and good vibes. The work has also been favorably compared to “The Stranger” by Albert Camus.

You can listen to a reading of the first three chapters here. This new edition of the book goes on sale Sept. 16. But thanks to Harper Collins, I’ve got six copies of the book in advance to giveaway to anyone who wishes to have it. If you’d like to get a copy, you have to sign up for my email list and then email me via this contact form with your name and address. If you’re already on my email list, just email me privately. If you’re among the first six people to do this, the book is yours. All I ask is that you make a small donation (at least $5) to cover postage and packaging. If you’d prefer to order the book online via Amazon, you can preorder it by clicking on the box below and it will shipped sometime after Sept. 16.