One writes out of a need to communicate and to commune with others, to denounce that which gives pain and to share that which gives happiness. One writes against one‘s solitude and against the solitude of others. One assumes that literature transmits knowledge and affects the behavior and language of those who read, thus helping us to know ourselves better and to save ourselves collectively.

Galeano is a Latin American literary titan. He used the word as a means of resistance in a time where speaking truth was an act of treachery. I found some gems in this lyric memoir but wouldn‘t recommend it for everyone. It was a slow-paced, hard read. The organization was disorienting. 80 percent of the time I didn‘t know where or when something was taking place. Even still, Galeano was a leading light in the world and his skill is undeniable.