New Delhi: Affectionately known as 'Gabo', Gabriel Garcia Marquez is considered to be one of the most significant authors of the twentieth century. Google doodle is celebrating Gabo's birthday, one of the primary personalities to popularize magic realism in literature. The Spanish language writer would have turned 91 today.
“Deep in the Amazonian jungle, through the lush green canopy and multi-hued vibrance of the hot and humid rainforest, look carefully and you might catch a glimpse of a city of mirrors; a city separated from the world by an expanse of water and yet reflecting everything in and about it; a city that is home to the Buendia family and the site of strange otherworldly happenings. Here, little fish made of pure gold dazzle the eye; large yellow butterflies flit through the flowers; a train chugs along once in a blue moon; and the only visitors are the all-knowing, mysterious gypsies who come bearing strange tales,” Google explains about its doodle, which is created by Matthew Cruickshank.
Marquez, who was also a poet, short-story writer, screenplay writer and a journalist, was awarded the 1972 Neustadt International Prize for literature and the 1982 Nobel Prize in literature. The Colombian Nobel laureate penned about 25 books in his lifetime including 'A Hundred Years of Solitude', 'The autumn of the patriarch' and 'Love in the time of cholera' - three of his most popular works.
Few of his works are set in a fictional village of Macondo which is primarily said to be inspired by his birthplace Aracataca. Most of them explore the theme of solitude.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez had dropped out of law school to pursue a career in journalism. His sense of political activism and courage also allowed him to author a number of non-fictional works that document the times that he lived in. One of the most popular among them was 'News of a Kidnapping'.
Marquez was also a film critic. He founded and served as executive director of the Film Institute in Havana, besides heading the Latin American Film Foundation. The Colombian author also wrote several screenplays including films Tiempo de morir as well as the television series Amores dificiles.
Marquez died on April 17, 2014 at the age of 87 in Mexico City. At the time of his death, he was described as “the greatest Colombian of all time” by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. “Such giants never die,” he had added.
His works continue to inspire writers and directors all over the world.
