Francisco Goldman Book order

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.

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.

"Remarkable...Sentence by sentence, Goldman brings to life a city that is bewitching, terrifying, beautiful....Goldman brings something new to the chronicle] form."--John Freeman, "Boston Globe" "The Interior Circuit" is Sue Kaufman prize-winner Francisco Goldman's brilliant chronicle of his emergence from grief five years after his beloved wife's death, symbolized by his attempt to overcome his fear of driving in Mexico City (the DF). When organized crime erupts in the city in an unprecedented way during the summer of 2013, Goldman sets out to try to understand the menacing challenges the DF now faces. By turns exuberant, poetic, reportorial, philosophical, and urgent, "The Interior Circuit" fuses a personal journey to a searing account of one of the world's most remarkable and often misunderstood great cities. "An indispensable contribution to the growing body of artistic representations of Mexico's most recent years of darkness...there is an urgent, raw beauty in Goldman's] prose."--Ruben Martinez, "Los Angeles Review of Books"

Set against the backdrop of 1980s Guatemala, this bicultural novel reflects the author's experiences as a Guatemalan-American writer. After gaining recognition for his short stories and impactful journalism addressing the violence in Central America, Francisco Goldman delves into fiction to explore themes of identity and cultural conflict. The narrative weaves personal and political elements, offering a poignant perspective on the complexities of life in a country grappling with turmoil.

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.

A true detective story tracing the murder investigation of a human rights activist and Guatemalan bishop, with the plot twists and colourful characters of a Graham Greene novel. Shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction. 'A multi-layered real-life whodunnit... Forensic and chilling.' Rory Carroll, Guardian

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.

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.