'I was born in 1934 in a little lost village near San Cristobel de Torondoy eleven months after my brother. Unlike him, who was astonishingly handsome, I was astonishingly ugly. I was covered in black hair from head to foot like some kind of monkey. For some reason my ear-drums burst within days of my birth. The local doctor told my mother "This little boy is not going to live, and if he does, he's going to be daft or half-witted". But against all the hopes of the family, it was my brother who died, and I survived.' This ...
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'I was born in 1934 in a little lost village near San Cristobel de Torondoy eleven months after my brother. Unlike him, who was astonishingly handsome, I was astonishingly ugly. I was covered in black hair from head to foot like some kind of monkey. For some reason my ear-drums burst within days of my birth. The local doctor told my mother "This little boy is not going to live, and if he does, he's going to be daft or half-witted". But against all the hopes of the family, it was my brother who died, and I survived.' This extraordinary novel is based on a true story of a revolutionary who was advisor to Castro, friend of President Salvador Allende, and married to a woman who became one of the leaders of the Kurdish rebellion in Iran. There is a poignancy in his life, forever underlined by the leading roles thrown on him - like hoopla rings at a fair. Code-named Otto, he became an enemy of both the KGB and the CIA and all by chance, by a twist of fate, or by someone else's design. From the mountains of Venezuela, to the streets of Paris, from the heart of Cuba to rain-drenched London, this is a fabulous and picaresque journey of the lives and loves (plenty of those) of an astonishing man.
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Seller's Description:
Good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
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Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
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Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
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Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine.
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Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages.
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Fine in Fine jacket. Fine condition. Virago Press, 2005. First UK edition-first printing. Blue hardback(silver lettering to the spine, nick on the edge of the front cover) with Dj(crease, nick and scratch on the Dj cover), both in fine condition. The book is new with light shelf wear on the outer edges of the pages, small crease and nick on the edge of the pages.512pp. Price un-clipped. This is another paragraph From Publishers Weekly: This fictional autobiography of one of the 20th century's more colorful, if obscure, revolutionaries presents a delightful ramble through five decades of international political intrigue while connecting the dots among dozens of armed revolts. Narrated by Oswaldo Barreto Miliani, a Venezuelan intellectual, Communist revolutionary and social philosopher, the book--part apology and part corrective--follows Barreto from his birth in San Cristobal in 1934 up to the present. His ostensible purpose is threefold: to set the record straight about his exploits, to offer his view of post-Cold War communism and world revolution and to present an entertaining narrative, rife with irony and good humor, but marked by the ultimate loss of ideals. Although he remains a committed Marxist, Oswaldo loses faith in the practical application of communism. Ter? n (The Hacienda) renders Oswaldo as an erudite, candid, witty commentator as she unspools a narrative that reads like a who's who of world revolution. Cameos of Che, Castro, Luk? s, Ben Barka, Allende and many others propel the story forward, and Barreto's on-and-off romance with his Persian wife, Vida, keeps his personal life lively. Although dense and sometimes redundant, the narrative entices and fascinates with its breadth and scope.
