The Sound of Things Falling

By Juan Gabriel Vasquez | Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

About the book

* National Bestseller and Dublin Literary Award winner
* Hailed by Edmund White as \"a brilliant new novel\" on the cover of the New York Times Book Review
* Lauded by Jonathan Franzen, E. L. Doctorow and many others

An intimate portrayal of the drug wars in Colombia, from international fiction star Juan Gabriel Vasquez.


Juan Gabriel Vásquez has been hailed not only as one of South America’s greatest literary stars, but also as one of the most acclaimed writers of his generation. In this New York Times-bestselling, award-winning, gorgeously wrought novel, Vásquez confronts the history of his home country, Colombia.

In the city of Bogotá, Antonio Yammara reads an article about a hippo that had escaped from a derelict zoo once owned by legendary Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. The article transports Antonio back to when the war between Escobar’s Medellín cartel and government forces played out violently in Colombia’s streets and in the skies above. Back then, Antonio witnessed a friend’s murder, an event that haunts him still. As he investigates, he discovers the many ways in which his own life and his friend’s family have been shaped by his country’s recent violent past. His journey leads him all the way back to the 1960s and a world on the brink of change: a time before narco-trafficking trapped a whole generation in a living nightmare.

Vásquez is “one of the most original new voices of Latin American literature,” according to Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa, and The Sound of Things Falling is his most personal, most contemporary novel to date, a masterpiece that takes his writing—and his literary star—even higher.

Editions of The Sound of Things Falling

Hardcover
ISBN 9781594487484
Paperback
ISBN 9781594632747
EBook
ISBN 9781101605387

Read an Excerpt

* National Bestseller and Dublin Literary Award winner
* Hailed by Edmund White as \"a brilliant new novel\" on the cover of the New York Times Book Review
* Lauded by Jonathan Franzen, E. L. Doctorow and many others

An intimate portrayal of the drug wars in Colombia, from international fiction star Juan Gabriel Vasquez.


Juan Gabriel Vásquez has been hailed not only as one of South America’s greatest literary stars, but also as one of the most acclaimed writers of his generation. In this New York Times-bestselling, award-winning, gorgeously wrought novel, Vásquez confronts the history of his home country, Colombia.

In the city of Bogotá, Antonio Yammara reads an article about a hippo that had escaped from a derelict zoo once owned by legendary Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. The article transports Antonio back to when the war between Escobar’s Medellín cartel and government forces played out violently in Colombia’s streets and in the skies above. Back then, Antonio witnessed a friend’s murder, an event that haunts him still. As he investigates, he discovers the many ways in which his own life and his friend’s family have been shaped by his country’s recent violent past. His journey leads him all the way back to the 1960s and a world on the brink of change: a time before narco-trafficking trapped a whole generation in a living nightmare.

Vásquez is “one of the most original new voices of Latin American literature,” according to Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa, and The Sound of Things Falling is his most personal, most contemporary novel to date, a masterpiece that takes his writing—and his literary star—even higher.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Sound of Things Falling about?

* National Bestseller and Dublin Literary Award winner
* Hailed by Edmund White as \"a brilliant new novel\" on the cover of the New York Times Book Review
* Lauded by Jonathan Franzen, E. L. Doctorow and many others

An intimate portrayal of the drug wars in Colombia, from international fiction star Juan Gabriel Vasquez.


Juan Gabriel Vásquez has been hailed not only as one of South America’s greatest literary stars, but also as one of the most acclaimed writers of his generation. In this New York Times-bestselling, award-winning, gorgeously wrought novel, Vásquez confronts the history of his home country, Colombia.

In the city of Bogotá, Antonio Yammara reads an article about a hippo that had escaped from a derelict zoo once owned by legendary Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. The article transports Antonio back to when the war between Escobar’s Medellín cartel and government forces played out violently in Colombia’s streets and in the skies above. Back then, Antonio witnessed a friend’s murder, an event that haunts him still. As he investigates, he discovers the many ways in which his own life and his friend’s family have been shaped by his country’s recent violent past. His journey leads him all the way back to the 1960s and a world on the brink of change: a time before narco-trafficking trapped a whole generation in a living nightmare.

Vásquez is “one of the most original new voices of Latin American literature,” according to Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa, and The Sound of Things Falling is his most personal, most contemporary novel to date, a masterpiece that takes his writing—and his literary star—even higher.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Sound of Things Falling?

Fiction > Fiction: literary and general non-genre

Where can I read a sample of The Sound of Things Falling?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781594487484

Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Sound of Things Falling?

Juan Gabriel Vasquez

Who is the Publisher of the book The Sound of Things Falling?

Penguin Publishing Group

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

The Sound of Things Falling is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781594487484) and paperback(ISBN 9781594632747) and ebook(ISBN 9781101605387)

Where can I buy The Sound of Things Falling online or support local independent bookshops?

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Where can I buy The Sound of Things Falling?