Search

Keith Ellis has swum with respect and wisdom through the rough seas of José Martí's Versos libres and offers the fruit of a lucid, tenacious and responsible work of translation. He does it, moreover, in the format of a bilingual edition, which gives the reading public an incomparable advantage and enhances the editorial undertaking for which we must be thankful, because from now on these Martí poems will be better known. From back cover.

Amistad funesta: Large PrintBy José MartíJosé Julián Martí Pérez was a Cuban national hero and an important figure in Latin American literature. During his life, he worked as a poet, essayist, journalist, translator, professor, and publisher. He was very politically active, and is considered an important revolutionary philosopher and political theorist.[1][2] Through his writings and political activity, he became a symbol of Cuba's bid for independence against Spain in the 19th century, and is referred to as the "Apostle of Cuban Independence."[3] From adolescence, he dedicated his life to the promotion of liberty, political independence for Cuba, and intellectual independence for all Spanish Americans; his death was used as a cry for Cuban independence from Spain by both the Cuban revolutionaries and those Cubans previously reluctant to start a revolt. Martí was also used as a figurehead by the Cuban government throughout the government of Fidel Castro, and his writings were commonly cited as supporting socialism within Castro's administration.[4]

Primer volumen de la coleccin de 4 libros de la primera edicin bilinge de La Edad de Oro, de Jos' Mart-, con las ilustraciones originales. Traductora: Elinor Randall. / First volume of the 4-book collection of the first bilingual edition of The Golden Age, by Jos' Mart-, with the original illustrations. Translator: Elinor Randall.