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I fell in love with the magical world of Central and South American novels through the recommendations of my dear friend Elisa.

Just as she shared other lush parts of her Mexican culture with me, she taught me about a genre of literature called MAGICAL REALISM. Magical Realism is a genre first explored by master novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Although this genre contains elements of fantasy, it differs from traditional fantasy work in that the focus of the story is grounded in very realistic worlds, themes and events. The infusion of fantasy elements is done very naturally and handled very in a manner-of-fact way.

It makes for an exciting but meaningful read. In the past, when I read pure fantasy fiction, it felt much like a meal that was composed entirely of dessert-to much of a good thing. MAGICAL REALISM suggests that life is wholly complicated, it is spicy and bland and sometimes sweet and sometimes bitter, and that ribbons of magical happenings stream through our days. Just because most nights our ancestors don't step out of our dreams and into our rooms, doesn't mean it won't happen tonight. And if that were to happen, it wouldn't be any more miraculous, or any less miraculous, than the sunrises and rain showers and blooming flower magic we have become accustomed to witnessing.

Most people associate MAGICAL REALISM with Central and South America because of the work of Garcia Marquez and contemporaries such as Isabelle Allende, the genre can be found around the globe. Here are my favorites. I highly recommend you treat yourself into an escape into these worlds:

GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ
You can start with his lyrical short stories, or jump into ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE. This classic work is so beautiful you will be swept away into its cross generational exploration of the Buendia family's live in an amazingly described village. The family experiences war, love, grief, disaster and togetherness-but ultimately, the author describes the human condition of isolation even when the vastness of life swims around us. It is a breathtaking work, full of wit and surprises.
My favorite short story is his A VERY OLD MAN WITH ENORMOUS WINGS. This story is an excellent example of the story presented as a simple children's story though it is infused with magical, dream-like qualities.

LAURA ESQUIVEL
Esquivel is a gift! You might be familiar with her sensuous and exciting story LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE because it was made into a fantastic film. The title refers to the

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