The Scandal of the Century

A new anthology showcases the journalistic prowess of Gabriel García Márquez, one of the literary giants of the 20th century. Despite his fame for "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and winning the Nobel Prize, García Márquez expressed a desire to be remembered primarily for his journalism. Over the years, some of his journalistic efforts have been published, but this volume uniquely compiles a selection representing the first forty years of his career. During this period, he was a committed and sometimes contentious journalist, whose work paralleled the creation of his iconic fiction. Included in this collection are his initial articles from newspapers in Cartagena and Barranquilla, his expansive, narrative-like reports from international cities such as Paris and Rome, and his regular columns for Spain’s El País. These fifty pieces not only mirror the thoughtful, witty, and fervent qualities of his fiction but also unveil his dedication to what he considered "the best profession in the world." According to Salman Rushdie, García Márquez viewed himself primarily as a journalist, a sentiment this collection profoundly supports.