My Invented Country

A Nostalgic Journey Through Chile

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Isabel Allende, Margaret Sayers Peden: My Invented Country (2003, HarperCollins Publishers)

English language

Published Nov. 20, 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers.

ISBN:
978-0-06-056569-5
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3 stars (1 review)

The author explores the landscapes and people of her native country; recounts the 1973 assassination of her uncle, which caused her to go into exile; and shares her experiences as an immigrant in post-September 11 America.

33 editions

A diverting memoir

3 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect from My Invented Country as I'm pretty sure I've not yet read any of Isabel Allende's novels. What I got was gently nostalgic reminiscences of her childhood and adolescence, sprinkled with witty and sharp observations of not only Chile, but also Allende's adopted countries since the 1970s, primarily Venezuela and the USA, and the contrasts between them. I knew little, also, of Chile other than the name of Pinochet so was fascinated to learn insignificant details of daily life and the national culture, pre-Pinochet. Allende's love for the natural landscape comes across continually thoughout her memoir and she makes it sound like a fabulous country to tour. Could we get our caravan across the Atacama Desert do you think?

Allende's starting points for many of her reminiscences are members of her eccentric extended family, all of whom she admits are perfect fodder for a …

Subjects

  • Allende, isabel, 1942-
  • Authors, biography
  • Chile, history