Dear literary citizens of Nación Libro (a nation free of censorship!), it is now time to review a classic of contemporary Latin American literature.

From the brilliant mind of the Argentine writer Ernesto Sabato (nice name!), it is with mixed feelings that we read the story of the protagonist, Juan Pablo Castel, a painter whose artistic talent contrasts with his deranged mind.

During an exhibition of his paintings, the painter notices that a woman fixes her attention on a detail of his work called “Maternity”, such a detail is unnoticed by many. But it is not the case of the lady contemplating the painting who leaves the room a few minutes later.

This awakens in Castel an implacable obsession to meet her, to the point of finding her in what he assumes is her workplace. After mentioning the anecdote of the day of the exhibition, the lady whose name is María Iribarne, gives the painter some confidence to continue contacting her despite being married.

This gives rise to a relationship with many ups and downs that ultimately urge the protagonist to end María’s life.

For those of you who haven’t read the novel, don’t be disappointed if I have ruined the ending for you. The “juice” of the content has to do with the meticulous and shameless declaration of the painter who confesses the feelings that led him to commit this murder.

Acclaimed by many, also criticized to the point of being briefly censored in Spain during the Franco dictatorship, it is not uncommon to see a volume of “El túnel” in the personal libraries of those like me who like the pleasure of reading.

I hope you like it.

Ernesto Martinez
President of Nación Libro