{"product_id":"the-armies-9780811218641","title":"The Armies","description":"Ismail, the \u003cem\u003eprofesor\u003c\/em\u003e, is a retired teacher in a small Colombian town where he passes the days pretending to pick oranges while spying on his neighbor Geraldina as she lies naked in the shade of a ceiba tree on a red floral quilt. The garden burns with sunlight; the macaws laugh sweetly. Otilia, Ismail's wife, is ashamed of his peeping and suggests that he pay a visit to Father Albornoz. Instead, Ismail wanders the town visiting old friends, plagued by a tangle of secret memories: \u003cem\u003eWhere have I existed these years? I answer myself: up on the wall, peering over.\u003c\/em\u003e When the armies slowly arrive, the \u003cem\u003eprofesor's\u003c\/em\u003e reveries are gradually taken over by a living hell. His wife disappears and he must find her. We learn that not only gentle, grassy hillsides surround San José but landmines and coca fields. The reader is soon engulfed by the violence of Rosero's narrative that is touched not only with a deep sadness, but an extraordinary tenderness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e New Directions Publishing Corporation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/15\/2009\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780811218641\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 208\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.54lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.96h x 5.26w x 0.63d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eMulticultural Review\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/01\/2010 pg. 47\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Evelio Rosero","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45058702213301,"sku":"9780811218641","price":12.71,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_84de1e37-ffa7-4475-a737-9a59f15d3d66.jpg?v=1738078139","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/the-armies-9780811218641","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}