The Old Man's Love Story
Thursday, April 4, 2013
by: Camila A. Alire

Section: Adult Book Reviews


April 2013

Camila Alire is the Past-President of the American Library Association for 2009 to 2010 She recently co-authored Serving Latino Communities, Academic Librarians as Emotionally Intelligent Leaders In 2012 Connect.

A Old Man’s Love Story is a very poignant novella written for all adult readers.  Albeit a very different genre for Anaya, anyone who has read his books will not be disappointed; anyone who hasn’t, will be moved by the old man’s story. 

Written in first person, the story is about an elderly man who has lost the love of his life - his wife, best friend, and soul mate - and the grieving and recovery processes dealing with his great loss.  In poetic prose throughout, he intertwines parts of  his life and takes the reader through various times of that life they shared together - their meeting, courtship, life together, her death - and his process of mourning to recovery.  Some of the beautiful parts of the story are when the old man has conversations with her spirit such as in the garden of the home they shared together.  When asking his wife if the cord to their bond would ever be broken, she replied:

 
 
Our bond of love was cast at the beginning of time. It has existed since the universal fire began its evolution.  “Lovers forever” means whatever was made in that singular stand will last forever.  We came spiraling into the universe.
………A joyful pain filled his heart.  She had beautiful ways to describe their love.  Tears filled his eyes.
 
 
It is such a moving and emotional love story, the reader will be equally moved.
In the process of telling this story, Anaya also shares what it is like growing old and alone adding humor in describing particular incidents the old man encounters.  You feel the old man’s aches and pains and laugh at some of his experiences in growing old.
 

 
Writing this work of fiction after having lost his wife several years ago, Anaya has come very close to sharing the greatest heartache any man (or woman) could experience – losing one’s soul mate which is what makes this book so moving.  Anaya has gone where he has never gone before in writing this beautiful, touching love story.Recommended for public and academic libraries and bookstores.

 
The Old Man's Story. Norman, OK, University of Oklahoma Press, 2013. 192 pp. $19.95. IS ISBN: 9780806143576 [Volume 12 in Chicana and Chicano Visions of the Americas series]

 
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