Donald P. McCrory Libros

"A fascinating story."—Choice"A remarkable achievement."—Sunday HeraldFor the general reader, as well as students and historians, this absorbing study chronicles the life and work of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547–1616). World-renowned as the author of Don Quixote, the "Spanish Shakespeare" led an adventurous and fruitful life that encompassed widely disparate roles—spy, lover, soldier, hostage, tax collector, poet, playwright, and, most notably, creator of the first European novel.This biography is based on new original research, and incorporates previously unpublished material on Cervantes' long period of captivity in Algiers; also, his involvement with piracy in the Mediterranean and with espionage and the Spanish Armada; and his work as an agent of the Spanish government. Containing significant details never before available in English, it is an important contribution to the understanding of a unique literary figure.

Challenging traditional views on marriage, the narrative explores diverse perspectives on relationships, questioning the assumption that monogamous marriage is the ideal or only valid form. Through voices of an ex-monk, lesbians, bisexuals, divorcees, and ex-escorts, it highlights the rising divorce rates and the rarity of stable partnerships, suggesting that conventional marriage vows may no longer be effective. This thought-provoking examination invites readers to reconsider the nature of love and commitment in contemporary society.

The Autopsy of an Obituary is genre blending for it combines contemporary literary fiction with magic realism. It is aimed at the general reader, but in particular, at the mind; body and spirit readership. When sent to sell his recently deceased aunt's cottage, Neil discovers her diaries which reveal her quest to find a new guiding principle that would lead her to the "true good", the discovery of which would afford her continuous happiness in this life and in the next. Her quest became an experiment in the art of living: She yearns to live a simple but morally responsible and culturally rich life in an age and in circumstances that often militate against such a yearning. In short, The Autopsy of an Obituary is a call to reflect on what really matters in this life: open-ended, a sequel is envisaged.