Laura Esquivel Knihy

Román, v němž najdete receptury, milostná dobrodružství i rady pro domácnost. Barvité a originální vyprávění o osudu mexické dívky, pečující o svou panovačnou matku, proložené recepty tradičních mexických jídel. Příběh se odehrává v době mexické revoluce v rodině, kde vládne tvrdou rukou matka. Dodržuje staré zvyky a její nejmladší dcera se nesmí provdat, aby o ní mohla pečovat. Dívka se stará především o kuchyni a domácí práce a její milý, aby mohl zůstat v její blízkosti, si vezme její straší sestru. V originálním vyprávění o nenaplněné lásce nechybí humor a ozvláštňují jej fantaskní motivy.

Indiánku Malinalli vychovala nesmírně laskavá babička, která jí předala moudré rady, jimiž se sama po celý život řídila. Po její smrti prodala matka dívku do otroctví daleko od domova. Když u pobřeží přistanou španělští dobyvatelé v čele s Hernánem Cortésem, netuší Malinalli, že se její život zásadně změní a že se stane milovanou ženou i nenáviděnou zrádkyní.

Thirty years after the publication of the best-seller Like Water for Chocolate comes Tita's Diary, an intimate look at the life of the main character who embodies love, passion and the communication of emotions through food in early 20th Century Mexico. When Tita falls in love with Pedro, she is told that being the youngest of three sisters, she will never be allowed to marry as she will have to care for her mother. As the second part of a trilogy, Tita's Diary brings to light a secret that will allow readers to rediscover their own intimacy as they turn page after page of never-before-seen photos, hand-pressed flower arrangements, and recipes that were skipped in the original novel. It's the physical manifestation of Tita's dream: to share her thoughts on love, food and alchemy with the world. This touching tale will plunge readers deep into the universe of Like Water for Chocolate, the captivating story that has known no borders.

As the millions of fans of Like Water for Chocolate know, Laura Esquivel is a romanticist whose novels explore the power of love and the truths of the human heart. She returns to those themes in Swift as Desire , the story of a loving and passionate man who has the gift of bringing happiness to everyone except his own wife. The hero of this novel is Júbilo Chi, a telegraph operator who is born with the ability to “hear” people’s true feelings and respond to their most intimate, unspoken desires. His life changes forever the day he falls deeply and irrevocably in love with Lucha, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy family. She believes money is necessary to insure happiness, while for Júbilo, who is poor, love and desire are more important than possessions. But their passion for each other enables them to build a happy life together -- until their idyll is shattered by a terrible event that drives them bitterly apart. Only years later, as Júbilo lies dying, is his daughter able to unravel the mystery behind her parents’ long estrangement and bring about a surprising reconciliation.

The narrative explores themes of feminine independence and personal healing through food. María, struggling with food addiction and societal pressures, faces abandonment after childbirth. Amidst a backdrop of racism and sexism, her estranged grandmother Lucía helps her confront her challenges. This journey is enriched by the discovery of Tita's Diary, which serves as a guide to overcoming modern ailments like estrangement and eating disorders, ultimately weaving a tale of resilience and self-discovery.

Lupita's hard-knock life has gotten the better of her time and time again. A childhood robbed of innocence set off a chain of events that she still has not managed to control, no matter how hard she tries. Every time she thinks she has a handle on things, unexpected turns make her question everything, including herself. When Lupita witnesses the murder of a local politician whom she greatly admires, the ghosts of her past resurface as she tries to cope with the present. She quickly falls back into her old self-destructive habits and becomes a target of Mexico's corrupt political machine. As the powers that be kick into high gear to ensure the truth remains hidden, Lupita finds solace in the purity of indigenous traditions. While she learns how to live simply, like her ancestors, she comes to understand herself and rediscovers light within a dark life. And if there is hope for Lupita's redemption, perhaps there is hope for Mexico.

Desde la casa donde nació, los juegos de calle durante su niñez, la música que ha servido como banda sonora de su vida hasta los movimientos sociales y el ataque terrorista contra las Torres Gemelas —que le tocó presenciar —, Laura Esquivel, la autora mexicana más leída en el mundo, nos enseña a través de un colorido mosaico de escritos lo que sus ojos vieron, las cosas de las que ha sido testigo en sus 72 años de vida. Son trece entregas que resultan por partes iguales un vínculo a nuestra historia, celebración de nuestras tradiciones, un comentario social y la narración de emocionales recuentos de las memorias de Laura y toda una generación. En un constante vaivén que oscila entre si todo pasado es mejor o si vivir el presente es aquello que nos sublima como seres humanos, la autora de Como agua para chocolate nos confirma lo que sí ha comprobado: siempre es más bello contemplar con el alma que con los ojos.

"A través de la mirada de su hija Lluvia, conocemos la vida de Júbilo, quien se encuentra en su lecho de muerte y sin pronunciar una sola palabra. Antes, durante su infancia, que transcurre en los primeros años después de la revolución, se convierte en intérprete entre su madre y su abuela, una española y otra maya, que mantienen una distancia que parece insalvable, tanto en lo cultural como en lo personal. Desde entonces, descubre el inmenso poder de comunicarse y, guiado por esta inclinación de traducir y descifrar los sentimientos de los otros, llega a ser telegrafista. Recorremos la vida del protagonista, a través de su amor con Lucha, sus alegrías y los episodios que muestran su carácter bondadoso, así como sus experiencias adversas, sus sueños rotos y una conflictiva relación con don Pedro, todo lo cual le mostrará que el peso de los sentimientos y el deseo son las fuerzas determinantes de la vida."--Amazon.com