Fuentes's Destiny and Desire

En español | When he hit his 80s, Carlos Fuentes could have retired his pen, confident that his place in Latin American letters was secure. Instead, with a long, illustrious career behind him —  including 23 books and numerous awards — Mexico’s most famous living writer has done just the opposite. He is still scribbling away, and with the verve and bravado of a young man. This vigor is on display in his 24th novel, Destiny and Desire, released in Spanish in 2008 as La voluntad y la fortuna and now available in English. Edith Grossman, up to her usual high standards, presents an excellent translation, managing to transmit Fuentes’s wordplay while also capturing his often grandiose style in Spanish. … Back to Article