Oscar Hijuelos on Cuban authors

HAVANA TIMES, July 21 — Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Oscar Hijuelos gave an interview to The Browser.com website where he selects his favorite five books by Cuban authors.  He chose works by Leonardo Padura, Carlos Eire, Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Carlos Fuentes and Jose Lezama Lima.

Referring to his first choice, “Havana Red” by Leonardo Padura, Hijuelos, the author of “The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love,” said:

“Part of the reason I like his work so much is that it has a real noiresque feel about it.  He has a very literary sensibility and a wonderful sense of narrative, and really knows how to build themes in a way that is rather beguiling. When I first started reading his books I said this guy has got a wonderful style, and it is reminiscent of something I like myself – and then I found out he was a big fan of my work.”

To read the full interview click here.