Fall Book Preview: Gabriel García Márquez's MEMORIES OF MY MELANCHOLY WHORES

García Márquez’s new work of fiction, his first in ten years, is about the size of a diary, making it a modestly scaled offering from one of the true giants of contemporary literature. Knopf publicity director Nicholas Latimer acknowledges that he was initially “disappointed” the book wasn’t longer—but says that it doesn’t read like a short book. “It’s sort of a novella but ‘novella’ is selling it quite short considering it covers so much ground,” he says. The story is narrated by an unidentified 90-year-old man who celebrates his birthday by giving himself “the gift of a night of wild love with an adolescent virgin.” As the tale unfolds, he remembers his life and candidly recalls years spent paying for sex. Latimer expresses concern that this “fabulous little jewel” of a book is being released in a season packed with potential blockbusters, and could be lost because of its size. García Márquez’s own stature should allay his concerns. Still, Latimer isn’t taking any chances. “I’m going to send it out like confetti,” he says