The General in His Labyrinth (original Spanish title: El general en su laberinto) is a novel by the Colombian writer and Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez. It is a fictionalized account of the last days of Simón Bolívar, liberator and leader of Gran Colombia.
First published in 1989, the book traces Bolívar's final journey from Bogotá to the Caribbean coastline of Colombia in his attempt to leave South America for exile in Europe. In this dictator novel about a continental hero, "despair, sickness, and death inevitably win out over love, health, and life". Breaking with the traditional heroic portrayal of Bolívar El Libertador, García Márquez depicts a pathetic protagonist, a prematurely aged man who is physically ill and mentally exhausted. The story explores the labyrinth of Bolívar's life through the narrative of his memories.
“A fascinating tour de force and a moving tribute to an extraordinary man” --Margaret Atwood, The New York Times Book Review
“A distinguished book. . . . García Márquez splendidly presents his image of Latin America and of a great man redux.” --Los Angeles Times Book Review
“A stunning portrait, convincing and poignant. . . . A tour de force.” --San Francisco Chronicle
“Passage after passage shines with the brilliance of Mr. García Márquez. . . . He has invented some of the magic characters of our age. His general, however, is not only magic, but real.” --The Wall Street Journal
“As usual, García Márquez’s craftsmanship is nothing less than superb. His General’s story is tragic; his telling of it is luminous.” --The Dallas Morning News
