Description
Patagonia
Book Summary
A passionate love story is intertwined with the fascinating legacy of the Spanish naturalist Ángel Cabrera in this novel that shifts between late 20th-century Madrid and Argentina in the previous century. The reader will accompany Simón and Julieta on a tour through museums, bars, and street markets as they discover the life of a scientist who left everything behind to begin a new life on the other side of the Atlantic. A work that combines the intensity of romantic feelings with scientific outreach and the spirit of travel literature.
What is it about?
Simón Camus, a guide at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, is dealing with a group of distracted schoolchildren when a young Argentine painter and zoologist, Julieta Greco, sneaks into the audience. She has just arrived in Spain to coordinate an exhibition on the drawings of the naturalist Ángel Cabrera. That chance encounter marks the beginning of a sentimental journey through the streets of Madrid and a love story that will lead them to investigate Cabrera's life. The novel reconstructs the scientist's early years in the Rif region and the Spanish mountain ranges, his work at the museum, his relationship with figures such as Ramón y Cajal and the Institución Libre de Enseñanza, and his final move to the city of La Plata, Argentina. There, Cabrera made significant paleontological discoveries, faced academic intrigues, and lived a lasting love with his wife, María Aguado. Two stories of love and science are reflected and complemented throughout the narrative.
Main Themes
- Love as a driving force for personal and geographical discovery.
- The life and work of the Spanish naturalist Ángel Cabrera, from his beginnings to his scientific exile in Argentina.
- The history of science and paleontology in Spain and Argentina during the 20th century .
- Travel as a metaphor for personal transformation and the encounter with the other.
- The relationship between historical memory, scientific institutions, and the political context (Peronism).
Who is it recommended for?
For readers interested in novels that fuse love stories with scientific outreach and travelogues. Especially attractive to those who enjoy plots that take place in museums, with characters linked to zoology, paleontology, or naturalistic painting, and for those who appreciate stories that explore exile and the legacy of lesser-known scientific figures in the Spanish-speaking world.
What this book offers
- A dual narrative journey: the contemporary love story in Madrid and the novelized biography of a scientist in Argentina.
- An intimate and well-documented look at the figure of Ángel Cabrera, his relationships with Ramón y Cajal, and his work at the La Plata Museum.
- A detailed setting of the Madrid scenes of the late 20th century, from bars to museums and street markets.
- A reflection on how love and a passion for knowledge can cross borders and eras.
Technical Sheet
- Author: Aguado López, Ángel
- Publisher: Ediciones del Viento, S.L.
- Language: Spanish
- Genre: Modern and contemporary fiction, Travel literature
- Collection: Viento Abierto
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: January 2019
- Number of pages: 248
- Weight: 380 g
Editorial Review
A novel that achieves a solid balance between romantic narrative and historical and scientific dissemination. The dual timeline, which connects contemporary Madrid with the trajectory of Ángel Cabrera in Argentina, is well resolved and offers a human and professional portrait of a relevant naturalist. Recommended for those looking for a read that enriches their knowledge of 20th-century Spanish science without sacrificing a well-constructed love story and carefully crafted atmosphere.