Rebecca and Jeff explore the novel that made magical realism a global phenomenon. They talk about what magical realism is (and isn't), the rise and fall of the Buendía family, and the fictional town of Macondo as allegories for real-world history and political events, and why the book is so hard to summarize. Along the way, they offer tips for how to read One Hundred Years of Solitude without getting lost and reflect on why surrendering to its chaos is part of the experience.

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Discussed in this episode:

The Buendía family tree from Wikipedia

The Book Riot Podcast episode about Magical Realism

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