Camila: And, well, we already know how that call went. Camila: Not knowing what he was going to do, Edgar put the box in storage and ordered that no one touch it. And they decided to infiltrate the black market, where this was being discussed. David: Its that kind of moment when you put yourself in the third person and say, what now? You won't find any mention of levitation or flying carpets or crocodile children. He said that no one was going to settle down until that book was found. Edgar: He stopped in front of the display, saw that the book was missing and put his hands on his head. 20 years in prison for someone who stole a book by Gabo and eight for someone who committed crimes against humanity. What he did say was that the book had been prepared to be sold when it was discovered. When they left the interrogation it was practically nighttime. An officer met me and brought me to a small office filled with empty cubicles. Reading that little novel an exercise in the seemingly endless possibilities of fiction proved to be a transformative experience for both of us. 174 times the minimum wage, enough to buy, I dont know, a small apartment in the southern part of Bogot. We are back with Radio Ambulante. lvaro: And she says lvaro, you have no idea what kind of shit storm this has caused. And you would think that a thief is ready for something, dont you think?. This is what he told me: No, the investigation is still ongoing. Damaso stop the wrong persecution. How may I help you? lvaro: Were only first editions by Garca Mrquez, which made a kind of general timeline starting with his first published book to his last. But not just any copy. "I didn't know anyone was allowed to write things like that. Well, he hadnt set foot in the fair since the robbery. Supervisor: When they said, hey, come here, sargeant. Whats going on, man? Theyre trying to sell that book. What? Yeah. And who are they? I dont know, theyre some guys from La Perseverancia.. And I said, I dont know. So he said, Do you want me to give you the email of Telfono Rosa at El Tiempo?. They hired two security guards who were only tasked with watching the bookstore, and on top of that, they agreed that one person on their staff would be at the cases at all times. He went out to walk and he didnt say anything to anyone for some time. And later he said no, librovejero as in ropavejero [book peddler, as in junk peddler]. Daniel: Of course, everyone understands how valuable that book is. But if they capture one person and two people tried to sell the book and the third person is the buyer, itll close the day all three are caught. They live in a small rented room near the center of town. Before we go back to our story I want to tell you about another NPR podcast, one about music, called Alt.Latino. We have accomplished something very important, very important. Don't miss out on an interactive map that shows the book's journey throughout Latin America: They were about to close the fair and the police never arrived. They looked like something out of the last century: there were two panes of glass one was sliding and they were held shut by a little lock, a keyhole with a saw-toothed shaped plate. A lot of people found that absurd. Its a decrepit building. But at one point David decided to stop giving interviews. He wrote film scripts, some in collaboration with Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes; several of these scripts became movies. Camila: Today it is in the collections section, along with the other more valuable books in the National Library. The officers took me to a major and then I retold the whole story: about Radio Ambulante, the theft, the authorization. Daniel: Yes, yes, the express buses in Bogot. lvaro: He stood there looking at me and he said Had you seen this cover before? And I told him no. So I tossed it in a bag, said thank you and left. Supervisor: And they indicated to us more or less where the guys were going to meet. lvaro: He said, I cant believe it. His friend asked him to tell her everything in detail. Garca Mrquez had died a year earlier, in April 2014, and this book fair was being held in his honor. I went out right away, I stood in front of the display case and shouted Edgar!. The worst possible. Its huge. Realized it was a trick. Damaso realizes that Ana has been "waiting for him every minute through the whole night" (77). The SIJIN is right in the middle of downtown Bogot. And lvaro was a secondhand book collector. What can be done? At some point various men from security arrived along with the manager of the pavilion. Nobody. According to what the supervisor told me, 50 million pesos. So I went to the restroom, I peed, I took a breath and wiped the sweat off my forehead. lvaro spoke briefly and finally gave the donation. Camila: The friend gave him the email address. Camila: Not much. And well, the fair ended on Monday and.. Camila: Everything was going back to normal. But on Friday, six days after the robbery, lvaro was in his bookstore, working, when a friend called him and said: lvaro: Brother, so the book turned up?, lvaro: Its just that my dad heard it did. Im Daniel Alarcn. agitated (adjective) feeling or appearing troubled or nervous. And on top of that the Telfono Rosa comes out once a week. And he didnt blame whoever was there or anything, either. Camila: During all this, David wasnt at the fair. I mean, yes, the book was found and everything was well and good. I dont know what kind of expression I had because I couldnt see it, but I know it didnt look like I was angry. David: If Luca is calling me, its because its important. Camila: He went into a tiny bookstore and asked for the Latin American literature section. Find top songs and albums by There Are No Thieves In This Town, including Of the Things I Would Not Have Omitted to Note and Treasure, Within Your Little Hour of Grace and more. Edgar didnt talk to me at all. At that point we organized ourselves and got in three cars. How long were they at it? Taking out the cards, like they were shit to me, and leaving them on the desk. However no one will believe Damaso at this point. So the supervisor starts going by all the book stands in the area and says to the vendors: Listen, brother, a book got stolen around here. And that proves to us that Colombians, like Garca Mrquez says, are capable of the worst as well as the best. Camila: When they left the interrogation it was practically nighttime. Thats not news for Telfono Rosa. Not a computer or a telephone or a photo. Im Daniel Alarcn. David: Well, I was totally happy And scared. He stopped in front of the display, saw that the book was missing and put his hands on his head. And on Saturday, May 2nd, the day the book was stolen and just three days before the end of the fair, about 73 thousand people went to the event. No One Writes to the Colonel is published in Colombia. Find us on NPR One in your app store. What happened?. And he didnt blame whoever was there or anything, either. I said, the worst thing for Luca has to be the worst of the worst of the worst., And David says, what? The music is by Luis Maurette. But Luca remembered that the agreement was that only lvaro could handle the books. I mean, it wasnt all of the first editions because they wouldnt all fit, but it was something representative of his work. So, of course, for lvaro, if the news came from La Lucirnaga it had to be a joke. He comes home at dawn, slips into bed with his sleeping wife and lights a cigarette. Start studying There Are No Thieves in THIS Town, No One Writes to the Colonel Set 3, pp. You guys who are going to be downtown, a book by Gabriel Garca Mrquez was stolen in one of those bookstores, so you need to get in touch with your contacts about it.. They radioed the poor police officer. NPR One joins you this Thanksgiving while you travel or wait in line or wait for a friend. I asked the supervisor if that meant they werent looking for the culprits anymore. Its shrink-wrapped No, not that one. Until finally in April 2016 they gave me an appointment to meet with the lieutenant in charge of the case. There was a very diligent group of police. Camila: Good morning. Yes. For all of his accolades and awards, Garcia Marquez never got too comfortable in his success. And it makes me very sad because the book was stolen, but it also gives me peace, tranquility and pride knowing that there are people who can feel another persons minor misfortune, compared to the many misfortunes in life and in the country, as if it were their own. When I saw the hole, it took less than a second to look over the books and realize it was that book: it was. I made calls almost every week. So, of course, the pressure for everything to be ready and go well was enormous. And he said return my book or pay for it. David: I knew this was a very serious problem but what I was worried about was the institutional issue. He wanted the whole thing to be over, so early that week he called Consuelo Gaitn, the director of the National Library, and told her: Please, I want to make this donation really, really quickly. As well as anyone who acquires it. The Attorney General considers the theft of Gabriel Garca Mrquez work a serious attack on our cultural heritage. Meanwhile, Edgar and the other guard kept on searching everyone who tried to leave. The Theme of Solitude. So, of course, the first thing the supervisor does is call the chief of police to tell him that he has this information, and his chief tell his own boss to tell him. There are some details that certainly, for now. There was another girl who started crying, another bookseller, for no apparent reason because she didnt have anything to do with what was happening, but it was just seeing all of the commotion. Today it is in the collections section, along with the other more valuable books in the National Library. But before he left he asked to use their restroom. Camila: Yes, it is massive. So he started to call them on the radio. I couldnt believe it. And my phone started ringing. And they decided to infiltrate the black market, where this was being discussed. This very same box. At 8 a.m., his 11-year-old son interrupts Aurelio's work to tell him that the mayor is there and wants his tooth pulled. Camila: In other words, he wasnt just worried about how he was going to pay for the book, but also about what would become of the association. But what caught my attention was that there were slightly different versions of where the book had been found. Did they close the case? Find top songs and albums by There Are No Thieves In This Town including Of the Things I Would Not . I mean, we must be certain of that. Show me any old book you see. And sometimes he would show me books and I would have to say man, thats a new book. Camila: By Monday, this was already the story of the day in all of the newspapers, broadcasts and news bulletins. Yes. No one did. lvaro took the book to Colombia and it ended up being part of that exhibit I mentioned before, at the Book Fair, along with 31 other books from his private collection. Not at all. You guys who are going to be downtown, a book by Gabriel Garca Mrquez was stolen in one of those bookstores, so you need to get in touch with your contacts about it.. This is the vice-attorney general at the time, Juan Vicente Valbuena. May I speak with the press department of the police, please? And, Daniel, I cant tell you how difficult it was to find someone in the police department who would agree to talk to me or who was able to. Their exchange is a short one, yet as power is reversed and the mayor occupies a vulnerable position, it effectively highlights the role of manipulation in a corrupt society. And today I want to tell you the story of that book. A lot of people found that absurd. He had a huge headache. Camila: Everyones spirits were as low as they could be. My guide introduced me to another officer but neither of them knew why I was there. is one of the most important newspapers in the country and Telfono Rosa is a news section or rather, a gossip section about celebrities in Colombia that comes out once a week, every Sunday. Edgar: Our heads were down. I could tell that it was deeply painful for him because his eyes were watering and his mouth was trembling. And he opened the box and there was the book. His prize was a first edition book from 1967. Gracias, Gabo. No one wanted to give a statement. Camila: He showed me the inscription and then he showed me something else. Having found the book in record time was a victory for the police: only six days after the report was filed. Hold on. He called his mom but she didnt answer. lvaro: Where did that number come from? I want to get this over with fast. And I said, jokingly, if this isnt done by Thursday, Im donating it to the National Museum on Friday.. Chapter-by-chapter summaries and multiple sections of expert analysis; The ultimate resource for assignments, engaging lessons, and lively book discussions . He felt like everyone at the bookstore was looking at him with an expression of, lvaro: Like shame, disbelief, alarm, fear. He went into a tiny bookstore and asked for the Latin American literature section. Did they close the case? Camila: He picked up his satchel and left. In April of this year, 2016, almost a year after his book was recovered, lvaro got some news from the attorney generals office. We are back with Radio Ambulante. On social media you could read things like: User 1: Thats why this country is backwards. Youre crazy, what are you thinking?!. Weve got a recommended case here. Its called NPR One and it offers the best from public radio and beyond. I would feel unworthy of standing in this place that was his if I were not fully aware that the colossal tragedy he refused to recognize thirty-two years ago is now, for the first time since the beginning of humanity, nothing more than a simple scientific possibility. As a collector, lvaro knew exactly what a first edition looked like. The books on display. One of them is The Golden Cock. Major: Well, as far as I know, the only book by Garca Mrquez that was stolen was that one. lvaro: And I saw on Facebook someone posted, Hooray! Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of "No One Writes To The Colonel" by Gabriel Garca Mrquez. But what are their names, man? And as soon as I got there Luca told me weve been robbed. The worst possible. And they decided to act. Were talking about a lot of money. The display cases where they were being displayed had been set up by pavilion organizers. How could we do it? The inscription says: To lvaro Castillo, the book peddler, like yesterday and as always, from your friend Gabriel. And Ill explain: Edgar and Luca had told the fair security about the robbery. To get there, head to the Village of Outcasts in A film adaptation of "There Are No Thieves in This Town" is released. I hope you find the book. And I started to cry. Then I opened it to the page with the inscription and said, yes, this is my book, and I started to cry. It was a first edition, and worse still, one that Garca Mrquez signed for lvaro. Daniel: And where is the book today, Camila? The shopkeeper pointed out where it was. Instead I said, yes, of course.. I mean, I have been to that book fair. Camila: He said that no one was going to settle down until that book was found. Thank you for listening to Radio Ambulante. Nobody. alternative approach to traditional music. It was rush hour on a Friday and the traffic was really backed up. You won't find any mention of levitation or flying carpets or crocodile children. at the Book Fair in Bogot. They gave it back to me in this little box. lvaro: This book doesnt belong to me anymore. Camila: It was like if delivering the book was matter of life or death. For us those are recommended cases. So a senator is robbed, a minister is robbed, someone steals I dont know, the cellphone of a private secretary at the ministry. 07:25 Writer: There Are No Thieves In This Town. And when David told him that, lvaro. And Ill explain a little: David was in charge of the Macondo stall at the Bogot Book Fair. While Edgar was searching people, Luca knew that she had to call someone, but she thought: I cant tell lvaro myself. That day around noon his friend called him back. Make sure there is adequate airflow where your pet is; Some pets suffer from motion sickness or get extremely stressed when travelling. So the case with the book was clearly recommended. And I said to myself crap, what am I going to do? "Diary of a Shipwrecked Sailor. 1996. Or rather, they dont close But they get filed away? No, she felt it was more important to stick to the agreement they had made with lvaro. I freaked out. He stood there looking at me and he said Had you seen this cover before? And I told him no. So I tossed it in a bag, said thank you and left. Were poor here and we live far away, they say in my village. In 1961, The Evil Hour (La Mala Hora), which had been completed in Mexico but initially published in Spain, had been published, but only after he had won a Colombian literary prize. Daniel: Ive never heard anyone talk that fast in my whole life. And its like, oh, no, And when she tells me, they stole lvaros. In 1984, in the small Chilean city of Villa Alemana, Our ninth season is just one week away! How is it that they didnt catch the thief? One of his stories, "There are No Thieves in This Town," was filmed by an experimental group for presentation at the 1965 Locarno Film Festival. Its the only version I have of what happened. The book wins the Primera Plana prize in Argentina on June 20. lvaro: And when I turned my head and looked, I saw a first edition of One Hundred Years of Solitude. by Gabriel Garca Mrquez. This story is about a thief named Damaso. Stream ad-free with Amazon Music Unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. bookmarked pages associated with this title. It was an expression like I dont understand whats happening.. User 2: This country is totally charro. But the supervisor started to check other areas to see if they had been offering the book as well. That Monday was the last day of the fair. And she asked why?. And that they had already identified and intercepted him. It involves a poor, unlicensed dentist, Aurelio Escovar, who is called upon by the village mayor to remove an infected tooth. Camila: Yes, up to 20 years. lvaro needed a moment before he could start the interview. And I dont want to tell him, but I have to. But. Under regular security procedure, they shouldve informed the police. Not even me. And no one has been able to explain where that number came from. How come they hadnt even filed a complaint? Camila: Thousands upon thousands of people were going to go through there. 05. 64. Officer: Were poor here and we live far away, they say in my village. Daniel: Thats the director of the Association of Independent Booksellers, right? The assistant of General Palomino, the chief of police, was calling him. The one he had loaned the book to. When I went out to eat breakfast, I also went by the bookstore. Camila: Well, not quite. lvaro: I said, this is really funny. More than a year ago, in May 2015. We know they were going to sell it for more than 120 million pesos. lvaro answered and said Whats up, David? And I said, listen lvaro, they stole your One Hundred Years of Solitude.. Camila: Thats the bad part. lvaro told me that the squad car was driving at full speed down the Transmilenio lane to avoid traffic. Story Summary: "There Are No Thieves in This Town" Damaso, a 20-year-old man returns at dawn to the small room he shares with his wife, Ana, who is six months pregnant. Camila: Well, you cant hear it very well, but she thanks lvaro, obviously, and says that this book is the start of a great collection that the library wants to create, and that this book in particular is important not just because of its value as a piece of heritage, but also because of what its theft meant for the country. It was around eight at night by the time he went to Macondo to get his books. And lvaro told him: That the book was priceless but the ACLI had to answer for this. 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