Described by Kirstin Valdez Quade as “an insightful, original, and large-hearted debut,” A Kind of Solitude explores themes of isolation and perseverance in the face of widespread poverty and socio-political oppression in the island of Cuba after the fall of the Soviet Union. From a chronically ill santero refusing medical care to a female-fronted heavy-metal band risking it all to emerge from Havana’s underground, this collection of stories portrays the harsh reality, inherent humor, and resilient heart of a people whose stories should be known.
About the Author: Dariel Suarez
Dariel Suarez was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. He immigrated to the United States with his family in 1997, during the island’s economic crisis known as The Special Period. He is the author of the novel The Playwright’s House (forthcoming, Red Hen Press), the story collection A Kind of Solitude (Willow Springs Books), winner of the 2017 Spokane Prize for Short Fiction, and the poetry chapbook In The Land of Tropical Martyrs (Backbone Press). Dariel is an inaugural City of Boston Artist Fellow and the Director of Core Programs and Faculty at GrubStreet, the country’s largest independent creative writing center. His prose has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous publications, including The Threepenny Review, The Kenyon Review, Prairie Schooner, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Massachusetts Review, Third Coast, Southern Humanities Review, North American Review, and The Caribbean Writer, where his work was awarded the First Lady Cecile de Jongh Literary Prize. Dariel earned his M.F.A. in Fiction at Boston University and now resides in the Boston area with his wife and daughter.
QUOTES: "A Kind of Solitude is a stunning, nuanced illumination of contemporary Cuban life, and Dariel Suarez is a brilliant new talent." Laura van den Berg, Author of The Third Hotel "This book announces the significant beginning of a new talent." Ha Jin, National Book Award-winning author "The kind of pleasure and illumination we get from these shrewd stories is why we turn to fiction." Christopher Castellani, author of Leading Men "This collection is a welcome addition to Cuban-American literature." Chantel Acevedo, author of The Living Infinite REVIEWS: "Dariel Suarez’s story collection contributes further to the American publishing landscape what Jhumpa Lahiri, Ha Jin, Yiyun Li, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and others like them have helped evolve and enrich—the scope and possibilities of what constitutes the universal experience in literary fiction." The Florida Review "Oppressive systems and corruption appear like bad spirits in every story, as do real beating hearts, people living, fighting, fearing, loving in a place Suarez evokes with candor, humor, and strength." Boston Globe "A Kind of Solitude is a stunning debut of enduring tales that deserve a space on every bookshelf." 2040 Review
