Mario Vargas Llosa and Gabriel García Márquez's Unforgettable 1967 Dialogue

Book fairs have always been of great importance to the world of literature, and even though these events are often organized solely with commercial concerns in mind, they lead to the discovery of unforgettable literary works. In this context, there are works that, even if they do not break a huge sales record the moment they are released, manage to keep the readers' interest alive even as years pass, and are called 'long sellers'. Here is one of the most important works in this category, containing the records of the historical meeting held by two great names of 20th-century Latin American literature, Mario Vargas Llosa and Gabriel García Márquez, between 5 and 7 September 1967 at the National University of Engineering in Lima. The encounter of these two writers, who were young at the time, is considered a turning point in literary history and is still discussed today.

The person who contributed the most to the realization of this historic meeting is, without a doubt, the famous literary critic José Miguel Oviedo. Although Oviedo was born in 1934 and passed away in 2019, before he left us, he succeeded in bringing these two literary giants together on the same platform, leaving an invaluable legacy for future generations. The conversation held was not just the coming together of two writers, but also an in-depth exchange of ideas on the state of Latin American literature at that time, the role of the novelist, and the art of writing. Oviedo's role in this organization has ensured that he is remembered not only as a critic but also as a cultural officer who served as an important bridge for the development of literature. Even today, this dialogue is considered one of the most important sources for new generations of writers and readers to understand the atmosphere and literary mindset of that period.

With book fairs approaching and as readers search for answers to 'which book should we get?', experts often turn to current editions of this historical dialogue and offer bold suggestions. Currently, there are two different editions of this important meeting containing information and dialogues available from two different publishing houses: the work titled 'La novela en América Latina. Diálogo entre M. Vargas Llosa y G. García Márquez' published by Petroperú, and the book 'Dos soledades. Un diálogo sobre la novela en América Latina' printed by Alfaguara and curated by Luis Rodríguez Pastor. The work prepared by Alfaguara contains not only the conversation of the two writers but also analysis texts by important pens of the period such as Juan Gabriel Vásquez, J. M. Oviedo, Abelardo Oquendo, Abelardo Sánchez León, and Ricardo González Vigil. Both works are of equal value for literature lovers in terms of carrying the content of that historic meeting to the present day and providing a detailed context, and deserve an indispensable place in libraries.

When we delve into the content of the dialogue, the text transports us to the very center of the mental and creative processes of the two geniuses of that period like a time machine. Colombian writer García Márquez often approaches cautiously and avoids giving detailed information when asked about his own writing method and creative process; he believes such explanations are the job of critics and academics, and is careful to preserve the mystery of creativity. In contrast, Peruvian writer Vargas Llosa, sitting at the other end of the conversation, offers quite solid and striking ideas regarding literary theory, presenting deeper and wider perspectives as he speaks. Although they may seem to have very different characters and writer personalities when viewed from the outside, both writers draw from a massive literary tradition that takes its roots from realism (realismo) is nourished by blending the memory of the past with the reality of today. Despite their completely different approaches, this dialogue reveals their shared passion for literature and professional seriousness.

However, the story of this productive dialogue and friendship unfortunately did not end in full agreement, but concluded with an unforgettable unpleasantness in literary history. Vargas Llosa published his magnum opus 'García Márquez: Historia de un deicidio', a detailed examination of his friend's work, in 1971, four years after this meeting. But ironically, after such a close intellectual friendship and interaction, their relationship was broken in a way that could never be fully repaired with an incident that took place in 1976 in Mexico City, where Vargas Llosa punched García Márquez, cutting off all communication between the two from that date on. Even though half a century has passed since the incident, the world literary community still wonders and continues to discuss why these two giants fell out and the real reasons behind that unforgettable punch. While this dialogue book keeps the mystery of the relationship between the two alive, it stands as important evidence documenting their literary synergies during their best friendship times.