A new and free online archive is giving us a peek into the inner workings of Gabriel García Márquez, one of Latin America’s greatest literary minds. Through the University of Texas’ Harry Ransom Center, about 27,000 page scans – including drafts of his novels, manuscripts of unpublished novels, images of his passports, recordings, and previously unseen photographs – have been digitized, according to The New York Times. Back in 2014, UT acquired Gabo’s archive for $2.2 million, a move that garnered some criticism because of the author’s condemnation of American imperialism.
And though those critiques remain valid, the university has now digitized about half of the archive, giving us a rare look into his collection of works. Gabo’s work is still protected under copyright. “Often estates take a restrictive view of their intellectual property, believing scholarly use threatens or diminishes commercial interests,” said Steve Enniss, the director of the Ransom Center. “We are grateful to Gabo’s family for unlocking his archive and recognizing this work as another form of service to his readers everywhere.”
The online archive includes drafts of Chronicle of a Death Foretold, which shows revisions and highlights, as well as material from the One Hundred Years of Solitude anniversary collection. But it doesn’t include drafts of his unfinished novel, We’ll See Each Other in August – something you can see if you visit the Ransom Center in person.
But the online archive, which is available in English and Spanish, is still a treasure trove. Dive in here.