LA VIDA MANDA: Novela
Scarce inscribed first edition of the Cuban feminist social reformer's most famous novel, which presents lesbianism "as possibly the most" liberating identity for women (Rivera Berruz).
Very good.
Price: $6,500.00
LA VIDA MANDA: Novela
"Pero, en fin, una mujer que trabaja, lucha, es pobre, y al mismo tiempo sabe pensar, está, de hecho, dentro del momento hístorico. Una mujer que practica la libertad de amar, una mujer que es feminista, una mujer que no está afiliada a ninguna religion, es una mujer de la época." — Gertrudis, LA VIDA MANDA
Published the year after the internationally famous obscenity trial that saw Radclyffe Hall's queer landmark THE WELL OF LONELINESS banned in England, LA VIDA MANDA and its depictions of lesbian desire and female sexual liberation "[produce] a space of possibility for erotic fulfillment devoid of duplicity and sexism found in the [novel's] heterosexual relationships" (Rivera Berruz). A staunch and vocal advocate for women's rights, Ofelia Rodríguez Acosta routinely used her public platform as a columnist in BOHEMIA (one of Cuba's best-known weekly journals) to argue the necessity not only of economic liberation in resisting and/or subverting patriarchal strictures but also the possibilities of "free love" as a pathway for women to achieve greater (if not complete) societal autonomy. This copy is inscribed to fellow journalist Arturo Alfonso Rosello, who was a member of the influential avant-garde El Grupo Minorista and moved in shared intelligentsia/reformist circles with Rodríguez Acosta. A key work by one of Cuba's most vocal 20th-century feminist activists.
Read more: Rivera Berruz, "Writing Belonging," Genealogy 2019; Cámara Betancourt, Cuban Women Writers: Imagining a Matria, 2011; Stoner, "Militant Heroes and the Consecration of the Patriarchal State," Cuban Studies, Vol. 34, 2003.
The Object
Madrid: Editorial Biblioteca Rubén Dario, (1929). 7'' x 5''. 20th-century quarter brown marbled leatherette and red cloth with gilt stamped titles to spine. [4], 254, [12] pages. Inscribed by Rodriguez Acosta in ink on epigraph page: "Para Arturo Alfonso Rosello, poeta de pósteridad. Con la [?] admiración de Ofelia Rodriquez Acosta. Habana, Setiembre 1929." Some rubbing and soil to boards, corners moderately worn. Some scattered foxing, toning to text block, heavier at margins. Firm.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
