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In 1902,
Marisol Campos is born to a family of
aristocracy and tradition that boasts of Spanish and Indian antiquity. Marisol
grows up under the tutelage of an old priest during troublesome times. She has
a burning desire to do the impossible � teach school. No women in Mexico had ever
been allowed to teach. With literacy at 17% in 1920, Mexico was at a
crossroads, without a national ruler, Mexico was in chaos and financial ruin.
A Purple
Bull is based on facts and actualities mixed with fictional and
historical characters, making this story interesting, relatable and
believable. From President to President our heroines� life covers the 20th
century, traversing adventure, war, religious rebellion, reformation, into
modern times, including the assignation of Emiliano
Zapata, the framing of Mexico�s Constitution that exists today, Orozco�s
demise, Huertas� flight to Europe after Villa chased him.
On her
journey Marisol encounters adventures, tragedies, and finds her true love. She
is an inspiration to all who desire a better world, thus uplifting our spirits
and inspiring our better motives for existence.
Courage, peace, upward mobility and
spirituality are some of the themes that make A Purple Bull both
enlightening and entertaining. This story tells of how a little lady changes
society with education more than any revolution did, or could have: The
message is not just where we have been, but where we are� the human race is
headed. Knowledge must be cultured, nourished, and increased if mankind is to
survive it�s expanding population.
History,
adventure, mystery, romance, tragedy, heroism, stark reality, and triumph, all
are life's lessons...and are in this story.
Book ReviewsAverage Customer Review:
 4.5
stars
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Sage of Liberating Mexico from Ignorance, November 9, 2005
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A Purple Bull is a charming cross between Mary Renault's novels about
ancient Greece and The Bridge of San Luis Rey that describes the coming of
freedom and learning in Mexico in terms of one woman's noble life.
The plot itself is a story within a story. The overview story is that the
author knew Brandon, who had a most remarkable dream. In the dream Brandon
saw a young man on a beautiful white Andalusian horse dressed in an
impressive uniform. The young man shows Brandon a palace adorned in
butterflies. These words run through Brandon's head: "Beautiful brilliant
butterflies flitter here and there, near garden spider webs that look like
angels hair. Kissing the rose's dewy lips passing on their way." Following
the dream, Brandon and Gabrielle go to Mexico to track down what the dream
means. Once there, they uncover the story within the story, the life of
Marisol Isabel Campos Aguilar, beginning on July 4, 1902 and continuing
until July 14, 1987.
Marisol's story is of a talented beautiful aristocrat's daughter who wants
to become the first woman teacher in Mexico. The novel follows her life
starting with secretly learning to read from a local priest through to her
fulfillment as the head of her family and a guiding force in Mexican
education. Within that life, there is also a remarkable love story that
transcends all.
The book's title comes from Marisol's father's preference for believing that
we can have our dreams.
Marisol's life is also an opportunity to tell the history of Mexico through
most of the 20th century. Like the good teacher that Ms. Singer must be, the
history is enlivened by tying the novel's characters into the critical
events.
The book operates at several levels exploring these themes: spirituality;
learning; romance; courage; adventure; history; and freedom.
The best part of this book is Marisol's story. Had the author simply told
that story without the overview story and the emphasis on so much history,
this would have been one of my favorite novels. As it is, I found the
overview story detracted from my enjoyment of Marisol's story. In addition,
as someone who knows quite a bit of Mexican and world history, there was too
much here for me. I was distracted by the detail. Someone who is young and
doesn't know much history will probably find those details more rewarding
than I did.
Great story, Ms. Singer! |
Delightful book, October 18, 2005
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| The Purple Bull is a delightful book on the order of the
Celestine Prophecy. As a novel it is gripping. I could hardly put it down.
And yet, like many works of fiction, it was truer than true. It speaks to
the heart of every person who supports the struggle of humanity for personal
and spiritual freedom. |
Highly reccommend, October 12, 2005
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| "A Purple Bull" is epic love story, historical novel,
revolutionary chronicle and spiritual guidebook all rolled into one.
Gabrielle Singer accomplishes all of this through the personal tale of
Marisol Campos-Flores, who follows her dream to become Mexico's first female
teacher. Through this one character, "A Purple Bull" tells the basic story
of the 20th century, one of emergence into a literate global culture. Singer
never lets personal style descend into indulgence. Her straightforward
narrative always keeps the movement of the plot as its highest aim. It is
not merely a captivating tale, but one that transformed my perspective on
the world and the time in which I live. |
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