First published 2021
The former president sits in his garden, speaking with a journalist about his extraordinary life. Once imprisoned for revolutionary activities, he became known worldwide as the Poorest President for his modest lifestyle and dedication to human rights. Now he faces a decision: should he share the strangest part of his story? During years of solitary confinement, when guards tried to break his spirit through isolation, he found an unlikely companion. A frog began visiting his cell, and somehow the two could communicate. Together they discussed revolution, dignity, love of country, and survival. These conversations helped him endure the brutal conditions and emerge to lead his Latin American nation. As the interview continues in his simple home, the former president reflects on leadership, courage, and the power of connection in the darkest places.
Genres: political-science, biographical-fiction, 21st-century, activism
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unlikely-companions
Setting: Latin America
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
224 pages · Hardcover · Knopf