Why people recommend it
You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer, is a brilliant and unconventional novel offering a stunningly original reimagining of the Spanish conquest of Mexico as a glorified heist executed by a group of fortunate thugs. On Conversations with Tyler, Paul Gillingham recommended the book, noting that it aligns with what most historians would agree upon while introducing twists that are nothing short of stunning. The novel also received immense critical praise from The New York Times Book Review team. Gilbert Cruz highlighted the book across multiple episodes, specifically pointing out that critic Dwight Garner's enthusiastic review put the title firmly on many readers' and critics' radars. Cruz featured it prominently as one of the standout books of the year, repeatedly bringing it up to listeners looking for fresh and compelling literary recommendations. Enrigue's work captured the attention of critics and readers alike through its audacious premise, remarkable execution, and translation, making it a frequent topic of discussion among literary commentators who praised its unique perspective on historical events and its ability to captivate audiences with unexpected narrative turns.
Who recommended it
- Gilbert Cruz Recommended
- Paul Gillingham Recommended
Gilbert Cruz — 3 mentions
“Dwight you did write early on about another one of our top 10 books of the year and I think it was your piece that really put it on a a ton of our Radars which was you dreamed of Empires which was a book by Alvaro enri that we all just love so much”
“this is you dreamed of Empires by Alvaro enri translated by Natasha Wimer”
“there's you dreamed of Empires which our critic white Garner loved by Alvaro enri translated from the Spanish by Natasha Wimer”
Paul Gillingham — 1 mention
“The other is You Dreamed of Empires in English, which is a retelling of the conquest as this glorified heist by a bunch of fortunate thugs, which I think most historians would agree with, and has some twists in it which are stunning.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I know you both know who this is and you both remember his last book because it was one of our top 10 books of 2024. That book you dreamed of empires was a piece of deep historical fiction.”