In this literary masterpiece, García Márquez recounts his life story from his birth in 1927, through his studies, where his writerly personality emerged, then the beginnings of his writing project, to a pivotal moment in the 1950s when he proposed to the woman who would become his wife. In this biography, we discover how the magic that characterized García Márquez's works was rooted in the eccentricity of his family members and the profound influence of his mother and grandfather. We learn about his arduous work in journalism, which continued to attract him, the friends and teachers who encouraged and supported him, and the myths and secrets surrounding his beloved country, Colombia. We learn about the details of García Márquez's personality, which will later emerge... and above all, we realize that throughout his life, he was possessed by a burning desire to become a writer.