The Hacienda: A Memoir

by Lisa St. Aubin de Terán

Book Overview

From a prize-winning British author comes a lush, absorbing memoir--an Out of Africa set in the Venezuelan Andes. Tremendously atmospheric, The Hacienda brilliantly evokes the unique confluence of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316816884
• ISBN13: 9780316816885
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: Back Bay Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 2.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.6" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Harlequin Romance becomes Gothic Horror

When naïve, 16 year old Londoner Lisa St-Aubin married Don Jaime Teran, a charming yet enigmatic Latin twice her age, a descendent of the conquistadors & heir to an Andean sugar plantation, it appeared she had entered the pages of a Harlequin Romance. What she got was Gothic Horror with Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde at the House of Usher. Upon arrival at The Hacienda, an overgrown feudal estate in the vertiginous back country of Venezuela, Lisa was virtually abandoned by her husband, left to fend for herself for weeks at a time in a ramshackle, vermin-infested shack. As she struggled to manage the affairs of the antiquated cane plantation which was the sole income for herself, its illiterate peasant workers and their destitute families, all the while she was determined to keep up appearances and hide the appalling reality from her family back in England. As Lisa coped with hunger, storms, snakes, poverty, pregnancy and childbirth, it became increasingly obvious to her that her husband was mentally unbalanced and possibly homicidal; that rather than her relying on the assistance of family retainers, they looked to her, as the wife of The Patron, to solve their problems; and that Don Jaime, his family and the estate workers would rather see them dead than allow Lisa and her daughter to escape this jungle prison. The Hacienda is the all-too-true story of Lisa's survival. Not only does it read like a novel, but it is better than "The Keepers of the House", her earlier roman-a-clef, a story of an enigmatic Venezuelan heir to a crumbling sugar plantation who brings home an English teen-aged bride...

Fantastic!

I loved this book. This true story is moving, intense, and a wonderful portrait of the coming of age of a young woman. I believe that men will also enjoy this book. The portraits of each individual in the book are well-drawn and the story is exciting.

My neighbour's memoir

I do live a very few hours away from where the action of this book takes place. Since I read it I have not checked the place out but found some people that actually corroborated part of the story. This is why I reluctantly give it 5 stars. In spite of a certain inconsistency through the book, a few misplaced left leanings comment, a hard to believe naivete, the books stands firm as a good representation of Venezuelan rural mores, and a heartfelt memoir. Now, I do not want this to mean that Lisa Saint Aubin de Teran is an accurate reporter. She tries her best and only God knows how difficult it is to understand Venezuelan society. However she is very successful at conveying the spirit that moves things there, for good or bad. She is at her best when she shows how in spite of every hardship that falls on her, the country slowly gets into her and she cannot help but love it. I can relate with that, she is not making it up. And last but not least, in light of recent political turmoil in Venezuela, I can recommend this book highly: it will explain why a phenomenon like Chaves came upon Venezuela better than any long political analysis you might find around. Although Ms Saint Aubin kept her patrician acquired Teran she was unto something when she describes the "absentee landlord" mores of Venezuelan old elite families. Her comments on them are rather damming. But the reader needs not to worry, this is still a very strong personal memoir, that can also serve as a political memento.

a blue bearded husbund

This is a modern version of the ancient story of blue beard to me. A woman doesn't want to see the obvios signs of danger, and decides she wants to live her fantasy anyway: an handsome and welty man promises the life of queen to Lisa. The thruth is much different from her dream. But there is no escape, and she is forced to act, to become the care-taker instead of been taken care, and this is a tremendous story for any woman of any time. Despite her difficoulties she becomes not just a woman but a sage in dealing with life. I actually know Lisa personally and I can say she is one the most positive and strong person you can meet, and her account is absolutely real. This is what makes the book great, because the author has really lived the experiences of her book.

Astonishing: transports you right to the Hacienda itself

A smooth, rich mixture of magical surrealism and Andean earthiness. Not one for the psychologists - so go pick yourself something from psychology. This one is definitely for St Aubin de Teran fans who have travelled with her on the slow train to Milan and love her relaxed dreaminess and tolerance of extraordinary people and places. This transports you right to the Hacienda with its harsh beauty. Would have liked to know la gente a little better but love the weave of sumptuous and simple language. Was enthralled by my stay on the hacienda!