Rocio Romero, Spring 2009 News Editor
“Infama Moralia” written by Pierce College Spanish Professor Fernando Oleas is a book composed of 1365 vivid and compelling stanzas that take you back to the September 11 terrorist attacks.
The book is written in Spanish. The title comes from Latin meaning Infamous Moral. He used Latin for his title because he says Latin is used to talk about the root of the problem. This is exactly what he does in his book.
Oleas intention was to make a theatrical piece out of his book since it’s written as a play. He modified his piece with the thought of being able to communicate to others. The sentences are composed of 9 to 11 syllables creating rhythm. With every stanza its impossible to continue reading without reflecting on the powerful words the sentence will end with. One enjoyable trait about the book are the captivating words the author uses to express such catastrophe.
The reader must pay close attention to every single aspect of the book. From the cover of the book, to the characters and the text since they are all significant tools that blend well with the novel.
Oleas felt motivated to write this book right after the terrorist attacks. He found himself reading the newspapers and realized that there was a great deal of manipulation among the media. Oleas felt that the media focused on creating a justification for the real reason the war initiated.
“I was desperate to communicate that this was not a good reason for war,” Oleas said.
The first Latin American country Oleas chose to have his book published is the country he was born in Ecuador. It was accepted for publication but was later rejected because they found it controversial.
Oleas found it important to write his book in Spanish because of his profound connection with Latin America and to make them knowledgeable about 9/11.
The book begins with issues that exist within the United States and Iraq. Focusing on the presidents views as well as the views of his cabinet. Although it might be confusing for the reader to distinguish the characters. Oleas intention was not to name them directly but have the reader figure it out themselves. Furthermore, the book begins to illustrate reasons that lead troops into Iraq. Finally, a big section takes you to what really occurred on that day and the reader finds themselves experiencing what some of the victims of the tragedy went through. It’s a combination of emotions when reading this book.
Although the book is written in Spanish Oleas plans to translate his piece for English readers.
In addition, Oleas is currently working on a novel named “The Gospel According to Indigenous People.”