I studied this book as part of my A level Spanish course and found that avid readers who didn't study Spanish were missing out on a great experience! While the story of "El Coronel" is a simple, rather uncomplicated one, it deals with contempory and historical social issues in a thoughtful and interesting way. The way it is written evokes great sympathy and pity in the reader for both the Colonel and his wife, but particuarly the former with his child-like innocence and continuing sense of hope. It is not an inaccurate description of how many lives were (and still are) at the time in Colombia...therefore you realise that there's always someone else worse off than yourself! An excellent read.