Honduras Behind the Colors (An Artist’s Journey) Volume One by Guillermo Yuscarán – Review

Dear readers,

This is my first blog entry of 2020. My last post was more than six months ago. I’m writing this in a different world to the one when I last wrote. I turned 40 for one. And I struggled to accept it. Yet that challenge is nada to the one the world has right now with COVID-19, then the pending recession…

I will share my thoughts about coronavirus another time. I don’t know what I can add that you don’t already know. Maybe a comparison between UK and Honduras and how the two countries have reacted? Do you really want to know? I’m already feeling burnt out by the news flashes of the constantly increasing death toll, new lock down measures and lack of preparedness of some government, amongst other worries. Rather pathetic of me really. Those who should be burnt out are the medics and nurses on the front line and other emergency services. But I know some of you reading this probably feel the same.

While in lock-down, I’ve been reading the book Honduras Behind the Colors (An Artist’s Journey) Volume One by Guillermo Yuscarán. I’m not the fastest reader, something I really dislike about myself as there are several hundred books waiting on a collapsing few book shelves.
This is the third or fourth book I’ve read of his. Coming to think of it, since arriving in Honduras almost a decade ago, I don’t think there’s another author I’ve read more during that time. I’ve a few of his prints in postcard format framed around my house too, pink and blue exotic birds, which I picked up in Santa Lucia where I believe he resides and also has a library named after him which I’ve visited frequently.
I’ve written about him before. His real name is William Lewis. I guess I’m a fan. It’s nice reading the thoughts of a fellow foreigner who is immersed in the country and culture I feel part of. He’s like a friend, strangely. He notices similar things about the country as myself and admires the sense of humour and character of the people. I’ve never had the chance to meet him as of yet. I’d like to think we’d get on quite well. I also recommend Hondurans to read his books, especially those who want to improve their English and are curious about what foreigners feel about your culture.

The last book I read by Guillermo was “Beyond Honduras“, a small anthology of tales from northern Honduras which my father described “a lot of fucking and fighting” having read the book a few days before me. Yes, there are some stories featuring sexual reproduction and scrimmaging, but I also enjoyed reading about Tela and other coastal towns I’ve visited, especially as I read that book when visiting Trujillo.

This book also contains “fucking and fighting“, if you’re into that, and please don’t get the wrong idea of the author or Hondurans, but as you can guess from the title, this is more autobiographical, charting Guillermo’s early beginnings in California and moments in Mexico, but more so, his early days in Honduras during the 1970s, working in the American School and living in Reparto in Tegucigalpa. The capital city was a different city then. Obviously less developed, but maybe with less problems with street gangs or narcos, not that this summarises Tegucigalpa as a whole; it does have its charms, but the Tegus that Guillermo writes about feels like a gentler version to the one I live in today.

He tells stories well and keeps you hooked with a matey-tone. He has charm, which echoes throughout all his stories. His biography is no different. I liked the adventures with his crazy companion Toño and reading of his wife Susan’s frustrations of certain living conditions. I could relate to both, as I have met a few Toños in my time in Honduras, and obviously feeling frustrated from time to time when acclimatizing to the culture.

I enjoyed getting to know the writer as one does in a biography. He is honest, as one should be, but I was somewhat surprised by the writer’s behaviour, which made him seem a little egocentric at times. While I comprehend his love of travel and pursuit of creating art, I found it peculiar how he left his wife to raise his child, showing only touches of remorse only later in the book. Some may salute such devolution to art that they would choose to miss seeing their children grow up. Sure, I’m simplifying it somewhat, but I couldn’t help but feel a little saddened by it. Nonetheless, I admired his honesty, and this really balances him, showing flaws as well as talent, the many complexities that shape a human.

There was a lot written about his dreams and how they inspired his work. I thought it was interesting the first couple of times. Then, frankly, I was a bit bored by them. I don’t know about you, but I care little for someone else’s dreams and visions.. They’re absurd. I get it. My own dreams are too. I don’t feel the need to tell people about them. I might sketch them or craft them into a story…but that’s it. This is the only thing I dislike about the book, which brings me to my rating.

I like books I remember. They stick with you, imprinting themselves on your emotions and mind. This is one of them. A special book. It’s just my last point, about the dreams, which means I can’t give it 5. Still, I hope when COVID-19 passes (hopefully soon), I can buy volume 2, if it exists.

I rate this book: 4/5