Jorge Marturano teaches Latin American and Caribbean literatures and cultural studies at UCLA. Before participating in a discussion on whether the Cuban Revolution failed, he talked about why the fact that he lives in Los Angeles surprises him—he never expected to stay in the U.S., for one, and having grown up in landlocked Buenos Aires, living by the sea feels a little bit like being on permanent vacation.
What do you wake up to?
I live in Santa Monica, so I am greeted by the very nice landscape, looking at the palm trees and the mountains. I always wake up quite early, and I like that time of the day, and the people running or taking a walk. It’s a nice way to wake up.
What’s your favorite plant or flower?
Right now, I am kind of into cactus because they are very colorful.
What’s the last great book you read?
Salón de belleza by Mario Bellatin, from the 1990s. He is a Peruvian-Mexican author. I’m writing about it, so I re-read it just this weekend. The last new book was La revolución deseada by Pedro Porbén, about the Cuban Revolution.
Where do you go to be alone?
The beach.
What inspires you?
So many things. A beautiful day. A good book. My wife.
What Spanish word or phrase do you think most needs an English equivalent?
Wow. That’s difficult. There is a tree called the jacaranda. It’s a very nice, beautiful word in Spanish.
What are you keeping in your closet that you should have thrown out already?
A lot of old clothes—basically, old coats.
What surprises you most about your life right now?
I never imagined that I would live so many years in the United States. I came here to study, then stayed, then got a job. And I’m here. And that I live in a city like Los Angeles that is close to the sea. I’m from Buenos Aires. We always dream about the sea because we are an inland city. I used to go to a city on the sea during holidays, but now I am living in one, and this surprises me.
What was the first poem you learned by heart?
“Martín Fierro” [by José Hernández]. Not all of it because it’s too long, but part of it, when I was a very young kid. It was mandatory at school.
What’s your specialty in the kitchen?
Barbecue. And scallops. I can cook very nice scallops.