Aside from My Heart, All is Well

Synopsis

When beloved priest, film critic, and teacher Luis Córdoba learns that he needs a heart transplant, his carefully ordered life is suddenly transformed. Forced to leave the home he has shared for decades, he enters a new chapter marked by physical vulnerability, unexpected friendships, and a renewed appreciation for the ordinary pleasures that give life meaning. Looking back from years later, his lifelong friend and fellow priest, Lelo, recounts the quiet joys, humour, and humanity that shaped Gordo's remarkable life.

Inspired by the life of Colombian priest and film critic Luis Alberto Álvarez, Aside from My Heart, All Is Well is a warm, compassionate novel about friendship, illness, faith, art, and the resilience of the human spirit. Héctor Abad's generous and deeply humane prose celebrates the small acts of love and connection that sustain us through life's greatest uncertainties.

About the Author

Héctor Abad is one of Colombia's most celebrated contemporary writers. Best known for the internationally acclaimed memoir Oblivion: A Memoir, his work explores memory, family, politics, and the enduring importance of compassion. Aside from My Heart, All Is Well is translated from the Spanish by Anne McLean.

Publisher
Two Lines Press

Publication Date
September 9, 2025

Format
Paperback

Pages
272

Subjects
Literary Fiction · Translated Fiction · Colombian Literature · Contemporary Fiction

ISBN
9781962770590