Songs of Life and Hope/Cantos de vida y esperanza

“[T]he value of Derusha and Acereda’s excellent work lies in bringing to life in English the artistry of a spirit far removed from contemporary cynicism. Darío conceived his poetry as a gift, and Derusha and Acereda have insured that that gift can now be extended to a generation of readers in English.” - Todd S. Garth , Intertexts

"[A] treasure trove. . . . [A] splendid edition. . . . Establishing an authoritative text of benefit to scholars working in Spanish as well as English, the editors provide an impressive and user-friendly glossary that sheds light on the sometimes bewildering allusions in this encyclopedic poetry; an exhaustive bibliography rounds out the c."ontribution. The translations themselves are painstakingly accurate. . . . Their superb edition brings Darío closer to the reader than previously possible in his anthologized appearances, giving a much broader sense of his startling range of reference, but also preserves the strangeness of the poetry, of the uncanny reach of his writing - Michelle Clayton , The Americas

"[T]he translators provide work that is unerringly faithful and illuminating. . . . [T]he English translation is elegant and accurate. This book is a true piece de résistance and will be eminently helpful and accessible to both the research scholar and the Spanish student. . . . [T]his book stands as a testament to what is possible with skills and commitment." - Naomi Millán, Foreword Reviews

"[With its] excellent introduction . . . Cantos de vida y esperanza will be of special value to scholars in literature and the liberal arts but will also appeal to general readers who are interested in great poetry. It should be welcome to everyone who appreciates the search for beauty, life's meaning and self-expression through art." - Charles Kargleder , The Latin Americanist

"Not enough praise can be heaped on this impressively clean bilingual edition. . . . Lovers of good literature are indebted to the editors and translators and to Duke for making available a reliable Spanish text of the key work of Hispanic literary modernism's most celebrated poet, and along with it a faithful, felicitous, sonorous translation that rings with the vision and rhythms of the originals." - R.M. Fedorchek, Choice

"This bilingual collection surely will fill an overdue gap in Hispanic literature. Beyond that, Dario's work is multifaceted and thought provoking. It should appeal to those who admire Lorca, Vallejo, and Neruda. . . . Translators Derusha and Acerda have clearly worked hard to present the real Dario, an innovative writer worthy of further examination." - Janet St. John , Booklist

“Rubén Darío is one of the world’s most splendid poets and one of the least known, partly because his revolutionary and hybrid style is almost untranslatable. Delighted readers will finally have a chance to plunge into the great Nicaraguan poet’s masterpiece and sing with him of life and hope.” - Ariel Dorfman, author of In Case of Fire in a Foreign Land: New and Collected Poems from Two Languages

“Will Derusha and Alberto Acereda give us a Rubén Darío that will be of immense interest to aficionados of poetry in Spanish, as well as to lay readers who have discovered the joys and pleasures of the likes of Federico García Lorca, Pablo Neruda, and Cesar Vallejo.” - Rafael Campo, author of Landscape with Human Figure