Local Bookshop Takes ‘La tuerta’ to the Streets of Santa Cruz
This Saturday, 12 September, the Librería del Cabildo will host a literary walking tour in Santa Cruz, inspired by María del Mar Rodríguez’s novel ‘La tuerta’. This event, starting at 10:00, has already sold out all available spots.
Rodríguez herself will lead the tour alongside Juan Manuel Cruz García, a contemporary history professor. Participants will meet at the entrance of the Plaza del Príncipe, then explore locations featured in the novel, including Calle Santiago, the Pasaje Pisaca and Señor de las Tribulaciones citadels, the Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís, Plaza de España with views of the Muelle del Este, Calle Barranquillo, La Recova, and Calle de Miraflores.
These sites bring to life various episodes and social realities depicted in ‘La tuerta’. The El Toscal neighbourhood illustrates the living conditions of the working population, while the area near the former San Miguel women’s prison recalls the repression following the Civil War. The Santa Cruz dock also serves as a reminder of the floating prisons used during that time. The tour will include Calle Miraflores, associated in the novel with women who struggled to survive in the challenging post-war years.
Published by Baile del Sol in 2023, ‘La tuerta’ is set in Tenerife between 1946 and 1947, a period marked by scarcity, hunger, and the repercussions of the war. The novel particularly highlights the challenges faced by women who were left vulnerable after the conflict.
This book is the second in Rodríguez’s trilogy ‘Relatos de unas islas desamparadas’, which portrays different phases of recent Canarian history through the lens of women. It follows ‘La prestamista’ and will be completed in 2025 with ‘La viuda blanca’.
Originally from Caracas and raised in La Palma, María del Mar Rodríguez holds degrees in Education and Psychopedagogy and has worked as a teacher and guidance counsellor. After retiring, she focused on writing, particularly on the experiences of women during the 20th century in the Canary Islands.
The swift sell-out of places for the tour reflects the popularity of this innovative approach to engaging with the novel by exploring the very streets that inspired Rodríguez’s story.
Librería del Cabildo, managed by public company Ideco, has a September programme that intertwines literature, heritage, and author events, expanding beyond its premises to showcase the city through the lens of literature.
