"Gracias al Premio Internacional Rubén Bonifaz Nuño, en la categoría de ensayo, el filólogo narrador de estas páginas puede comprar su casa. Después de toda una vida de desearla, de observarla, de acercarse a sus paredes de piedra y ladrillo rojo para descifrar el enigma de su atracción, logra por fin saberla suya, y en el momento en el que franquea el umbral como su dueño, reconoce en ella su destino, su lugar en el mundo, el espacio a la medida de sus gustos y de su concepción de la vida. La instalación en esta vieja casona bogotana es un proceso paciente y, más que físico, reflexivo y memorístico. Pues cada rincón, la madera de los pisos, los baños, el comedor, la vajilla, la biblioteca, las habitaciones, la mansarda, incluso el barrio entrevisto por las ventanas, dan pie a un viaje fascinante por la vida del protagonista"--Page 4 of cover.

"Thanks to a prize-winning essay that earned him the Rubén Bonifaz Nuño International Award, the philologist who narrates these pages can buy the house of his dreams. After yearning for it, observing it, trying to decipher the attraction of its stone and red brick walls, he has finally made it his own. The moment he crosses its threshold, he recognizes it as his destiny, his place in the world, and the space best adapted to his tastes and outlook on life. Moving into the stately old house takes patience. More than a physical task, it is a reflexive and nostalgic endeavor. Every corner of the house--the wood floors, the bathrooms, the dining room, the china, the study, the bedrooms, the attic, even the neighborhood glimpsed through the windows--evokes a fascinating journey through the protagonist's life. We learn of his nomadic upbringing by his aunt, his intellectual obsessions, love of books and language, sexual fulfillment, discovery of the dark side of city life, and the tragedy that has shadowed him since childhood"--Publisher's website.