January 2021

Editorial novelty

Opening the year 2021, SABIA MENTE Ediciones presents its first book: “The Day the Statue of Caldas got off its Pedestal”, a historical-journalistic chronicle about the life and work of the Wise man Francisco José de Caldas, one of the most notable and captivating characters of the history of Colombia during its process of Independence between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Its author, the Colombian-French journalist and writer Sophia Rodríguez Pouget, comments on the story:

“It all started in 2018, when the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wise man Caldas was completed. For having been an important character in history, I wanted to mark that commemoration in the press and began an investigation that grew much more than I imagined and to which a series of unexpected characters arrived who ended up being a fundamental part of the story”“After the publication in the diaries EL TIEMPO and EL NUEVO LIBERAL, readers from different countries expressed me their desire to want to preserve all the research in a book that could last over time. That is why here I present it enriched with unpublished images and photographs shared by descendants of the Caldas and Thenorio family, which include documents that were believed to be lost or non-existent, such as his birth certificate and his lawyer’s diploma”.

SYNOPSIS:

An artist, a lawyer and a statue that comes down from its pedestal come together in this unforgettable historical chronicle about the LIFE and WORK of the so-called “the Wise man of Colombia”: FRANCISCO JOSÉ DE CALDAS, hero and precursor of the Independence of Colombia, pioneer of the science made in the American continent in the 18th and 19th centuries, and whose emblematic statue presides over the main park of Popayán and two important squares in Manizales and Bogotá.

An unforgettable HISTORICAL STORY recommended for all audiences, with a foreword by the renowned biographer and writer Víctor Paz Otero.

FOREWORD:

The book has a foreword by the renowned writer VÍCTOR PAZ OTERO, who invites to read with the following words:

“Sophia surprises and records with a delicate gaze the immobile figure of Caldas turned into a statue and, with precious and minute details, tells us of some features and multiple details of this somewhat strange and taciturn character who, curiously in his condition as a statue, no longer he walks around exploring the stars, not lost in the infinite spaces that shook Pascal, but on the contrary, with his gaze already unchangeable due to his status as a statue, we find him listening to the nearby realities of his native land”.  “(…) it reminds us of the symbols of his arduous and indefatigable intellectual work, which is what has allowed the Colombian nation to designate the hero as the Wise Man par excellence in the uncertain future of our cultural heritage.”

WORLD SITUATION:

The publication of the book coincides in a year in which several monuments were demolished or vandalized in the world, so its author comments on the matter:

“By a very curious chance of fate, the book appeared at a conjunctural moment of reflection on the relevance of certain statues in the world. In fact, the incredible anecdote is that the day the Belalcázar statue was knocked down in Popayán, the printer was handing me the copies of the book. It is something I do not forget”.

And regarding the fact of knocking down statues in various countries, she adds:

“Iconoclasm as a manifestation of course exists, but we cannot forget that art, among its multiple functions, has to represent and immortalize the past to serve as a mirror, that is, to remind us of the good and the bad of what we are made of. For this reason, seeking to understand the temporal and conjunctural circumstances of each character or historical event is more assertive for the serene and supported reflection of the representations that a society must share in public”.

And as for Caldas, she adds:

“As a character, Caldas is oblivious to world controversy because he had high human, libertarian and scientific ideals. Rather, it is an exemplary reference of what it meant to strive and work for rationality and knowledge for the American colonies in a time of so much isolation and precariousness. Researching and studying his biography was fascinating for me. He was an authentic, unique character, amazing for everything he did. And even today new discoveries about his work continue to be revealed. It was completely unusual that at that time, a person born on American continent brought so much new knowledge to science, as he did in the framework of the Royal Botanical Expedition and his other research. Being a genius also implied a supremely difficult, different and challenging life experience. Caldas represents the entry of Enlightened thought to the American territory and the application of the scientific method in the validation of knowledge”.

WHERE TO ACQUIRE THE BOOK:   

LIBRERÍA NACIONAL

The book can be purchased in all stores and onl-ine sale of the LIBRERÍA NACIONAL in Colombia.
https://librerianacional.com/producto/el-dia-que-la-estatua-de-caldas-se-bajo-de-su-pedestal

OTHERS BOOKSTORES

In the city of Popayán, the birthplace of the Wise man Caldas, the book is on sale in the bookstores PENSAMIENTO ESCRITO (The mall Campanario -shop L74) and KARÍN LIBROS (Carrera 3 # 1-38 Mobile phone: +573146852847)

AMAZON

Globally, the book is available both E-BOOK or PRINT, through AMAZON in SPANISH, ENGLISH and FRENCH, with the following titles:

“The Day the Statue of Caldas got off Its Pedestal”
(Link: ENGLISH)

“Le Jour où la Statue de Caldas est descendue de son Piédestal”
(Link: FRENCH)

“El Día que la Estatua de Caldas se bajó de su Pedestal”
(Link: ESPAÑOL)

“The Day the Statue of Caldas got off its Pedestal” is a text written with an agile and entertaining narration that allows audiences of all ages to enjoy the life and work journey of The Wise man Caldas, one of the most interesting characters of the history of Colombia.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

SOPHIA RODRÍGUEZ POUGET Cultural journalist and Colombian-French writer. Graduated in Social Communication (Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá), Negotiation and International Relations (Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá), whit Specialization in Advertising (Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá) and Master in Political Science (Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá).

She is a Communications and Media Management Consultant, editor, advisor of cultural, educational, business and institutional projects.

Permanent collaborator of the newspaper EL TIEMPO and diverse international media. She has worked in radio and television, as well as in charge of international cooperation projects. Her chronicles and interviews have been included in various journalistic anthologies.

In the ‘Radiodifusora Nacional de Colombia’ she directed and presented for eight years – every day, live – the Colombian Talent program in which he interviewed about three thousand personalities of all fields. In the TV Channel ‘Señal Colombia’ she presented the program Presence and special broadcasts.