Bøger af Louis Villalba

Dr. Daniel Brandon, a successful neurologist, falls victim of marital discord and job stress compounded by an unfair and torturous malpractice suit. The situation threatens his mental sanity, and nightly dreams become his only escape. He discovers the protagonist of his dreams resembles him physically but is always young and happy and, unlike the dreamer, enjoys sexual freedom and adventures. Convinced that this character holds the secret of eternal youth and happiness, Daniel Brandon decides to study him and unveil the mystery. The doctor envisions what he believes to be cryptic messages embedded in the dreams that seem to steer him through a maze of trails and should lead to the resolution of his quest. In a dream, Daniel meets his true love, Julie, who catapults his research to an unprecedented height. He hopes that unveiling the secret will provide him the key to reaching eternal bliss with Julie. Set in a real waking world under the whimsical rule of the dream world, this thought-provoking novel engages readers in a romantic adventure full of fantasies.

La Tacita de Plata: cuentos de Cádiz es una colección de catorce cuentos españoles de ficción histórica que tienen lugar en Cádiz, España, la ciudad más antigua del hemisferio occidental. Villalba- gaditano de nacimiento-transporta al lector a las calles estrechas, pequeñas plazas y paseos marítimos en esta ciudad portuaria, donde los sueños ancestrales habitan debajo de los gigantescos dragos, y el eco de la historia se eleva a la superficie con cada pisada en su casco antiguo. La historia contemporánea y moderna sirve de base para estos cuentos y leyendas antiguas de España. Uno de ellos, La amapola, nos lleva a los tiempos de la Inquisición Española: Un joven vive obsesionado con el fantasma de una mujer que ha visto en su nuevo apartamento. Ella es hermosa, tiene una expresión triste, y lleva una amapola en la mano. A través de un rollo de pergamino que ha desenterrado en una habitación, se entera de su identidad, y de su muerte en la hoguera. El descubrimiento lo lleva a los archivos nacionales, donde saca a la luz el expediente de su juicio, y lucha para revertir la injusta condena. Otro, El hombre de la túnica azul, vuelve al esplendor del Cádiz antiguo, al que solo Roma podía hacerle sombra: En una playa solitaria a las afueras de la ciudad, un joven deportista encuentra a un hombre perdido que lo saluda en latín. Ambos caminan hacia el casco antiguo, donde el recién llegado describe el Cádiz romano-la ciudad de Gades- con todo lujo de detalles. Debajo de un drago, señala la zona donde estaba su casa hace veinte siglos. Incrédulo, el joven le escucha como si su acompañante estuviera loco. Lo que ocurre en las siguientes 24 horas tiene un impacto indeleble en él y sus conciudadanos. Otro cuento de historia contemporánea y moderna- El ala desgarrada del arcángel-se desarrolla durante el estallido de la Guerra Civil en Cádiz, cuando ésta cae en manos de los falangistas. Un muchacho corre a casa para reunirse con su hermano y huir de la ciudad. Encuentra a su novia y a su madre, pero a nadie más. Mientras espera, se entera de la traición de su hermano. Su madre lo oculta antes de que el hijo desleal llegue con varios compañeros falangistas. Empuñando un arma, éste exige que ella se lo entregue. El buen hijo sale de su escondite, se abalanza sobre el hermano fascista, lo tira al suelo, y se dispara la pistola...El resto de los relatos es una caja de sorpresas. Uno evoca los cuentos andaluces de la época musulmana cuando un joven cristiano se enamora de la hija del visir. Otro transporta al lector a principios del siglo XIX, cuando Cádiz, que había tenido un papel vital en el descubrimiento de América, se convirtió en el centro más importante de comercio entre el viejo y el nuevo continente. Fue en esta pequeña ciudad donde nació el general Meade, el hombre que salvó a la Unión. En este cuento se entremezcla paisajes de su ciudad natal con escenas heroicas de la batalla de Gettysburg, mientras el General evalúa su vida antes de enfrentarse a su Creador. Otros cuentos narran la estrecha relación entre un viejo solitario y su adoptado perro callejero, o el destino de un anillo de rubí legado a un joven al que le cambió la vida.Francisco Aragón-director de Letras Latinas en la Universidad de Notre Dame-escribe en la introducción de este libro: No podía dejar de pensar en Cuentos de la Alhambra cuando navegaba por estos Cuentos de Cádiz. Ambos hacen uso de la historia para resaltar sus relatos, pero ninguno debe ser leído como si fuera historia. Al igual que Irving, Villalba narra los cuentos a la vieja usanza. Uso el término 'vieja usanza' en el buen sentido: una escritura que disfruta y se deleita pintando escenas con las palabras, que atrae la atención del lector, contagiándolo con la habilidad narrativa.

The Silver Teacup: Tales of Cadiz is a collection of fourteen historical fiction short stories that take place in Cadiz, Spain, a 3000-year-old city. Cadiz was the far frontier of ancient civilizations, major outpost in the discovery of America, and the cradle of democracy of the Hispanic nations. The author uses creative storytelling to engage the readers and transport them to the enchanting streets of this port town. There, they are shuttled back in time to witness important ancient and contemporary events: the Roman Empire, Moor and Christian Spain, the Spanish Inquisition, the uprising against Napoleon, the slave trade piracy, the American Civil War-General Gordon Meade, the hero of Gettysburg, was born in this town-the Spanish Civil War, and today's reality. Representative of this is "The Poppy Flower." This ancient tale revisits the time of the Spanish Inquisition. A young man becomes obsessed with the ghost of a woman that he has seen in his new apartment. Through a roll of parchment that he has unburied in his bedroom, he learns her identity and of her death at the stake. The discovery leads him to national archives, where he brings to light the record of her trial. A fight to reverse the unjust verdict ensues. Another, The Man in a Blue Tunic, goes back to ancient Cadiz, when only Rome surpassed its grandeur. On a solitary beach on the outskirts of town, a young jogger finds a stranded man who greets him in Latin. On their walk downtown, the stranger describes Roman Cadiz-the city of Gades-in great detail. Under a dragon tree, he points to the area where his home stood twenty centuries ago. Incredulous, the young man listens to him. What transpires in the following 24 hours will have an everlasting impact on him and his fellow citizens. A third, a contemporary short story- The Archangel's Torn Wing-occurs at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War when Cadiz falls into the fascists' hands. A young man rushes home to join his girlfriend. The young couple sees their blissful future cut off by the events taking place. As hours pass, dangers lurk nearby. He hides from his enemies, but in the end, comes out of his shelter and fights for his survival. The rest of the stories are a box of surprises. One returns to Muslim times when a Christian youngster falls in love with the vizier's daughter. Another beams the reader back to the early nineteenth century-when Cadiz, became the most important center of commerce between the old and the new continent. Other tales recount the moving relationship between a lonely old man and his adopted stray dog, the fate of a bequeathed ruby ring that changed the life of its new owner. Throughout the narrative a compelling portrait of the town and its people unfolds, depicting their daily life and celebrations such as carnival, bullfights, and Holy Week. Francisco Aragon-director of Letras Latinas at the University of Notre Dame-writes in the introduction to this Latino fiction book, "I couldn't help but think of Tales from the Alhambra as I navigated these 'Tales from Cadiz.' Both use history to accentuate their stories, but neither is meant to be read as history. Like Irving, Villalba deploys good old-fashioned storytelling. And I use that term ('old fashioned') in a good sense: writing that relishes and delights in painting pictures with words-with contagious engagement, narrative skill."

This publication is two books in one authored by Louis Villalba, a neurology professor and a board-certified neurophysiologist. It recounts 15 stories involving paranormal experiences, which the doctor collected over 35 years of medical practice.The first, "Afterlife Tracks," begins in 1995 when Dr. Villalba stumbles into what might prove the existence of the Afterlife. It occurs while he helps a mother survive back-to-back calamities. Her late daughter passes a message on to the deeply comatose mother's best friend during a unique near-death experience. It foretells the upcoming sudden death of one of the mother's close relatives. Six months later, the prophecy comes to pass. The fulfillment sets Dr. Villalba off on the search for a neurological explanation. The daunting task takes him beyond the confines of his office and neurological texts. The tracks lead him to the graveyard where prophetess and victim lie in repose. His quest ends at the edge of the gap between logic and faith. Here, armed with scientific reasoning, Dr. Villalba confronts the truth about the existence of the Afterlife.The second, "Glimpses of the Occult," recounts 14 stories of paranormal experiences. Villalba opens a tiny window so that his readers can peep into the bizarre world of the occult. A daughter sees silvery rays shoot up from her mother's body at the very moment of her mother's death. Images of a corpse in the bathroom of an apartment besiege a new occupant. A healthy young woman announces her death several months in advance. Halos around her uncle's head forewarn a niece of his imminent departure. A moribund lady greets her late relatives that stand at her bedside before her final journey. A comatose man briefly regains full alertness to bid goodbye to his loved ones and sinks again into unconsciousness and death. A fortuneteller foretells a husband's demise on an upcoming trip. An amulet causes havoc at a Ouija session, the participants fleeing out of the room in a panic.

In the late 20th century, amidst America's growing reliance on Mexican immigrants, a devoutly religious married man finds his life upended while pursuing the American dream. Determined to provide a better future for his family, he grapples with cultural barriers and injustices, having left his seminary life behind. However, as his wife and newborn prepare to join him, an unexpected wrench is thrown into his carefully constructed plans-he unexpectedly falls deeply in love with another woman.Caught between his unwavering commitment to God, his aspirations for his family's prosperity, and the newfound passion that challenges his convictions, the protagonist faces an agonizing choice. His struggle unfolds against a backdrop of societal complexities, language barriers, discrimination, and the conflicting pulls of duty and desire. Forced to navigate a path fraught with emotional turmoil and moral dilemmas, he must ultimately confront the difficult decision that will reshape his life and test the boundaries of his faith and loyalty. Will love prevail over duty?

This new novel may be read as a sequel to "The Stranger's Enigma" or as its own. In "Born of Dreams," a righteous man from a utopian land of eternal youth and happiness trudges along the tortuous path of society to conquer a woman he has fallen in love with. Sonie, the man who lives in Dr. Daniel Brandon's dreams, trades places with him. A virtuous person is born in Chicago, IL, at the age of 54 on July 15, 2009, and supplants the doctor. Dreams serve as guidance and channels of communication between them. Sonie has given up his joyful, eternal existence in an idyllic world to remedy Daniel's wrongdoings. Medical-practice woes, aloof children, an angry mother, and Marlene, a neglected and disgruntled ex-wife who is about to marry a con man. He must achieve his goals in a culture where his virtues clash with an imperfect and often cruel world. The issues of medical practice and mother's and children's neglect prove to be relatively easy to correct. But unveiling Marlene's fiancé's charade and securing her happiness turn into an arduous task. The situation gets more complicated when he falls head over heels for Marlene. His attempts to seduce her threaten to expose his identity and lead to unforeseeable consequences.