Since independence was declared in 1816, a new spirit of democracy and independence has come to Buenos Aires. With the rise of a brutal dictatorship, however, individual liberties are quickly replaced with repression and state-sponsored murder. Amidst these horrific events, Eduardo, a young fugitive, falls in love with the beautiful Amalia. Amalia is a novel by José Mármol.

José Mármol (1818-1871) was an Argentine poet, novelist, and journalist. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, he left law school for a career in politics. In 1839, he was arrested by the regime of Juan Manuel de Rosas and was forced to flee within two years for his political opposition. In Montevideo, he befriended a vibrant community of fellow exiles including Esteban Echeverría and Juan Bautista Alberdi. Several years later, Mármol fled to Rio de Janeiro following the siege of Montevideo by Manuel Oribe, an ally of Rosas. He returned in 1845 and remained in Uruguay for seven years. In the Uruguayan capital, he founded three journals and gained a reputation as a prominent political poet. His twelve-canto autobiographical poem El Peregrino (1847) and a collection of his lyric poems placed Mármol at the forefront of the Latin American Romantic school. He is perhaps remembered most for his Costumbrist novel Amalia (1851), which was recognized as Argentina's national novel following the defeat of Rosas in 1852. Mármol returned after thirteen years in exile to serve as a senator, national deputy, and diplomat to Brazil. From 1858 until his retirement due to blindness, Rosas served as the director of the Biblioteca Nacional de la República Argentina, a position later held by his fellow countryman Jorge Luis Borges.

Amalia: A Romance of the Argentine (1851) is a novel by José Mármol. Originally serialized while Mármol lived in exile in Montevideo, the novel became a symbol of Argentine national identity following the defeat of brutal dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas in 1852. Mármol, a leading critic of the Rosist regime, used autobiographical details to compose this masterful story of romance and political resistance, elevating the personal to the level of the national without losing sight of the everyday struggle of dissidents. Adapted twice into film, Amalia remains a timeless work of Latin American fiction from a leading figure of the Romantic era. Set during the violent regime of caudillo Juan Manuel de Rosas, Amalia follows two lovers brought together by political repression. Forced to go into hiding during a government crackdown on dissidents, Eduardo finds safety at the home of Amalia, a beautiful young woman. Protected by Amalia and her cousin Daniel, Eduardo grows weary of living in constant fear of the Rosist death squads stalking the streets of Buenos Aires, and longs for a day when liberty and justice will set him free. Despite their blossoming romance, Eduardo and Amalia know they face mortal danger, that every decision they make will come with the risk of discovery. Regardless, they persevere. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of José Mármol's Amalia: A Romance of the Argentine is a classic of Argentine literature reimagined for modern readers.