'Paradiso' Stirs Scandal Amid Glory Upon Release

Poet José Lezama Lima published his long-awaited novel "Paradiso" in 1966, revealing with it scenes that mirrored his own life and secrets he kept for decades. The novel was considered an exaltation of family as the center of human life. In the same way, it was considered an unprecedented invitation to think about being human in an erotic way, making it a source of scandal upon publication.