Juan Suárez: A "Simple Man"

The thought is beautifully expressed in the quote that precedes the first of the four parts into which this book is divided: “The same miracle responsible for the stone that lies at the edge of the road also created the star that twinkles in the night, placed in the firmament by the hand of God.” The author—an extraordinary man—exemplifies this quote because he embodies both the simplicity of the stone and the grandeur of the star. He came into this world destined to accomplish heroic deeds, which in his case has nothing to do with the ability to successfully brandish a sword, but with the capacity to triumph intelligently over adversity. At times, Suárez’s heroic qualities come close to saintliness, for instance, during the years of his wife Carmen’s illness. And this will become clear when the reader discovers how Juan Suárez, an enterprising and imaginative man still in his prime, humbly resigns himself, putting his career interests aside, to dedicating all his energy and commitment to caring for the person he loves so passionately.

The story of Juan Suárez makes it convincingly clear that we are capable of taking control of our life when imagination, talent, and self-confidence illuminate our inner strength. Suárez’s story never leads us to believe, as is true of other people’s lives, that luck has tipped the balance. In the equation of his life, man has
prevailed over circumstance.

This is not a literary work; writing a literary work was far from the author’s intention. This book stems from the author’s inner need to communicate in order to universalize his experience and transmit his message of courage and love. Thus his story is narrated in a direct, simple, and colloquial fashion. Against the Wind is an autobiography; it is the testimony of a life that we may describe as inspiring; it is a window that opens onto the unlimited horizon of the strength of willpower, the type of willpower that is glorified when it fuels noble ideals.

I am sure that the reader will come to identify with the great adventure of a man who was born a rebel and never allowed others to take him anywhere he didn’t want to go; a man who has always followed his dreams; who fell in love with the stars, the butterflies, and the seagulls; a man who went much further than
he ever thought he would and much faster than he might have liked.

Thus put, it seems rather simple. To read this book and to experience the crude narration of his agony and his fulfillment is to understand the miracle of the stone and the star.

Dr. Ariel Remos
Miami, Florida