Publisher's Synopsis
Set amid the brutal dictatorship of José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, known as El Supremo, this historical novel immerses readers in the shadowy world of political manipulation, ideological control, and personal ambition. Through richly detailed prose and vivid historical insight, the story explores the psyche of a ruler obsessed with order and dominance, and those caught in the web of his authority. El Supremo paints a stark portrait of tyranny, resistance, and the human cost of absolute rule.
Edward Lucas White (1866-1934) was an American author and poet. Although he wrote a number of historical novels, he is best remembered for short stories based on his own nightmares. El Supremo novelizes the life of Dr. Jose Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia y Velasco, the first leader of Paraguay following its independence from Spain. He ran the country with no outside interference and little outside influence from 1814 to 1840, and was known for his "bewildering and peculiar" individuality.
