Man facing a firing squad

[garcia]

I'm trying to rediscover this book I read years ago. The last chapter describes a man facing a firing squad and the thoughts running through his head. The condemned man can feel the pole he's tied to and it reminds him of his childhood when his mother used put him against a wall to record his height. The memory makes him smile, and he starts to stand on tip toe, like he did so many years before. Does anyone recall reading a book with a similar passage? Thanks!

[Quizmonster]

Dear Garcia, Seeing that no-one has answered you after 48 hours, I thought I would offer you an alternative. I'm not familiar with the story you describe, but I was immediately struck by its apparent similarity to another story I am familiar with. One that opens with a man on the point of execution and deals with the thoughts running through his head. It is called "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce.

If you click http://eserver.org/fiction/occurrence-at-owl-creek
.html a link will take you to a web-page with the story in full...it'll take you only ten minutes or so to read.

Sorry I couldn't help with the story you actually wanted, but I hope you enjoy the alternative...it's one of my own favourites.

[kari]

I'm pretty sure what you're after is ' One hundred years of solitude' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.