Since no one else is even attempting to...
Andy, you got it partially right, so, its all yours now! *bows out*
It's 'The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor' By Gabriel García Márquez
ps: Since Andy did mention the hugeass title, here it is. The full title is The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor: Who Drifted on a Liferaft for Ten Days Without Food or Water, Was Proclaimed a National Hero, Kissed by Beauty Queens, Made Rich Through Publicity, and Then Spurned by the Government and Forgotten for All Time.