Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
In A Stab in the Dark, originally titled Palos de Ciego, Facundo Bernal poetically chronicles the lives, beliefs, and customs of Mexicans living in Los Angeles, as well as the inhabitants of Mexicali, in the early 1920s. This illuminating work of blends Bernal's journalistic, literary, and poetic pursuits to paint a detailed, captivating portrait of Mexican-American life. Originally published in Spanish in Los Angeles's "La Prensa" newspaper, A Stab in the Dark is the original work of Chicano literature, and has never before been translated into English. With the original introduction from renowned Mexicali writer Gabriel Trujillo Mu oz, an additional foreword from scholar and 2016 MacArthur fellow Josh Kun, and afterword by award-winning Mexican-American author Alex Espinoza, a new light is shed on Bernal's historic work.
Synopsis
Facundo Bernal's A Stab in the Dark (Palos de ciego) is a poetic chronicle of the struggles and joys of the Spanish-speaking community in Los Angeles and in the burgeoning border town of Mexicali during the early 1920s. Sharply satirical yet deeply empathetic, Bernal's poems are both a landmark of Chicano literature and a captivating read. Anthony Seidman's energetic translation -- the first into English -- preserves the prickly feel of Bernal's classic, down to the last stab. This edition also features the original Spanish text, an introduction by the prominent Mexicali writer Gabriel Trujillo Mu oz, an additional introduction by critic Josh Kun, and a foreword by writer and lawyer Yxta Maya Murray.