Synopses & Reviews
A brilliant, prize-winning collection of stories by Mexico's most important living writer. From the semiotics of pet iguanas to the disillusionment of mariachi singers, Villoro reveals the deep dissatisfactions and absurdities of life in Mexico and its carnivalesque capital. We encounter a border trucker making a movie about illegal migrants, a cuckolded football superstar, and a gluten-free American journalist seeking the authentic Mexican experience. A master of the post-modern narrative, Villoro gives us contemporary Mexico through a complex interplay of culture and character psychology in the most surprising, fresh and humorous ways.
Review
"The first collection of Villoro's short stories to be translated into English depicts the complexity of contemporary Mexico in sharp, compelling prose. In tales with fascinating protagonists and tightly crafted action, Villoro eschews stereotypes and flips common perceptions of his homeland....Like his Mexican compatriots Valeria Luiselli and Enrique Vila-Matas as well as such U.S. writers as Kirstin Valdez Quade and Luis Alberto Urrea, Villoro rewards readers with refreshing, unforgettable stories." Booklist
Review
"Villoro's point, punctuated by each of the stories in this powerful book, is that modern Mexico is finished, finally, trying to conform to outside notions of its tragedies....Villoro, a contemporary of Roberto Bolaño, offers a similar style and comic tone, and much to enjoy." The New York Times Book Review
Review
"At last, an English translation brings his seriously funny take on identity to new audiences." Los Angeles Review of Books
Review
"The writing is razor sharp, the satire brilliant and biting.... Villoro's English language debut presents seven expertly crafted stories that are funny and agile but also illuminating, exploring the paradox of being a Mexican in Mexico." Three Percent
Synopsis
"The literature of Juan Villoro...is opening up the path of the new Spanish novel of the millennium." Roberto Bolaño
About the Author
Juan Villoro has written numerous novels, non-fiction books, and won the Herralde Award and the Antonin Artaud Prize.Kimi Traube has an MFA in fiction and literary translation from Columbia University. Her translation of Juan Villoro's work has been published in BOMB Magazine.