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For #WITMonth I'm starting a thread of one Latin American female writer per day. A few obvious choices but trying to bring some different names into the mix and hopefully showing the incredible diversity of literature available from the area.
Day1. A Trip to Salto by Circe Maia tr Stephanie Stewart 1987/2004. Published at her own risk it tells of her husband's capture by the military and her trip to visit him, is a brilliant, moving insight into political situation in Uruguay. A lovely bilingual @SwanIslePress edition
Day 2. The Street of the Night by Lucia Guerra tr. Richard Cunningham. Chile 1985 the dictator controls harshly and the only ones to stand up to him are the women of the street of the night.
"I am the land where the world ends"
A brutal yet funny addition to the dictator novel.
"I am the land where the world ends"
A brutal yet funny addition to the dictator novel.
Day 3. #WITMonth
Mexican poet Tedi Lopez Mills Death on Rua Augusta. Tr David Shook. 2009/2014. This chapter based narrative poem draws on film noir and west coast thrillers as narrator faces his spirit unfolding. In Shooks words "get lost in its relentless onslaught of voices"
Mexican poet Tedi Lopez Mills Death on Rua Augusta. Tr David Shook. 2009/2014. This chapter based narrative poem draws on film noir and west coast thrillers as narrator faces his spirit unfolding. In Shooks words "get lost in its relentless onslaught of voices"
Day 4. #WITMonth
Marta Traba, Mother's and Shadows tr Jo Labanyi. Two women in throes of political terror look for their lost ones and refuse to accept the lies from the state. Montevideo, Santiago, B.Aries, the mothers show their strength in the time of "the disappeared".
Marta Traba, Mother's and Shadows tr Jo Labanyi. Two women in throes of political terror look for their lost ones and refuse to accept the lies from the state. Montevideo, Santiago, B.Aries, the mothers show their strength in the time of "the disappeared".
Day 5. #WITMonth
Nellie Campobello's Cartucho. Tr Meyer & Mathews. 1931/1988, "the only real woman's vision of the Mexican Revolution", using an unconventional narration and structure, its 56 vignettes give a cinematic feel, poetic & simple but often grotesque, it's a must read
Nellie Campobello's Cartucho. Tr Meyer & Mathews. 1931/1988, "the only real woman's vision of the Mexican Revolution", using an unconventional narration and structure, its 56 vignettes give a cinematic feel, poetic & simple but often grotesque, it's a must read
Day 6 #WITMonth
Gabriela Torres Olivares , Enfermario. Tr Jennifer Donovan 2010/2017. Mexico.
What does it mean to be.
And to be different.
Torres challenges our comfortable preconceptions in this collection of stories, my top read of the year, please buy it.
@LesFigues
Gabriela Torres Olivares , Enfermario. Tr Jennifer Donovan 2010/2017. Mexico.
What does it mean to be.
And to be different.
Torres challenges our comfortable preconceptions in this collection of stories, my top read of the year, please buy it.
@LesFigues
Day 7 #WITMonth
Venezuelan Miyo Vestrini's Grenade in Mouth . Tr Anne Boyer & Elsa Maggi. 2019.
"The first suicide is unique,
They always ask you if it was an accident
Or a sincere proposition of death"
A wonderful collection , the poet of "militant death"
@KenningEditions
Venezuelan Miyo Vestrini's Grenade in Mouth . Tr Anne Boyer & Elsa Maggi. 2019.
"The first suicide is unique,
They always ask you if it was an accident
Or a sincere proposition of death"
A wonderful collection , the poet of "militant death"
@KenningEditions
Day 9 #WITMonth
People in the Room, Norah Lange
Tr C.Whittle. 1950/2018.
Blurb asks if a voyeuristic adventure can be turned into a literary masterclass? Answer is yes. Claustrophobic spy novel narrated by a 17yo girl is a superb compelling read. @andothertweets @fromthespanish
People in the Room, Norah Lange
Tr C.Whittle. 1950/2018.
Blurb asks if a voyeuristic adventure can be turned into a literary masterclass? Answer is yes. Claustrophobic spy novel narrated by a 17yo girl is a superb compelling read. @andothertweets @fromthespanish
Day 10. #WITMonth
Patrícia Galváo , Industrial Park. Tr E &D Jackson 1933/1993.
Pagu's novel often compared with Döbin's B.A. gives a panorama of Sao Paulo in the 30's but is unique in giving an Avant Garde view of exploitation & repression of women. An essential superb read
Patrícia Galváo , Industrial Park. Tr E &D Jackson 1933/1993.
Pagu's novel often compared with Döbin's B.A. gives a panorama of Sao Paulo in the 30's but is unique in giving an Avant Garde view of exploitation & repression of women. An essential superb read
Day 11 #WITMonth LatAm women.
Armonia Somers, The Naked Woman. Tr Kit Maude 1950/2018.
This radical feminist classic from Uruguay is like a lucid dream but also realistic ,brutal and erotic. Read this and The Fall which is one of the best short stories I've read.
@FeministPress
Armonia Somers, The Naked Woman. Tr Kit Maude 1950/2018.
This radical feminist classic from Uruguay is like a lucid dream but also realistic ,brutal and erotic. Read this and The Fall which is one of the best short stories I've read.
@FeministPress
Day 12 #WITMonth
Please Talk To Me, by hugely influential Argentine writer Liliana Heker. Tr in 2015 by A. Manguel and @MirandaFrance1.
Start with her short stories then onto the novel The End Of The Story . All highly recommended.
One to try for you.
https://www.wordswithoutborders.org/article/everyone-has-her-own-small-treasure
Please Talk To Me, by hugely influential Argentine writer Liliana Heker. Tr in 2015 by A. Manguel and @MirandaFrance1.
Start with her short stories then onto the novel The End Of The Story . All highly recommended.
One to try for you.
https://www.wordswithoutborders.org/article/everyone-has-her-own-small-treasure
Day 13 #WITMonth
A Saga of Brutes, Ana Paula Maia. Tr Alexandre Joy Freeman 2009/11/20016.
A set of 3 novellas , Maia writes on the underbelly of Brazilian society and harsh realities they face, but does it with a wonderful sardonic humour and compassion.
I really love this one.
A Saga of Brutes, Ana Paula Maia. Tr Alexandre Joy Freeman 2009/11/20016.
A set of 3 novellas , Maia writes on the underbelly of Brazilian society and harsh realities they face, but does it with a wonderful sardonic humour and compassion.
I really love this one.
Day 14 #WITMonth
Griselda Gambaro, Information for Foreigners. 3 Plays
Tr Marguerite Feitlowitz. 1992.
Life here is surreal.
This is a schizophrenic country.
Combative plays showing repression, complicity and terror of violent Argentine regime. The drama of disappearance.
Griselda Gambaro, Information for Foreigners. 3 Plays
Tr Marguerite Feitlowitz. 1992.
Life here is surreal.
This is a schizophrenic country.
Combative plays showing repression, complicity and terror of violent Argentine regime. The drama of disappearance.
Day 15 #WITMonth
Ana Maria Shua, Death as a Side Effect. Tr Andrea Labinger 1992/2010.
Shua has published over 80 works, novels, flash,shorts , children, essays.
This is a dark satire with a dystopian vision of Argentina through a health system. Funny, biting and a bit mad.
Ana Maria Shua, Death as a Side Effect. Tr Andrea Labinger 1992/2010.
Shua has published over 80 works, novels, flash,shorts , children, essays.
This is a dark satire with a dystopian vision of Argentina through a health system. Funny, biting and a bit mad.
Day 16 #WITMonth
Luisa Valenzuela.
Where to start? a prolific Argentine writer. Her family home was frequented by Cortozar and Borges. Fuentes calls her the heiress of LatAm fiction. Her 30+ works cover a huge range. Start with Symmetries a collection of shorts tr MJ Costa
Luisa Valenzuela.
Where to start? a prolific Argentine writer. Her family home was frequented by Cortozar and Borges. Fuentes calls her the heiress of LatAm fiction. Her 30+ works cover a huge range. Start with Symmetries a collection of shorts tr MJ Costa
Day 17 #WITMonth
Amparo Davila. The Houseguest.
Tr Audrey Harris/ Matthew Gleeson 2018.
One of Mexico's foremost short story writers finally gets an English translation Her stories are full of menace , wickedness and unpleasantness, but are the characters just losing their minds
Amparo Davila. The Houseguest.
Tr Audrey Harris/ Matthew Gleeson 2018.
One of Mexico's foremost short story writers finally gets an English translation Her stories are full of menace , wickedness and unpleasantness, but are the characters just losing their minds
