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The protagonists have one thing in common in these stories: often on the fringes of society, they are engaged in difficult, challenging quests, their lives frequently on the line. And when they find what they are seeking, those lives are often changed irrevocably – and forever. The bleak undercurrent of life in Pinochet's regime is the background here, but the narratives of the stories contain a whole universe. In the title tale, the central character pursues – rather desperately – a hedonistic, erotically-charged lifestyle on a holiday in Acapulco. The pleasures of the flesh do not offer the relief he seeks, and he finds consolation in the work of a surrealist poet who died during the Nazi regime, possibly at his own hand. Many of the Bolanã's favourite themes are brilliantly worked out here, in prose that leaps off the page. The other stories glitter with same coruscating brilliance – and despite the recurrence of such dark themes as suicide – this is not at all depressing fare: in fact, reading Last Evenings on Earth is a positively life-enhancing experience.
There should be a warning on the jacket of the book, however, reading Roberto Bolanã has a curious side-effect: you will find yourself proselytising on his behalf to anyone who will listen (and to some who won't). Bolanã's writing is addictive – and it has that effect on the reader. --Barry Forshaw
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. The first collection of stories in English by the author considered to be the finest Latin American writer of his generation.This is the first collection by the universally acclaimed Chilean author to be published in English and it is an outstanding introduction to Bolano's writing. Bolano's narrators are grappling with their own private quests while living in the margins, on the edges, in constant flight from nightmarish threats. His stories are often witty, frequently melancholy and always original. This is the first collection by the universally acclaimed Chilean author to be published in English and it is an outstanding introduction to Bolano's writing. Bolano's narrators are grappling with their own private quests while living in the margins, on the edges, in constant flight from nightmarish threats. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780099469421
Book Description paperback. Condition: New. Language: ENG. Seller Inventory # 9780099469421
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9780099469421
Book Description Condition: New. pp. 288. Seller Inventory # 6428412
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 288 pages. 7.76x5.12x0.71 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0099469421
Book Description Condition: New. In eng. Seller Inventory # ria9780099469421_new
Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. This is the first collection by the universally acclaimed Chilean author to be published in English and it is an outstanding introduction to Bolano's writing. Bolano's narrators are grappling with their own private quests while living in the margins, on the edges, in constant flight from nightmarish threats. Seller Inventory # B9780099469421
Book Description Condition: New. 2004. Paperback. Features an introduction to author's writing. Num Pages: 288 pages. BIC Classification: FA; FYB; FYT. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 198 x 130 x 19. Weight in Grams: 236. . . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # V9780099469421
Book Description Condition: New. 2004. Paperback. Features an introduction to author's writing. Num Pages: 288 pages. BIC Classification: FA; FYB; FYT. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 198 x 130 x 19. Weight in Grams: 236. . . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780099469421