The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories [Paperback]

Horacio Quiroga (Author), Margaret Sayers Peden (Editor), Ed Lindlof (Illustrator), Jean Franco (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: THE AMERICAS | Publication Date: June 15, 2004

Horacio Quiroga’s short stories are infused with the themes of life and death that so obsessed him. They span many fiction genres—jungle tale, Gothic horror story, psychological study, morality tale—and possess a universality that has made him a classic Latin American writer.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As an author of the macabre and of nature, Quiroga redefined the borders of the fantastic, realizing that pure realism was an abomination of the marvelous and horrific reality of the Latin American jungle."—Review: Latin American Literature and Arts

"Quiroga’s stories are, like Poe’s, full of psychological shocks and eerie effects, and are bracingly, if ruthlessly, realistic."—New Yorker

Language Notes

Text: English, Spanish (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 166 pages
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press (June 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0299198340
• ISBN-13: 978-0299198343
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #523,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Latin America's darkest voices, July 24, 2001

By 

Michael J. Mazza - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories (Texas Pan American Series) (Paperback)

"The Decapitated Chicken & Other Stories," by Horacio Quiroga, is a remarkable collection of short stories. Quiroga (1878-1937) was born in Uruguay and ended his life in Argentina. The stories have been translated into English by Margaret Sayers Peden.

These are stories of death, violence, horror, adventure, talking animals, and magical transformation. There are a number of grotesque flourishes, especially in the disturbing title story. As a storyteller, Quiroga is comparable to Edgar Allan Poe of the U.S., although I believe his nearest Latin American soulmate is Virgilio Pinera of Cuba.

Some of the best tales in this collection include with the already mentioned title story; "Juan Darien," a magical story which begins "Herein is the tale of a tiger who was raised and educated among men. . ."; and "The Incense Tree Roof," an ironic tale about a beleaguered civil servant. Essential reading for those with a serious interest in Latin American fiction.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Table of Contents, October 19, 2005

By 

lissachelle (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories (Paperback)

For those of you curious about which stories this book includes:

The Feather Pillow, Sunstroke, The Pursued, The Decapitated Chicken, Drifting, A Slap in the Face, In the Middle of the Night, Juan Darien, The Dead Man, Anaconda, The Incense Tree Roof, & The Son

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A master of horror and suspense, July 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories (Texas Pan American Series) (Paperback)

Belatedly acknowledged as a masterful storyteller, Horacio Quiroga lived a life not a whit less tragical and colorful than those of his characters. From the beginning, his life was punctuated by tragedy and death, culminating in his suicide (he took cyanide). When still a teenager, he accidentally shot his best friend while showing him how to clean a gun. As an adult, he settled in the Misiones jungle, where he built a house with his own hands and tried to wring a living out of a farm. The life of hardship he endured there is masterfully reflected in some of his short stories, as are his lifelong obsessions, death and frustrated love. Quiroga was an admirer of Poe, and some of his early stories try to emulate the writer from Baltimore, but eventually he developed his own style, which is, I believe, even more accomplished than Poe's. In Quiroga's case, as has happened with many other writers, the life has obscured the works. Whenever he is mentioned, most people will tell you "ah, yes, poor guy - everybody in his family killed themselves". But his short stories, with the exception of a few very famous ones that are taught in high school, are not so widely read. As you will find when reading this collection, he has an unique way of creating oppressive scenarios, charged with fear, tension, and the unseen presence of evil, which eventually leads to unexpected and fearsome climaxes. Yes, he is macabre, and yes, there is a very nasty streak running through some of these stories - but he is also a highly intelligent, resourceful and accomplished writer, and one you shouldn't miss for the world.