Customer Reviews

Putas Asesinas (Naturaleza E Historia) (Spanish Edition)

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This collection of 13 stories by Roberto Bolano is misleadingly titled and I presume because of its offensive title most would think this is a pornographic book. The book's cover doesn't help much either.

You will be surprised then, when the book turns out to be a delightful collection of interesting, humorous stories, likely to become a classic of Spanish fiction.

The "x-rated" title is taken from one of the stories in this collection, a beautiful, lyric, impressionist tale.(No, prurience there.) He also tells stories about failed and successful artists, vacationing filial couples, with a strong taste for iguana meat (You will have to figure that one yourselves), a woman who teaches in a rural governmental poetry school and satisfies her artistic needs listening to a Mexican Rancheras radio station. (If you wonder what these type of music is, think of a mariachi singing solo, heart-crushing songs in loud tenor (alto)voice--(not poetic--not much.). And he writes of displaced Chileans with personal and ingenious political ideologies, one of which suffers from "bibliographic dementia" and confuses Marx with Che Guevara,also of a self-anointed politician who radiates moonlight, and of "Buba" the magnificent, enchanted African soccer player, and more. I would be remiss if I didn't tell about a story which gives 69 reasons not to dance with Pablo Neruda (Chilean Nobel Laureate poet).

Hope you will agree, this is a classic creation. Enjoy!

Después de leer "Nocturno de Chile" y las críticas excelentes sobre "Detectives Salvajes", me decepcioné un poco con "Putas Asesinas". Podría decir que de los trece cuentos, cinco me impresionaron, seis me gustaron a medias y dos me aburrieron. Empero, no hay duda que Bolano es un buen escritor, digno de nuestro respeto y admiración. Quizás su punto fuerte sean las novelas y no las historias cortas.

I had read many professional reviews regards this author and his works and nearly all have been favorable. I was not disappointed.

I bought this book not realizing it was a collection of short stories. I enjoy reading books in my native language usually. I don't enjoy reading deep undecipherable prose. Mr Bolaño is a revered and respected author, however this book in particular was a mystery. It was about unrequited love and deep emotions. Too deep for me to contemplate.