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Sun Inventions and Perfumes of Carthage: Two Novellas (Jewish Latin America)

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"Sun Inventions / Perfumes of Carthage" brings together two novellas by Teresa Porzecanski, a talented Jewish writer from Uruguay. "Sun" has been translated into English by Johnny Payne, and "Perfumes" has been translated by Phyllis Silverstein. Ilan Stavans provides the introduction to this two-in-one volume.

"Sun Inventions" is the story of a female academic and her family situation. The stronger (and longer) of the two novellas is "Perfumes." This is an engrossing multigenerational saga about a Jewish family that emigrates from the Syrian city of Aleppo to Uruguay. The family story takes place against the backdrop of a Uruguayan revolutionary movement of the 1930s. With its colorful, conflicted characters and problematic relationships, "Perfumes" has a Faulkneresque flavor.

The title of "Perfumes" refers to the perfume shop run by one of the novella's principal characters. In this novella Porzecanski explores such issues as racial conflict, propaganda, oral tradition, Jewish ethics, and the power of sensory cues to trigger memories and visions. "Perfumes" is a fascinating and rewarding text that effectively blends tragic and comic elements. If you are interested in Jewish studies, Latin American literature, or contemporary fiction, check out this volume.