The independent juan jose saers scarsexplores a crime committed by luis fiore, a thirtynine year old laborer who shot his wife twice in the face with a. Originally published in 1969, scars marked a watershed moment in argentinian literature and has since become a modern classic of latin american literature. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. His translation of juan jose saer s scars was a finalist for the 2012 best translated book award. Since 1994, five of his twelve novels have been translated, with his lauded the witness coming to us via margaret jull costa, the worldclass translator of jose saramago and javier marias. Steve dolph is the founder of calque, a journal of literature in translation.
Juan jose saer 19372005, born in santa fe, argentina, was the leading argentinian writer of the postborges generation. Juan jose saer s scars, first printed in 1969, has been translated into english for the first time. Dead man upright, by derek raymond, melville house. Juan jose saer serodino, santa fe, argentina, june 28, 1937 paris, france, june 11, 2005 was an argentine writer, considered one of the most important in latin american literature and literature in spanish language of the century xx. Saer forgoes the expected perspectives of the victim, the orphaned daughter, and those. Juan jos saer was the leading argentinian writer of the postborges generation. Five of his novels are available from open letter books. Gwendolyn dawson is the founder of literary license.
The independent juan jose saers scars explores a crime committed by luis fiore. Juan jose saer was the leading argentinian writer of the postborges generation. He is considered the most important writer of argentina after jorge luis borges according to martin kohan and the best argentine writer of the second half. Saer s novels partake of european and american literary traditionshe lived in france. Here we have two novels, one poetry collection, and one slender and unclassifiable volume. Scars by juan jose saer, translated by steve dolph bookforum. Set in the city of santa fe, argentina, the novel is. Scars kindle edition by juan jose saer, steve dolph. Scars by saer, juan jose and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. To help keep our communities safe, all our retail locations are temporarily closed until further notice. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. He settled in paris in 1968, and began teaching at the university of rennes. Shop amongst our popular books, including 21, the witness, scars and more from juan jose saer.
A collection of short notes written after the death of his mother, it is an assemblage of barthess thought on death, mourning, and grief. Gwendolyn dawson, author at publishing perspectives. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the witness. Set in the backdrop of postperonist argentina, the novel at first appears to be a murder mystery. Juan jose saer s scars explores a crime committed by a laborer who shot his wife in the face.
Open letter books has released a new english translation from steve dolph. Many scenes are described more than once, sometimes from different points of view, sometimes merely rephrased slightlyoften in excruciating detail, as if more truth could be found by repeatedly examining one brief moment than by stringing events together into a. The witness explores the relationship between existence and description, foreignness and cultural identity. Juan jose saer author agencia literaria schavelzon graham. But a door has opened in the readers mind, a nagging doubt exists that can only relieved over time, if at all, because the best books are always inviting us back, demanding to be reread, to be experienced again and again. This virtuosic novelinstories from the late argentinean writer juan jose saer, first published in 1969, investigates a violent crime from four perspectives. Juan jose saers scars explores a crime committed by a laborer who shot his w. N j furl the tragedy of a mans trip duck hunting with his wife and too much gin is told from four perspectives. Each of the stories in scars explores a fragment in time when the lives of these characters are altered, more or less, by a singular event. Mourning diary is somewhat a strange book, even for barthes readers. The vast narrative achievement of juan jose saer, considered one of the. Saer s habitually dense prose seems almost clotted. Juan jose saer was an argentine writer, considered one of the most important in latin.
Some of his best novels are rendered by the likes of the dexterous. Of all his novels and short stories, it is for whom the bell tolls that showcases ernest hemingways signature brand of maudlin, alcoholsoaked. Saer was a prolific writer of novels, stories and criticism. Luis fiore, a metalworker, murders his wife on the 1st of may. Juan jose saer author, steve dolph translator publisher. Now, seven years after his death, it is a commonplace to tout juan jose saer as one of the twentieth centurys greatest argentine writers. Translated from the spanish by steve dolph about the author. Argentine writer juan jose saer has never caught on in english translation, although he certainly should have by now. Born outside the literary nexus of the capital, to parents of siriolibanes middle eastern origin, his writing had nothing. Scars by juan jose saer, translated by steve dolph. It is also the portrait of a man coming to terms with loss without the hope of succeeding. Scars by juan jose saer, translated from the original spanish by.