THE BARCELONA REVIEWIssue 12, April to JuneAn International Review of Contemporary Fiction

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BACK TO
ISSUE 17
C o n t e n t s

short fiction

From Locos:
Prologue
Identity
Felipe Alfau

Summer House
Nuria Amat


Africa on the Horizon
Carlos Gardini


Knock on Wood
Frank Thomas Smith


Scar
Lee Klein

poetry

Virgil Suarez

  Garabato
  Lolo
  Lazarito &  The
  Habanero Chilis 

  Leo

interview

Nuria Amat
by Ana Alcaina

retrospective

Felipe Alfau

  
Intro
   The Novels
   The Man
   Bibliography

  
by Jill Adams

book reviews

Vera (Mrs.Vladimir Nabokov): A Biography
Stacy Schiff


Locas
Yxta Maya Murray


Gardens in the Dunes
Leslie Marmon Silko


Tomato Red
Daniel Woodrell

The Ultimate Rush
Joe Quirk


Bluebottle
James Sallis


previous book reviews

back issues

Welcome readers and subscribers to our special World Book Day/Sant Jordi Issue, which we would like to dedicate to Barcelona’s long lost son, Felipe Alfau. Born here in 1902 Alfau immigrated Felipe Alfauto the United States in 1914 where he wrote (in English) his two classic novels: Locos and Chromos, the latter nominated for the National Book Award in 1990. Alfau was a writer far ahead of his time, experimenting with postmodern techniques well before Nabokov, Barth and Pynchon - writers to whom he has been compared. For a look at the man, who sadly died while this issue was being prepared, and his work, see the BR’s Retrospective. And for a taste of his writing don’t miss the Prologue and the short story  extracted from Locos. Special thanks to Dalkey Archive Press for permission to reproduce the work. If you don’t already know Alfau, you're in for quite a treat. Alfau appears in Spanish and French translations, and the BR is proud to offer a first-ever Catalan translation of this native son.

Another Barcelona native, writer Nuria Amat, is well known to the Spanish reading world, but, curiously, has never been translated into English. We’re delighted to present an English translation at last of a new short fiction piece, and by way of further introducing Nuria we also have an interview, which she squeezed in a couple weeks ago just before leaving for the States on a speaking engagement at St. John’s College and Brown University.

Argentina’s Carlos Gardini returns with a second piece for the BR, a beautifully written traditional story. From Argentina too comes short fiction by New York transplant Frank Thomas Smith (available in French as well as Spanish). Frank’s story came in a couple months ago and is one of those that’s really been making the rounds among friends and friends of friends. It’s funny, it’s different, and it puts a new spin on two well-known names that you’d hardly expect to see under the same title. Last of all from the U.S., we have new writer Lee Klein, whose story about a young New Jerseyite at a weekend keg party contains the phrase "extraordinarily sensationally accentuated," which I never thought would pass by this editorial desk, but Lee held his ground arguing for his character’s voice, and I suppose it could be - some kind of  New Jersey speak...?

Poetry this issue comes from Cuban American Virgil Suarez who we were fortunate in tracking down at Florida State University.

We had hoped to have a Nabokov Quiz this issue, but we’ve had to move it to our next one, so stay tuned - a free book of choice goes to the winner.

As we are about to send this present issue up into cyberspace, la Diada de Sant Jordi is soon approaching. This is the day, April 23rd, when the Spanish exchange books and roses - the Catalan tradition that gave rise to World Book Day. Here in Catalunya, bookstalls and flower-sellers line the streets in a gala book fest. Over two-thirds of all the books sold in Catalunya for the year are sold on this day. (For a peek at last year's contents, click here.) So, in the spirit of Sant Jordi, here is our special offering for all of you...

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Jill Adams, editor

The watercolors for each story were done by Danish artist Rebecka Helweg

espaņol  · catalā · book reviews · back issues · submission info · editor's page · links 

 

navigation:                         barcelona review #17                     March - April 2000
-Fiction Rachel Resnick The Meat-Eaters of Marrakesh
Josh Wardrip Death in the Third Person
Alden Jones Shelter
Matthew Tree
Summer of Love
Marjorie Kanter Delgado The Skirt
-Interview Matthew Tree
-Article March and April in Barcelona
-Quiz Jorge Luis Borges
Answers to Federico García Lorca quiz
-Regular Features Book Reviews
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