Comments on: César Aira: Ghosts

By: The Mookse and the Gripes » Steven Millhauser: We Others

The Mookse and the Gripes » Steven Millhauser: We Others — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 22:46:51 +0000

[...] At this time of year one could ceratinly do worse than read César Aira’s Ghosts, (click here for my review), but that takes place on New Years Eve, and the ghosts aren’t that scary. [...]

By: Trevor

Trevor — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:31:46 +0000

Great! I love this book, leroy. This one and An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter are my favorites, and I'm hoping to read The Literary Conference here in the next few weeks.

By: leroyhunter

leroyhunter — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 10:59:19 +0000

Just finished this today Trevor, and it made quite an impression on me. Really interesting to read your description of Aira’s approach to writing. I enjoyed this a lot, and his other (translated) work is now must-read for me.

I was particularly struck by his making the major characters Chilean, and allowing their gentle but nevertheless ever-present criticism of their host country pervade the book.

Interesting, moving, thrilling…all in 140 pages.
Great translation as well.

By: A ghostly Buenos Aires. « The Hieroglyphic Streets

A ghostly Buenos Aires. « The Hieroglyphic Streets — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:00:08 +0000

[...] most uniquely, genuinely odd books you’re likely to stumble across. Mookse says Aira’s imagination and intelligence are for real. Douglas Messerli says Aira’s short novels seem like much longer [...]

By: Trevor

Trevor — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:07:28 +0000

Thankfully it’s all been straightened out, Stewart. Good luck on exams! Glad to have you back today and anxiously awaiting your next post!

By: Stewart

Stewart — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:15:44 +0000

Rather funny, that. You’d probably be better off contacting Lauren again via the New Directions site. The email is nd@ndbooks.com for the publicity department.

As for PathWords, it’s a risk that I may be lost to it. Ha! Truth is it’s exam time and I’ve hardly read a word in two months other than course textbooks. Roll on 11:30 on the 18th May, when I become free. Free!

I’ve just has a quick flick through the Aira. That’s quite an opening paragraph – all seven pages of it.Oh, it reads so good though.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:52:50 +0000

I remember seeing that, Kevin. I wouldn’t know Marias if it weren’t for you, but I’ve looked him up since and was surprised to find him, Bolano, Aira, Sebald, and I’m sure several others who will become better known soon, in their catalog. I’m surprised I’ve just heard of them considering that they’ve been around for 80 years, frequently bringing theretofore unknowns into fame.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:38:48 +0000

Trevor: New Directions is also the North American publisher of the translations of much of Javier Marias’ work — and I think he is one of the best authors who is least known on this side of the Atlantic. I’d say start with All Souls from their catalogue — it is a semi-factual novel based on two years he spent as a fellow at All Souls at Oxford, so your academic background would find it interesting –then move on to Dark Back of Time (he calls it a “false novel”, based on the reaction to All Souls and how the Oxford types regarded that novel as non-fiction, plugging in real names).

If you like that, move onto his trilogy, Your Face Tomorrow. New Directions has published the first two volumes with the final one due out this fall, as I understand. I’ve read the first two and plan on rereading them (the work is quite complex) in preparation for book three this fall. It is one of the best trilogies (well two-thirds) that I have ever read. (Laurie: If there is any chance of getting an ARC of volume three, this Canadian would name you my new “best friend for life” — that’s how much I am looking forward to it. I do plan on doing a review of the whole trilogy eventually — not sure whether it will be one book at a time or all three at once. — KevinfromCanada)

By: Trevor

Trevor — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:52:50 +0000

Hey, wait a minute Laurie, my blog has much more content than Stewart’s comment. I agree Stewart left a great comment, but I know I would LOVE copies of the other Aira books and of your catalog! New Directions is a great press. I’ve got the other Sebald titles you’ve published and am looking forward to reading them as well as many others. (I’ll be in touch!)

By: Laurie Callahan

Laurie Callahan — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:20:07 +0000

Dear Stewart, Thank you very much for the good review of Aira’s GHOSTS. Are you on our mailing list? Please send me your address and I’d be happy to send you our Fall’09/Winter’10 catalog in case there’s something coming-up you’d like to review. Also, if you’re interested I can send you EPISODES and HOW I BECAME A NUN…. Thanks again. Best, Laurie Callahan, Publicity Director, New Directions