Cuentos inolvidables según Julio Cortázar. (Unforgettable Stories According to Julio Cortázar)

Reviewed by Marie St.Pierre, Casper, WY -- Críticas, 6/15/2007

The Argentine author Cortázar, who was born in Brussels and resided in France until his death in 1984, was an educator, writer, translator, and Tolkienesque inventor of words. His classic novel Rayuela (Hopscotch) can be read straight through or by following a convoluted series of instructions. He was also noted for his involvement in the political life of Argentina. Inspired by an essay he wrote titled “Some Aspects of the Short Story,” this anthology gathers some of Cortázar’s favorite stories, as listed in that article and in other places, by other authors from around the world, [e.g., Jorge Luis Borges (Argentina), Truman Capote (United States), and Leon Tolstoy (Russia)]. Each tale has its singular merits and is a well-considered addition to the collection. A “Notes on the Authors” section offers a brief biography on each writer. Recommended for bookstores and libraries looking to expand their Spanish-language collections of short stories from around the world.