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Steps Under Water
Steps Under Water is a novel drawn from Alicia Kozameh’s experiences as a political prisoner in Argentina during the “Dirty War” of the 1970s.
- GenresFiction
172 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
90 people want to read
About the author
Alicia Kozameh
17 books7 followersAlicia Kozameh was born in Rosario, Santa Fe to a father of Lebanese Christian background and a mother of Syrian Jewish origin. She studied philosophy and literature at the University of Rosario from 1973 to 1975, and at the University of Buenos Aires from 1985 to 1987. Her studies were interrupted from September 1975 until December 1978 while she was detained as a political prisoner during Argentina's most recent military dictatorship. After her release, she continued to suffer constant repression and persecution, and was forced to go into exile in 1980, first in California, and later in Mexico.
During her exile, she published works in Mexico and California and wrote her first novel, El séptimo sueño (The Seventh Dream), an unpublished manuscript about prison. She returned to Argentina in 1984, after the Falklands War and the return of democratic elections to her country. In 1987, the Editorial Contrapunto, in Buenos Aires, published her second novel, Pasos bajo el agua (Steps Under Water), a fictionalized account of her experiences as a political prisoner and an exile. Many other articles and stories were published in newspapers and cultural magazines in Buenos Aires during that period, as well as reviews of Pasos bajo el agua, which sold out in six months. In Buenos Aires, she completed a screenplay based on her novel Pasos bajo el agua. The English translation of Pasos bajo el agua (Steps Under Water) was published by University of California Press in 1996. The novel has been included in course syllabi of numerous university classes in the United States. The German version of this novel, Schritte unter Wasser, was published by Milena Verlag Editions, Vienna, in 1999.
As a consequence of the publication of Pasos bajo el agua in 1987, Kozameh was threatened by members of the Argentine political police. She returned to California for her family's safety in 1988. Since then, she has been invited by Amnesty International to participate in panel discussions and speak at conferences about her literary works and experiences as a political prisoner. She is frequently invited to give readings and lectures at literary conferences and at special presentations organized by Departments of Languages and Literature throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe. She is an active participant of such organizations as Latin American Studies Association (LASA).
Her most recent works include her third novel, Patas de avestruz (Ostrich Legs), from which several chapters have been published in different literary magazines and anthologies. Straussenbeine, a German translation of the novel, was published by Milena Verlag in 1997. Her novel Basse danse was published in Argentina in 2007. Her novel 259 saltos, uno inmortal, a reflection about exile, was published by Narvaja Publishers, Argentina, in November 2001. Its English version, 259 Leaps, the Last Immortal, came out in the fall of 2006 by WingsPress, Texas.
In 2003 Alción published the Spanish version of Patas de avestruz, and in July 2004 Ofrenda de propia piel, a collection of short stories, came out by the same publishing house. She continues to publish her short stories in magazines and anthologies in different countries and languages, including Hebrew in literary magazines in Israel.
In August 2005 the anthology Caleidoscopio: la mujer en la mira, was published by the Instituto Movilizador de Fondos Cooperativos, Buenos Aires, and in August 2006 Caleidoscopio 2: inmigrantes en la mira came out by the same publisher. The book Escribir una generación: la palabra de Alicia Kozameh contains a collection of academic works about Kozameh’s novels and stories, and was also published by Alción Editora in 2005.She is also working in her fifth novel, Cantata, and several short stories and poems.
Kozameh teaches "Literatur
During her exile, she published works in Mexico and California and wrote her first novel, El séptimo sueño (The Seventh Dream), an unpublished manuscript about prison. She returned to Argentina in 1984, after the Falklands War and the return of democratic elections to her country. In 1987, the Editorial Contrapunto, in Buenos Aires, published her second novel, Pasos bajo el agua (Steps Under Water), a fictionalized account of her experiences as a political prisoner and an exile. Many other articles and stories were published in newspapers and cultural magazines in Buenos Aires during that period, as well as reviews of Pasos bajo el agua, which sold out in six months. In Buenos Aires, she completed a screenplay based on her novel Pasos bajo el agua. The English translation of Pasos bajo el agua (Steps Under Water) was published by University of California Press in 1996. The novel has been included in course syllabi of numerous university classes in the United States. The German version of this novel, Schritte unter Wasser, was published by Milena Verlag Editions, Vienna, in 1999.
As a consequence of the publication of Pasos bajo el agua in 1987, Kozameh was threatened by members of the Argentine political police. She returned to California for her family's safety in 1988. Since then, she has been invited by Amnesty International to participate in panel discussions and speak at conferences about her literary works and experiences as a political prisoner. She is frequently invited to give readings and lectures at literary conferences and at special presentations organized by Departments of Languages and Literature throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe. She is an active participant of such organizations as Latin American Studies Association (LASA).
Her most recent works include her third novel, Patas de avestruz (Ostrich Legs), from which several chapters have been published in different literary magazines and anthologies. Straussenbeine, a German translation of the novel, was published by Milena Verlag in 1997. Her novel Basse danse was published in Argentina in 2007. Her novel 259 saltos, uno inmortal, a reflection about exile, was published by Narvaja Publishers, Argentina, in November 2001. Its English version, 259 Leaps, the Last Immortal, came out in the fall of 2006 by WingsPress, Texas.
In 2003 Alción published the Spanish version of Patas de avestruz, and in July 2004 Ofrenda de propia piel, a collection of short stories, came out by the same publishing house. She continues to publish her short stories in magazines and anthologies in different countries and languages, including Hebrew in literary magazines in Israel.
In August 2005 the anthology Caleidoscopio: la mujer en la mira, was published by the Instituto Movilizador de Fondos Cooperativos, Buenos Aires, and in August 2006 Caleidoscopio 2: inmigrantes en la mira came out by the same publisher. The book Escribir una generación: la palabra de Alicia Kozameh contains a collection of academic works about Kozameh’s novels and stories, and was also published by Alción Editora in 2005.She is also working in her fifth novel, Cantata, and several short stories and poems.
Kozameh teaches "Literatur
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 6, 2012
This book initially had me lost in a swirl of fragmented memories and various different narrative styles. Upon a deeper discussion about this book in class, I began to appreciate this format for the idea behind it. Written by Kozmaeh in reflection upon her years of being a political prisoner in Argentina, this book confirms the unimaginably harsh impact of an experience of that extreme, both physically and emotionally. The fragmentation of the book mirrors the patchy memories that will always haunt her. After attending a reading by Kozameh last night, I walked away with complete adoration for her as a writer and as a strong and sweet person overall (I would never believe she has gone through such a terror), and this encounter increased my understanding of Steps Under Water immensely. She explained the fragmentation of the book as reflective of her daily mental struggle to jerk herself back to the present reality while the memories of those days continue to intrude. She emphasized that such memories must never disappear, or history will repeat itself and the innocent will always suffer as a result, and thus we have this book to remind of us this.
April 13, 2010
an amazing novel of detention during Argentina's Dirty War. Kozameh's use of detail and dialogue weave a skillful spell. what i liked best about this work was that it gave me a sense of the survivor's perspective - it never tried to recapture the experience of pre-arrest "innocence" (i use quotes because "guilt" had nothing to do with arrest), even when narrating the arrest scene. the voice is consistent and engaging, the language forceful and evocative. the translation is excellently done.
i'd recommend this work whole-heartedly.
i'd recommend this work whole-heartedly.
June 18, 2013
This book really evoked the thoughts and feelings of those who suffered under a repressive, military regime. I liked its polyvocality (it's more about community than individual, after all), but I did sometimes get a little lost with who was speaking.
July 29, 2023
Rating: 3.5/5 🌟
Kozameh has a very unique voice and way of telling her own story. I actually had her for a class at Chapman University, and seeing her in person—interacting with her, hearing more of her life directly from her—definitely helped me understand and appreciate this book a little more. I think it is lacking that side of her that I got to see in class, which is a very energetic, hectic, and (sometimes) humorous side.
Kozameh has a very unique voice and way of telling her own story. I actually had her for a class at Chapman University, and seeing her in person—interacting with her, hearing more of her life directly from her—definitely helped me understand and appreciate this book a little more. I think it is lacking that side of her that I got to see in class, which is a very energetic, hectic, and (sometimes) humorous side.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews