Contemporary Latin American Short Stories

by Pat McNees

Striking in its imagery, its history, and its breathtaking scope, Latin American fiction has finally come into its own throughout the world. Collected in this brilliant volume are thirty-five of the finest writers of this century, including:

Jorge Luis Borges

Carlos Fuentes

Julio Cortazar

Miguel Angel Asturias

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Jorge Amado

Octavio Paz

Juan Bosch

Jose Donoso

Horacio Quiroga

Mario Vargas Llosa

Abelardo Castillo

Guillermo Cabrera Infante

And many more

Genres: Short Stories, Anthologies, Latinx, Fiction

390 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 1979

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I taught this anthology of Latin American Short Stories ed by McNees in the 90's in my Freshman Comp 2. One author, Bosch, became Pres of Dominican Republic after the assassination of Trujillo. Ruben Dario, Nicauraguan, served as a diplomat in Madrid and Paris. Admirably, South America still valued writers, promoted them to positions of power as the US did in the 19C--Hawthorne was an ambassador to England. Also, arguably Spanish writers are the greatest in the 20th C, here many of the greats: Garcia Marquez, Fuentes, Vargas Llosa. Also arguably, one of the greatest English writers of the later 20C is the Trinidadian VS Naipaul (family from India), whose Miguel Street I also taught other semesters in the same Freshman Comp-Lit.

Marie Luis a Bombal's "The Tree" refers to Mozart, Beethoven and "the rain continued to murmur in the music of Chopin. Summer tore the leaves from its burning calendar"(242). "The Tree! They have cut down the Tree" causes the speaker to leave--as I feel when my local Conservation Trust tore down two dozen roadside maples from my neighborhood I cannot leave. Bombal has an answer I need, "It may be true happiness lies in the conviction that one has los happiness"(243).
The Argentine Roberto Arlt's "Small-Time Property Owners" contrasts laws and codes invoked by two characters, but it also conjurs issues I raised in other writers, Robert Frost on the property-owner, "Whose woods these are I think I know...He will not see me stopping here..." as if the Yankee owner might want to charge admission just to view his woods! Arlt also raises the illiteracy of Cosmé's wife; I researched Renaissance illiteracy--16C English aristocrats sometimes signed with an X, and few but gentry women were literate after the closing of the nunneries until the rise of Church literacy projects. I ran a Shakespeare Association of America seminar in 1988 (Seattle) on "Shakespeare and Oral Culture," and I published on handshake marriages in his plays.

My assignment on Arlt included "How does the word 'bourgeois' relate to this story, especially the end, the behavior of the wives? What theme in Art is similar to the Folk Tale by Quiroga? [Envy.]
For their essay on the whole book, I urged, "Describe in some detail how women are treated--apparently EXPECT to be treated-- in stories by Machado de Assis, Donoso, and Bombal. Would women in contemporary (North) American culture react similarly in all three cases? Which story is closest to our culture and why?

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemporary Latin American Short Stories is an anthology of thirty-five short stories which was collected and edited by Pat McNees. This anthology is a compilation of thirty-five short stories – well thirty-three short stories and two excerpts from novels that is written by Latino and Latina authors around the world.

For the most part, I really like most of these contributions. Contemporary Latin American Short Stories is an anthology collection of thirty-five entries from different authors from fourteen Latin American countries and Puerto Rico with Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico taking the bulk of the entries with works dating from 1890s–1970s – not exactly contemporary, but still worthwhile. Prize winning authors are represented from International Publishers Prize to a Nobel Laureate.

Like most anthologies there are weaker contributions and Contemporary Latin American Short Stories is not an exception. Comparatively speaking, there are a few short stories that aren't as written as well as others, but they are few and far in-between and didn't dampen my joy in reading this anthology.

All in all, Contemporary Latin American Short Stories is a wonderful collection short stories from Latino authors – although I wouldn't call them contemporary, it is still a worthwhile read – especially during Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month.

[Robert Morgan Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the absence of Bolaño (this was compiled before he blew up) and the dated stories (I mean some of these are OLD), there is a timelessness to these tales. Much of Latin America seems stuck in time due to international neglect, corruption and toxic male buffoonery. Yet save for the absence of cell phones and computers which are now pervasive worldwide, these stories are masterful and powerful. Worthy of inclusion in any personal library. These are stories to be savored.

[Julio The Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In Latin America surrealism seeps up from the street."---Gabriel Garcia Marquez. If political horror is your thing try the classic Colombian cuento "Just a Shave" to show you how "hard it is to kill a man." In the mood for Joycean jabberwocky? Try Guillermo Cabrera Infante, whose contribution to this marvelous anthology is a story entirely concentrated on (mis)pronouncing "yes" as "Jes". Or, how about Miguel Puig? His fictional reproduction of a telephone conversation between two housewives is history as gossip. Whatever your taste you will walk away from this anthology famished for more.

[Pranay Suryavanshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the most important books of my life. It broadened my imagination with its utterly impressive visual writing and daring stories making it one of the best compilation of short stories. Although all the stories are riveting but my personal favourites are; How the flamingoes got their stockings, Letter to a young lady in paris and The tree.

[V · Rating 4 out of 5]

A diverse collection of short stories from some of the most famous contemporary Latin American authors of the 20th and 21st centuries. The material is varied and diverse, ranging from allegorical to postmodern, mystery to magical realism; there is romance, irony, horror, suspense, and classic coming of age tales. An excellent starter for anyone who is interested in exploring Latin American literature, but uncertain of where to start.

At the time of this review, I have read the following for a module:

Leopoldo Lugones "Yzur" - 3.5/5
Juan Bosch "Two Dollars Worth of Water" - 3/5
Jorge Luis Borges "Death and the Compass" - 4.5/5
Julio Cortázar "Letter to a Young Lady in Paris" - 5/5
Hernando Téllez "Just Lather, That's All" - 4/5
María Luisa Bombal "The Tree" - 3/5
Carlos Fuentes "The Doll Queen" - 4/5
Gabriel García Márquez "Balthazar's Marvellous Afternoon" - 4/5
Mario Vargas Llosa "Sunday" - 3/5

Aggregate Score: 3.7, but for the sake of round numbers it's 4 stars.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

At their best, certain stories are flowery, spiritual, layered, symbolic, eery. Some have interesting tension in a domestic or small town situation.

At their worst, some of the writers seem more amused by their own cleverness or esoteric references than I was. In some the women are narrowly presented (prostitutes, unfaithful girlfriends).

Favorite stories: Big Precipice (Jorge Icaza), The Third Bank of the River (Joao Guimaraes Rosa), Legend of El Cadejo (Miguel Angel Asturias), Paseo (Jose Donoso) and Just Lather, That's All (Hernando Tellez).

Least favorite stories: Letter to a Young Lady in Paris (Julio Cortazar), I'm Telling You The Truth (Juan Jose Arreola), Island in Manhattan (Rene Marquez).

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories from Latin America is "contemporary" as of 1974 when it was published, which makes it a little dated, but still worthwhile. Including a mix of familiar and (mostly to me) unfamiliar authors, each story begins with a brief biographical sketch and overview of the author's career. While the book includes some 19th and early-20th century stories, most of the works are from the 1950s and 1960s. I could have used a few more female authors (only two are included), but that's 1974 for you. The stories are well chosen, well-translated, and a great introduction to the weird, intense, political, and sometimes hilarious world of Latin American fiction.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting collection of Latin American Short stories, most of which I liked, a couple I loved and would like to read in Spanish and a couple I didn't care for at all. All the big authors are represented: Darío, Quiroga, Boges, Paz, Cortázar, Rulfo, García Márquez, Llosa, and many new names to me, such as Alejo Carpentier and Jose Donoso.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are so good, this book (an earlier edition) actually influenced my decision to major in Spanish...

[Jillian Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some magnificent selections within, but the short introductions to the author/ stories can be really uneven.

[Chad Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, excellent collection!

[Mills College Library]

Fiction C7615 1974