Naked Souls / Desundos del alma – An English/Spanish Bilingual Short Story Collection

By Marisa Estelrich
Translation by Graciela Lucero-Hammer
Book-cover art by Liliana Italiano
Press 53, 91 pages. $14.00
Reviewed by Stephen Page

Marisa Estelrich writes stories that have bizarre characters and plot twists. The reader needs to be open to surrealism and read between the lines in order to understand her intent. Her dream-like narratives are influenced by Borges, Lorca, and Poe.

These stories have no happily-ever-after endings. In fact, some readers may think there are no endings at all. That is not true. Estelrich writes open-window style. A window is opened, a part of a character’s life is shown, and then the window is closed. This style may also be called slice-of-life. The characters in Naked Souls do not experience epiphanies or learn lessons, but the reader does. By writing in this manner, Estelrich allows the reader to participate in the resolutions.

Graciela Lucero-Hammer translates the stories well. She captures all the nuances of Estelrich’s Spanish and translates them into readable, captivating English. Liliana Italiano’s book-cover art is as attractive, surrealistic, and open for interpretation as the stories within.

These are finely wrought stories influenced by the masters of fiction. This book is good for bilingual people, as they can read both versions of the stories. This book is good for anyone learning either English or Spanish, as the side-by-side narratives allow comparison of passages, phrases, words, and comprehension. This book is good for anyone who loves participatory literature at its best.

This book review first published in the Buenos Aires Herald.

Photo of Author, Marisa Estelrich

Photo of translator, Graciela Lucero-Hammer

Photo of book-cover artist, Liliana Italiano

This book may be purchased here:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Naked-Souls-Desnudos-del-Alma/Marisa-Estelrich/e/9780981628080

here: http://cgi.ebay.com/Naked-Souls-%2F-Desnudos-del-alma-:-Marisa-Estelrich-(Paperback,-2009)_W0QQitemZ341229750030QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20091009?IMSfp=TL091009167004r20949

and here, from the publisher, Press 53:http://www.press53.com/NakedSouls.html

another link to this review is here: BA Insider

and here, on Group Pen B.A. Links