29 Ways to Drown by Niki Aguirre
Synopsis:
Influenced by a Latin American literary tradition steeped in magic realism, but embracing a personal history that has included living in Chicago, Cadiz, Guayaquil and London, Niki Aguirre's fiction conveys a gritty, often scientifically-sophisticated, world with a haze of surrealism: shamans parade the pages side-by-side with lovesick film buffs, papers and humans fly at will, and intellectual and professional quests lead to self-destruction. Whether it's a boy trapped at age fourteen after a botched attempt to capture time in a capsule, an organic seed distributor entrapping an errant lover with a replica pre-Columbian artifact, or a woman attempting to drown herself in a water aerobics class in London, the stories in 29 Ways to Drown grip by their absolute logic and the sheer absurdity of the inevitable truths they unravel.
Book Excerpt:
One summer evening, in the middle of the night, Luis Alberto Ibarra sent for his seven offspring and prepared to dispatch them to the hereafter with a Colt 45. This was their punishment, said my grandfather as he lined up the children by order of height, for the misfortune of having a harlot for a mother. Luis was a neat and elegantly dressed man; a successful textile merchant with a penchant for pince-nez and pocket watches. His business took him out of town 22 days of the month, and though he spent the majority of his hours on the road, he enjoyed his work, for it afforded him ample time to contemplate his good fortune. He had a ravishing wife, a lovely house and 7 healthy children – 4 of them strong sons who would one day take over his textile empire. “When you are older,” he promised the boys, “I will take you on the Condor Express.” “What is the Condor father?” “Only the most marvellous invention! A sleek bullet of technological perfection – you should see her – glimmers like a bird on silver wings, but she flies like a demon.” “Luis,” warned Ikela. “When you are older,” he continued, ignoring his wife, “I will show you the demon in action.” To his daughters he promised nothing, but now and then he brought them a little bag of sweets. On this fateful day – the day of this story – grandfather only pretended to leave for his trip. A few hours later, he slipped back in the house and found grandmother Ikela in the embrace of another man. No one is quite sure what transpired between my grandparents. What is known is that Luis called for his progeny, lined them up in a row and threatened to kill them. Despite his accusations, my adulteress grandmother stood like a statue, while seven pairs of eyes burned into the back of her nightgown. “What are you waiting for?” she said to her husband. “Go ahead and shoot me. But why are the children out of their beds? This is between us, old fool.” “They are here so they can see the whore they have for a mother!” he roared, the gun shaking in his hand. “What’s the matter Luis, don’t you know how to use your pistol? Tell me you didn’t call your sons here so they can witness your incompetence? Now either kill me or release me so I can go back to bed.” “The only place you are going is to hell, Blackbird,” spat grandfather, his grip tightening around the Colt.
Topics/Categories:
Contemporary relationships, Depression, drowning, Dysfunctional families, Dysfunctional relationships, Latin America, Magic Realism, Marriage, surreal, wanderlust
Type of Work:
Publishers:
Purchase From:
Original Publish Date:
10/25/2007
ISBNs:
0954157028
Formats:
Paperback
- Send To A Friend
- Bookmark With:
