A Practical Guide to Levitation
Stories
by Jose Eduardo Agualusa
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Pub Date 8 Aug 2023 | Archive Date 14 Jul 2023
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Description
Perfect for readers of Haruki Murakami, Julio Cortázar, and Namwali Serpell’s The Old Drift
Vividly translated into English for the first time by long-time Agualusa collaborator Daniel Hahn, the jewel-like tales gathered in this collection are an exuberant celebration of story-telling in all its various forms.
On the sands of Itamaracá, an old fisherman dreams of fish: shad in the morning, when the water’s smooth and silvery, the Atlantic tarpon after it rains, and a jack when the sea goes blue. Elsewhere, Borges sulks away in a plantation of neverending banana tree, and the president of the United States wakes from a coma speaking only Portuguese.
With “the lyrical experimentalism and unabashed weirdness of the surrealist” (The Arts Desk), Agualusa offers a sly wink to the fictional quality inherent in all narratives, whether they’re fishermen’s tales, national histories, or the stories we tell ourselves.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781953861627 |
| PRICE | US$22.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 256 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 740604
the stores in this collection are utterly refreshing, rejuvenating with a fresh perspective and a compelling voice. from the very first story, where we encounter Borges in banana plantations, I knew I was in good hands and couldn't stop reading the stories. Each story is unique and has a tone of its own, yet collectively, they also tell a take of the human condition.
Katie R, Educator
This is genuinely magical. What a stunning ability to weave a tale with mere word this author has. Genuinely beautiful
Bookseller 173414
Jose Eduardo Agualusa is one of my favourite novelists. I discovered him by having A General Theory of Oblivion pressed into my hand by a customer who told me I had to read it. To read his short stories is a treat. They are clever, witty and very original. The writing is beautiful, and you never know where you will be taken in the tale.
Emma Claire C, Educator
Each story was woven in a way that invested the reader deeply in the characters. Another great read from Archipelago!
Joel S, Reviewer
What a great, unexpected find. I understand if you generally avoid short story collections. Nowadays, more than a few such collections end up presenting as technically accomplished, but also sterile, indulgent, and rather pointless. Not so here. While of course the appeal of the various stories can vary, one is mostly guaranteed to find stories that are whimsical, slightly edgy, and peppered with a generous and worldly sense of humor. The tales are written in a variety of styles, reflect various points of view, and cover a wide range of genre and topic territory. Some are frankly humorous tales; some are slyly humorous confessionals, some are deadpan sendups of such icons as Borges or of overused tropes of magical realism, and some bring about a sudden realization or feeling out of the blue, These are refreshingly original and singular, and a bracing breath of fresh air and invigorating playfulness. Reading Agualusa feels like being taken into his confidence and sharing a private joke with him. What a treat.
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