Kates Playground Free Set

BOLAÑOS WILD

exactly three years ago, in March 2005, at a meeting of Latin American literature in Lleida (Lérida) met Paco and Olga Robles Martínez, editors Kandy, an independent publishing house in a short time has become one of the most interesting in the English panorama. They told me they planned to start a collection of books devoted to contemporary English and Latin American authors. I was told that the first volume, on Enrique Vila-Matas was already underway, and would be accompanied by a DVD documentary with an interview and an approach to the world images of the author. As we walked toward the hotel, I remembered that once Faverón Gustavo had planned co-edit a volume of essays on Roberto Bolaño and I decided to offer the project. Before arriving at the hotel, the decision had been taken, and the project got underway.

When I returned to the United States, I realized how overwhelming the work: the books of Celina Manzoni ( Roberto Bolaño: literature as bullfighting , 2002) and Patricia Espinosa ( Territories flight: studies critical of the work of Roberto Bolaño , 2003), have opened remarkable paths of study, but Bolaño's death in 2003 and the publication in 2004 of the monumental 2666 novel had quickly become a canonical author, not only for central Latin American literature but also beyond the American continent. With Gustav, we began to think of the main thrusts of the book. Gustavo wrote an essay on Bolaño's relations with Argentina literature, I would take care of the introduction. We think a good title would Bolaño wild, since it referred only to The Savage Detectives ; also wanted to suggest how little had been domesticated in his fleeting passage Bolaño the literary world, his vocation as a sniper.

Kandy was interested in a volume that went beyond the academic audience, had to select the best texts on increasingly Bolaño profuse literature, writers and critics of reference in the world of the Chilean writer and make a public announcement in an attempt to receive academic work at that time were studying the work of Bolaño. As Gustavo and I were dedicated to it throughout 2006, Kandy began to prepare the documentary on Bolaño, getting to do that was directed by Eric Haasnoot, a Dutch based makes it a good time in Barcelona.

We were surprised how much academic work arrived. From Latin America, U.S., Europe. Select the best, most representative, was not easy, he had to think about a balance and try to cover all the work-for example, came several very good jobs on Star distant, so that one class had to be excluded - and also to appreciate the state of the art ': a snapshot of how it was Bolaño reading today. Thus, we could have, among others, Manzoni (a pioneer in studies on Bolaño), Chris Andrews (one of the translators of Bolaño), critic and writer Peter Elmore Peruvian and Chilean critics young and Valeria de los Rios and Matthew Ayala. In those jobs were added the texts of critics and writers known: Vila-Matas, Strawberry, Villoro, Boulton, Pauls, Franz, Iwasaki, Volpi, Echevarría, Masoliver Rodenas.

send the manuscript in mid-2007. Months later, Kandy responded with their observations and comments. In the exchange of views, the book was finding its final form: over 500 pages, twenty-five essays that demonstrate how complex the Chilean writer's literary world, and the fascination of his person. Appeared an unpublished interview given by Sonia Hernandez and Marta Puig. The documentary, "Bolaño close", grew up to 40 minutes, Carolina López, Bolaño's widow, helped Eric allowing access to files.

As is the case with anthologies, there will be discussions: why this text was included, why they excluded these others. Gustavo and I took the risk and hope that Bolaño wild is a reference book that helps give a deeper insight of Roberto Bolaño, and allowed to continue enjoying and analyzing a narrative and poetic universe that still has many surprises to offer. The documentary, filmed in Blanes, Barcelona and Mexico City, will serve for a better contextualization of the work.

wild Bolaño, accompanied by the DVD will be released in early April. Paco and Olga, meanwhile, continue with their fervent and tireless work: Kandy issued also in April's place Piglia (edited by Jorge Carrion), and by October it announced a book about Juan Marse.

(Published in The Third Report of , March 23, 2008)