Humberto Costantini (1924–1987)

Loved this book, a funny story about terrible things, such as state terrorism. In Buenos Aires in 1974 the military dictatorship is kidnapping, torturing and "disappearing" people in droves. Police and the army plus paramilitary forces jointly plot these crimes--but are they all that's behind it?

The denizens of Mount Olympus, it turns out, have their own interests in the game. Hermes, Athena and Aphrodite in particular take note of the nefarious plot to massacre on a certain day the innocent show more and harmless members of the poetry club "Polimnia". But once they find out Hades is behind it, they concede there's nothing they can do, as even gods can't go against Death. They decide to make the mortals' last hours on Earth especially pleasant and joyful, so the poetry meeting on the fateful day is filled with sudden declarations of love personal and universal.

The short chapters alternate the narration by the shy middle-aged sonneteer José María Pulicicchio, the Olympians, and police files.

ZIMMERMAN SARA PRECAKSSKY DE

Polish, 55 years, married, journalist

Known Communist activist. Fulfills her function occupying key posts in diverse cultural fields. Member of independent theatres, women's union, cooperative societies, literary studios, leagues for the protection of abandoned felines, subcommittees of culture, film clubs, neighbourhood libraries, painting exhibitions, poetry reviews, folklore circles and other organs of Marxist infiltration and propaganda. show less

The knowledge that human cruelty conjured by poisonous political passions provides the inspiration for some of our finest literature is cause for both mourning and rejoicing. Add Constantini’s The Gods, the Little Guys, and the Police to the list of superior works (The Lizard’s Tail, Diary of the War of the Pig, Artificial Respiration, etc) inspired by Argentina’s Dirty War.

What we have here is an emotionally rich, suspenseful, sad but hopeful tale of poetry and furtive affection show more menaced by irrational suspicions. The advantage that armed ideology has over simple human kindness and creativity seems overwhelming until the ancient gods—jealous, vindictive, petty—intervene. In the end, this is a tale that impressively transcends the context of its own creation. show less

There are so many amazing Latin American writers. There are so many amazing Latin American political satires. How have these people survived all the dictatorships? All the US brutal interference in their countries? It's practically miraculous. Maybe that's one explanation for Magical Realism: you'd have to feel like miracles were happening if you were a critical intellectual surviving the Argentinian dictatorships of the 1970s. This particular author survived by being exiled to Mexico. The show more novel is about a poetry club whose members are all marked for death by a death squad. show less

Háblenme de Funes, un oratorio en el que el mido de Orfeo es trasladado a un submundo tanguero de los años 40, integra -según el crítico Horacio Salas- la antología de Buenos Aires. En "Amarillo sol, amarillo pétalo, amarillo flamante, amarillo poema" Constantini logra a través de un lenguaje rico, imaginativo, centelleante a veces, algo más que un gozoso canto a la vida: sus personajes, aunque vívidos y reales, se transforeman de pronto en una metáfora que abarca la humanidad.