Osvaldo Soriano (1943–1997)

A Funny Dirty Little War is a brutal black comedy set in the outpost of Colonia Vela during the first sparkings of Argentina's military takeover. It follows the bloody events of a single night, which are sparked by the attempts of the local police to take control of the town council by labeling its members communists and anti-Peronists. Unexpectedly, the councillors fight back, arming themselves and barricading themselves inside the Town Hall as the shooting begins. Local militias aid the show more police, while student organisations mobilise to help the councillors, resulting in a night of horrific violence in the small town.
I absolutely loved this book. At little more than 100 pages it can be read in a single sitting, but it manages to pack a punch far beyond its size. The town of Colonia Vela reminded me of one of the outposts described by Garcia Marquez or Vargas Llosa, where the rules of the rest of the world don't quite apply. The local politics is absurd, with everyone trying to be more Peronist than everyone else, and the swirling nexus of petty power-mongering blurring party lines beyond recognition. It is a comedy, but be warned, the comedy is so dark as to be almost invisible. Characters being killed by being blown through the roof on a toilet, or blowing their own brains out with a faeces covered gun may suggest a scatalogical bent, but the overwhelming feeling of the book is complete shock at the brutality of the terrible events unfolding. Soriano described these events with a subtle power and uncomplicated prose. The dark comedy simply adds to the unbelievable-yet-believable surreality of the explosion of absurd political violence that swept the whole of his country prior to writing this book. This is a wonderful blackly comic novella, but perhaps not for the faint-hearted. show less

Un vero giornalista e un detective di carta, sulle tracce del ciccione e del magrolino, con abbondante condimento di scazzottate cinematografiche, cattivi da film western e Charlie Chaplin troppo immedesimato nel grande dittatore.
Alla fine solo la morte di un gatto riporterà tutti con i piedi per terra.
Un bellissimo libro sulla fine dei miti che hanno accompagnato la nostra adolescenza.

"Todo empezó con la repatriación de los restos de Rosas y con esa lápida que encontré en el cementerio de Pére Lachaise que decía espía argentino. Si un espía tiene una tumba con su nombre, es una trampa para que lo crean muerto. Y la discusión de los historiadores sobre los próceres también refleja ese afán de cambiar el pasado, que creo que es una tendencia muy actual. Un mundo en el que todos cambian todo el tiempo desemboca en la incertidumbre de que nadie es nadie, y eso me show more permitió meterme con la Historia y la actualidad a la vez." OSVALDO SORIANO show less

Set in Colonia Vela three years after the events of Soriano's previous book ('A Funny Dirty Little War'), the military have now moved in, and wholly control the town. They have organised an anniversary celebration for the crushing of the uprising, and invited Galvan, a tango singer, and Rocha, an uncouth and washed-up boxer. The two meet on the train in, and form an uneasy partnership. Galvan is due to sing at the celebrations, Rocha is to fight the army favourite. Galvan falls foul of his show more hosts by refusing to attend mass. As he is thrown out of town, he realises that Rocha is being set up to lose, and that his life may be in danger. Galvan returns to town to try and rescue his unlikely friend.
This book is less brutal than the previous one (though it does have its moments) but retains the same comic absurdity. Galvan and Rocha's relationship is genuinely touching and Soriano once again writes beautifully about his sadness with what has happened to his home country. Whereas the Colonia Vela of the first book felt a long way from Buenos Aires, by the second book the Junta had reached out its tentacles into all corners of Argentina. Galvan's weariness and Rocha's naivety make perfect counterpoints to the growing horror of military rule. This was a touching novel, longer and less bloody than 'A Funny Dirty Little War' and, consequently, had much more emotional pull. If Soriano's first book was very good, the this one was excellent. An author I will look for more of in the future. show less