The Exiles and Other Stories (Texas Pan American Series)
by Horacio Quiroga
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Tales of risk and danger, suffering, disease, horror, and death. Tales, also, of courage and dignity, hard work, and human endurance in the face of hostile nature and the frequent brutality of men. And tales flavored with piquant touches of humor and bemused irony. These are the stories of the Uruguayan writer Horacio Quiroga, here presented in an important compilation of thirteen of his most compelling tales, sensitively selected and translated by J. David Danielson. Author of some two show more hundred pieces of fiction, often compared to the works of Kipling, Jack London, and Edgar Allan Poe, Quiroga set many of his stories in the territory of Misiones in northeastern Argentina, the subtropical jungle region where he spent much of his life. Included here are stories from Los desterrados (1926) often said to be his best book, as well as others from Cuentos de amor de locura y de muerte (1917), Anaconda (1921), and El Desierto (1924). The publication of this selection marks the first appearance in English of all but two of the thirteen stories. Quiroga here presents a wide range of characters: parents and children, servant girls and prostitutes, landowners and lumber barons, foremen and laborers, natives and immigrants, in stories pervaded by a vision of life that is elemental, incisive, and essentially tragic. The Exiles and Other Stories shows the versatility and skill that have made him a classic Spanish American writer. It complements and illumines The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories, selected and translated by Margaret Sayers Peden, also published by the University of Texas Press. show lessTags
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Primarily set in Argentina and the jungles of the Misiones territory in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, these are tales of adventure, danger, and the pioneering men of the jungle and times. While some of the stories are comparable to the best adventure stories I've come across, and others are very nearly more along the lines of character sketches of curious characters, the book as a whole paints a vivid illustration of an unpredictable jungle, and the visions within.
Writing-wise, Quiroga's work is comparable to Joseph Conrad, and while it feels somewhat dated at times, that doesn't make it any less enjoyable in the reading. (The introduction and another review also compare him to Jack London and Rudyard Kipling, but show more I'm not so familiar with their work as to feel safe vouching for that comparison!) Similarly, anyone who reads the book as a whole might also be reminded of Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio--bit characters in one story turn out to have larger roles in other stories, and reading the book through as a whole makes for an inter-winding collection that, I think, is stronger and more fluid for the connections (though, without a doubt, the stories generally stand on their own).
In the end, there's no doubt that some of the stories are far more powerful than others, with a few of the clear stand-outs being "Beasts in Collusion", "The Charcoal-Makers", "The Wilderness", and "The Forerunners", all of which are alive with suspense, and truly wonderful depictions of the adventures and horrors of the jungle. (That said, be warned--there are a few horrific moments tied up in these stories, especially "Beasts in Collusion", which horrified me even as I couldn't put it down...) Granted, other stories aren't so powerful here, but the ones I noted above made the full work well worth discovering.
In the end, if you're a fan of jungle or adventure stories similar to the work of Jack London or Joseph Conrad, or if you're in the market for some entertaining short stories which are full of atmosphere and wonderful characters, I'd absolutely recommend this collection. show less
Writing-wise, Quiroga's work is comparable to Joseph Conrad, and while it feels somewhat dated at times, that doesn't make it any less enjoyable in the reading. (The introduction and another review also compare him to Jack London and Rudyard Kipling, but show more I'm not so familiar with their work as to feel safe vouching for that comparison!) Similarly, anyone who reads the book as a whole might also be reminded of Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio--bit characters in one story turn out to have larger roles in other stories, and reading the book through as a whole makes for an inter-winding collection that, I think, is stronger and more fluid for the connections (though, without a doubt, the stories generally stand on their own).
In the end, there's no doubt that some of the stories are far more powerful than others, with a few of the clear stand-outs being "Beasts in Collusion", "The Charcoal-Makers", "The Wilderness", and "The Forerunners", all of which are alive with suspense, and truly wonderful depictions of the adventures and horrors of the jungle. (That said, be warned--there are a few horrific moments tied up in these stories, especially "Beasts in Collusion", which horrified me even as I couldn't put it down...) Granted, other stories aren't so powerful here, but the ones I noted above made the full work well worth discovering.
In the end, if you're a fan of jungle or adventure stories similar to the work of Jack London or Joseph Conrad, or if you're in the market for some entertaining short stories which are full of atmosphere and wonderful characters, I'd absolutely recommend this collection. show less
Cuentos de Quiroga, Anaconda, Los Desterrados, el Hombre Muerto, Tacuara Mansión, Los destiladores de Naranjas.
Jun 25, 2010Spanish
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225+ Works 2,723 Members
One of the fathers of the Spanish American short story, Quiroga participated extensively in the modernist movement in Montevideo and later lived in the tropical province of Misiones. Although best known as the author of stories about the jungle that reveal the dangers at every step, he also wrote imaginative fantastic tales among the best of their show more kind in an area that has produced a great number of such authors. His work, like his life (he eventually committed suicide), is filled with violent tragedy and a sense of foreboding. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Original title
- Los Desterrados
- Original publication date
- 1926
- Important places
- Uruguay
- Related movies*
- Prisioneros de la tierra (1939)
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- Members
- 80
- Popularity
- 395,704
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.80)
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 19
- ASINs
- 4
