In 'Blow-Up', Julio Cortázar presents a captivating exploration of reality versus perception through a series of surreal narratives. The protagonist grapples with the mysteries of existence as seemingly mundane events take on bizarre and profound meanings. Each story unveils a new layer of complexity, inviting readers to question their own understanding of truth. With its innovative structure and thought-provoking themes, Cortázar captivates the imagination, leaving readers pondering the thin line between dreams and reality. Prepare to be enthralled and challenged by a master of magical realism.
By Julio Cortázar
Published: 1985
""A single flick of the wrist can unravel the fabric of reality, revealing a world where each moment is both an echo and a divergence from the last.""
A young girl spends her summer vacation in a country house where a tiger roams . . . A man reading a mystery finds out too late that he is the murderer’s intended victim . . . Originally published in hardcover as End of the Game and Other Stories, the fifteen stories collected here—including “Blow-Up,” which was the basis for Michelangelo Antonioni’s film of the same name—shows Julio Cortázar's nimble capacity to explore the shadowy realm where the everyday meets the mysterious, perhaps even the terrible.
Julio Cortázar (1914-1984) was an Argentine writer and a key figure in Latin American literature. Renowned for his innovative narrative techniques and a deep exploration of existential themes, Cortázar's works often blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy. His most notable works include 'Hopscotch' ('Rayuela'), a groundbreaking novel that invites readers to choose their own path through the narrative, and 'Blow-Up and Other Stories' ('Final del juego'), a collection of short stories that showcase his unique stylistic approach. Cortázar's writing is characterized by its playful structure, surreal elements, and a profound philosophical inquiry into the nature of time and identity, making him a pivotal influence in the Latin American literary boom.
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SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILEY'S WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 'A delicious, important novel' The Times 'Alert, alive and gripping' Independent 'Some novels tell a great story and others make you change the way you look at the world. Americanah does both.' Guardian As teenagers in a Lagos secondary school, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Their Nigeria is under military dictatorship, and people are fleeing the country if they can. Ifemelu--beautiful, self-assured--departs for America to study. She suffers defeats and triumphs, finds and loses relationships and friendships, all the while feeling the weight of something she never thought of back home: race. Obinze--the quiet, thoughtful son of a professor--had hoped to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Thirteen years later, Obinze is a wealthy man in a newly democratic Nigeria, while Ifemelu has achieved success as a writer of an eye-opening blog about race in America. But when Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, and she and Obinze reignite their shared passion--for their homeland and for each other--they will face the toughest decisions of their lives. Fearless, gripping, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story of love and expectation set in today's globalized world.
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“"A single flick of the wrist can unravel the fabric of reality, revealing a world where each moment is both an echo and a divergence from the last."”
Blow-Up
By Julio Cortázar
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