Formas Breves = Short Forms

Argentine writer Piglia is the most perceptive contemporary reader of that nation's literature and perhaps its best practitioner. This diary of short essays is of particular interest, as it doubles as the author's first rough attempt at an autobiography. Here Piglia pays homage to his favorite authors and scans their styles so skillfully that one would think the authors had barcoded their works specifically for him. Like Borges, Piglia goes from reading to emotion, and from emotion to poetry, so that his critical analysis provokes an unexpectedly heartfelt reaction, an effect that is heightened by the book's conversational tone. Piglia also includes transcriptions of actual conversations he's had around crowded caf tables, where he and his friends discuss authors' feats and flaws in the same way that other Latin Americans debate the triumphs and failures of lovers, soccer players, and politicians. For many readers, these transciptions may prove the most pleasurable part of the book. But as a whole this is really an extended conversation. It is as if Piglia had invited us to pull one more chair around the table, participate in his modern symposium, and appreciate his many real and imagined friends. Strongly recommended for all libraries and bookstores. Silvia Gil de Cwilich, New York City