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My Documents
My Documents | Alejandro Zambra
8 posts | 8 read | 9 to read
My Documents is the latest work from Alejandro Zambra, the award-winning Chilean writer whose first novel was heralded as the dawn of a new era in Chilean literature, and described by Junot Daz as a total knockout. Now, in his first short story collection, Zambra gives us eleven stories of liars and ghosts, armed bandits and young loversbrilliant portraits of life in Chile before and after Pinochet. The cumulative effect is that of a novelor of eleven brief novels, intimate and uncanny, archived until now in a desktop folder innocuously called My Documents. Zambras remarkable vision and erudition is on full display here; this book offers clear evidence of a sublimely talented writer working at the height of his powers.
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review
monalyisha
My Documents | Alejandro Zambra
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Mehso-so

Feels very masculine, like the stories aren‘t for me. Consistent threads: soccer, technology, sexual assault. The men in the stories are extremely immature; they‘re intentionally half-formed things. They‘re unsure about their sexual identity, their intelligence, their gender performance, their families, their writing, ways to show love. The masculinity portrayed isn‘t being held up as an ideal. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: In fact, all of the stories may serve as a critique of the idea of traditional masculinity — the men‘s brokenness might be blamed, in part, on an inability to make themselves “fit,” on their determination to do so anyway, & on society‘s insistence that they must. But the vibe of the collection still feels sort-of toxic to consume. (edited) 3y
monalyisha 2/2: It‘s been awhile since I‘ve read Moshfegh…but it might capture that same sort of ugly feeling. Ultimately, I think Zambra‘s got talent but his work isn‘t something I enjoyed reading. Favorite stories: “I Smoked Very Well,” & most the stories in Part 4, “Thank You”, “Family Life”, “The Most Chilean Man in the World” (which felt a lot more pathetic). 3y
ChaoticMissAdventures I always find book where I know the author is talented but I do not like what they write to be so interesting. I must read them when I am in very specific moods. 3y
68 likes3 comments
blurb
monalyisha
My Documents | Alejandro Zambra
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I once had a Short Stories Book Club with friends that I made in elementary & high school. I‘ve been buds with one of them for almost 30 years! We‘re mostly all procrastinators & flakes (😅), which means we‘re not consistent about reading or meeting. Covid did us no favors. But we finally made plans to meet again in July! Though I‘m not totally sold on the book (yet, anyway), the thought of getting together is doing my heart so much good. 💞

vivastory That's exciting you're getting together again! I haven't read My Documents, but I did enjoy 3y
monalyisha @vivastory Ohhh! I recognize that one! A friend (not in the club) read & enjoyed it. I didn‘t link it up as being the same author (clearly, I‘ve done no research). I‘m just at the beginning of this collection so there‘s definitely still hope! 3y
vivastory Looking forward to your thoughts on it. Will definitely add to my TBR if you think it's a good one. I've been in a story mood lately 3y
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vivastory Thanks for the recommendations! I see I previously stacked Assimilated Cuban's Guide etc. I think I'll start with that one. 3y
monalyisha @vivastory Great choice. 😉 3y
64 likes7 comments
review
rockpools
My Documents | Alejandro Zambra
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Pickpick

This book of short stories was my #readaroundtheworld #Chile pick - I‘d love to read Zambra‘s novels at some point. They took us around the world, but felt very firmly rooted in Chile, and had a conversational, autobiographical feel (the characters tended to be of an age/background, middling writers, academics, nightshift call-centre workers). Struggling slightly to pinpoint why I liked this so much. Maybe just the tiny details.

TW:rape/abuse

charl08 Not sure there always has to be just one, clear reason to like a book. Sometimes I just like the time in an author's company. Wishlisted! 4y
Currey @RachelO Also, I have loved books because they have captured a time and place, and for one moment I have been there too. 4y
rockpools @charl08 You‘re definitely right there. I‘d love to read more (probably when the libraries are open...) 4y
rockpools @Currey That‘s definitely part of the appeal here. The author‘s just a couple of years younger than me, and I‘ve loved seeing life from the other side of the world at the time I was growing up. Silly things like breakfast cereals “When did they start selling cereal in Chile? The nineties? Suddenly this question seems important” (?!) 4y
49 likes4 comments
blurb
rockpools
My Documents | Alejandro Zambra
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I‘m part-way through my #readaroundtheworld book of short stories for #Chile , and I‘m really loving it. Difficult to say why, though - they‘re ‘slice of life‘ kind of stories, set during and after Pinochet‘s regime. No huge events, no big twists (for so many years I thought short stories had to have a twist!) just work & school & friendships & relationships & messing up & growing up in the 80s - but the stories feel very honest and warm. 👍🏻

squirrelbrain This sounds lovely! 💕 5y
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blurb
Chelapf
My Documents | Alejandro Zambra
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I really, really enjoy Zambra‘s work. I‘ve been reading this collection of short stories over the past couple days while I commute. After finished the previous story, I saw to whom this one was dedicated. I quietly put the book away while I still had 10 minutes left on the train because I knew I wanted to savor this one before bed 🌟

review
AlizaApp
My Documents | Alejandro Zambra
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Pickpick

Short stories from one of Chile‘s best writers. I loved the one about a man quitting smoking, but they‘re all good. #5book5bingo

blurb
BookishFeminist
My Documents | Alejandro Zambra
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Day 2 of #Booktober: Books set in South America! Most are still on my TBR. Other faves are Perfect Days by Raphael Montes, anything by Clarice Lispector, and Daytripper by Fábio Moon & Gabriel Bá, all Brazilian. Countries represented here: Chile ??, Argentina ??, Colombia ??, Brazil ??, Peru ??, & Uruguay ??.

#pocauthors #authorsofcolor #latinxbooks #southamerica #chile #argentina #colombia #brazil #peru #uruguay #diversebooks #wndb

read_diverse_books I would have taken a quick trip to the library if it wasn't so far away and I wasn't hours into my Lazy Sunday. 😁 8y
BookishFeminist @read_diverse_books I hear you! I'm lucky to live near a library so I'm always there. Wish you lived closer to one! 8y
WOCreads Excellent haul! I need to read more LA lit, Women's Fiction sounds right up my alley! 8y
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LeahBergen Love in the Time of Cholera! ❤️❤️❤️ 8y
RealLifeReading Oh wow nice lot of books! I had forgotten about Daytripper which is such a beautiful comic! 8y
Aleida House of the Spirits is an epic favorite. Get some Cuba in there! 🇨🇺 8y
BookishFeminist @Aleida I would have but the prompt was for South America! Cuba is Central/North America. But I love Cuban lit. 😀 Recent favorites of mine are Yoss's science fiction and 8y
Aleida Can't wait to read Yoss. And being Cuban I have to include it in all themes. ;) 8y
BookishFeminist @Aleida Yoss is so good! I need to read his latest translated book. You would love The Distant Marvels if you haven't read it already- I can't stop talking about that book. And if it helps there is some Cuban lit in the Women's Fiction in Latin America book- Lydia Cabrera & Julieta Campos. 😉😀 8y
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blurb
catpdx
My Documents | Alejandro Zambra
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A delight from start to finish. I've become a big fan of Zambra's. Also, good mug choice on the part of the coffeeshop...🌧