Last Evenings on Earth - Roberto Bolano

You've probably heard a lot of buzz about Chilean writer Roberto Bolano (1953-2003). Much of his writing has been translated into English in the past few years, but the works you've probably heard about the most are the novels The Savage Detectives and the massive 2666, Bolano's final novel.

I'd heard so many glowing reviews about 2666 that I knew I wanted to read it, but at 900 pages I thought I'd need at least an introduction to Bolano's work before tackling three pounds worth of book. I was delighted to see that our library system carries a copy of Bolano's collection Last Evenings on Earth (translated in 2006).

It's probably important to know that Bolano was born in Chile, but later lived in Mexico, Paris and Spain. It's probably also important to know something about Chilean history and politics (which I do not), but not entirely necessary. All of the fourteen stories in this collection are narrated by men, many of them by a character named "B," certainly a stand-in for the author. In all his incarnations, "B" is a character in exile, sometimes explained, sometimes not. He is nomadic, searching for something (or someone), usually in the world of writers and poets.

Many of these narrators latch onto minor, obscure writers and poets, searching for something either unattainable or so unremarkable that no one else seems very interested in their pursuit. Yet the narrators find a strange sort of consolation and solace in these writers. Maybe it has something to do with being a stranger in a foreign country, maybe it has something to do with political leanings and the yearning to discover a better way of life. The only things certain are Bolano's unpredictability and talent.

Each story carries elements of mystery and sadness. In "Gómez Palacio," a young writer is hired to teach a poetry workshop in a rundown Mexican town, which turns out to be a very depressing experience until he takes a drive through the Mexican desert with the overweight lady who runs the workshop. The workshop director plays the narrator a tape of a woman singing rancheras and bursts into tears. Moments later, she takes the narrator to a spot in the desert where UFOs may or may not converge from time to time (although this is certainly not sf). You can't predict this stuff, but the impact of it all is stunning.

The collection's longest story, "Anne Moore's Life," appears to be a rambling travelogue of a woman who travels from country to country and lover to lover over the span of thirty years. The narrator describes what appears to be random scenes from a free-wheeling, free-spirited life that drifts in and out of relationships with no ultimate purpose, but the distant narrator is a keen observer, able to leave the reader with a strange, yet complete sketch of a woman in search of fulfillment that's never going to happen.

Bolano is a fascinating writer. I wish he were still alive. He finished the manuscript for 2666 literally on his deathbed in 2003. His final wish was to have the five-sectioned novel published in five volumes with one volume released every year. Apparently the publishers ignored his wishes. You can read the complete novel in one hardcover edition (Thank you, Heather!) or in three paperback slipcased volumes. I can't wait to tackle it and get lost in what I know will be a fascinating experience.