The Things We Don't Do

Description

Inspired by Borges and Cortazar, and echoing Vila Matas and Zarraluki, Neuman regards both life and literature's big subjects - identity, relationships, guilt and innocence, the survival of extreme circumstances, creativity and language - with a quizzical, philosophical eye. Shining from the page with both irony and mortal seriousness, these often tragicomic 'stories of ideas' vacillate between the touching and the absurd, in the best tradition of Spanish storytelling. This is the first ever English collection of Andres Neuman's short fiction, containing thirty-five short stories and four sets of 'Twelve Rules for a Storyteller'. Andres Neuman was born in Buenos Aires in 1977, and grew up and lives in Spain. The son of Argentinian emigre musicians, he has published numerous novels, short stories, essays and poetry collections. Pushkin Press also publishes his novels Talking to Ourselves and Traveller of the Century, which was awarded the Alfaguara Prize and the National Critics Prize, and shortlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

Andres Neuman was born in Buenos Aires in 1977, and grew up and lives in Spain. The son of Argentinian emigre musicians, he has published numerous novels, short stories, essays and poetry collections. Pushkin Press also publishes his novels Talking to Ourselves and Traveller of the Century, which won the Alfaguara Prize and the National Critics Prize, and was shortlisted for the 2013 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and the 2014 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

This is writing of a quality rarely encountered... when you read Neuman's beautiful novel, you realise a very high bar has been set Guardian Neuman has a discerning eye for the foibles of human existence and yet an unwavering compassion for, and understanding of, them Elif Shafak [The collection shows] Neuman's restless spirit of invention, and... his commitment - all the more striking in so ambitious a novelist - to exploring the bottomless possibilities of the short story form TLS Delivering deceptively straightforward takes on faith, mortality and love with sour irony and humour, Neuman reflects on contemporary life's honest moments with warmth and candour Monocle Language springs from the page vitally, and each word finds its place in the story... What sustains throughout the book is the skill with which the very best short fiction writers are endowed; the ability to twist these amusing stories into something quite dark with the turn of a phrase... The Things We Don't Do is an entertaining and profound collection which makes the reader consider the world in a new light Booktrust Neuman is one of the rare writers who can distill the most complex human emotions with apparent effortlessness. Bolano's prophecy seems to have come true: Andres Neuman has transcended the boundaries of geography, time, and language to become one of the most significant writers of the early twenty-first century Music and Literature All share an almost cinematographic lucidity and immediacy... this is a work that is an ideal starting point for those not yet acquainted with Neuman's work Euro Lit Network