Hermano Cerdo – Three Percent

Coverage of the Guadalajara Book Fair

Chad Post — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:24:26 +0000

Still wish I had the money/time to attend the ongoing but instead, the coverage at will have to suffice. They’re posting day-by-day rundowns of events, observations, etc., complete with great pictures. Definitely worth checking out—especially if you read Spanish.

Hermano Cerdo: Issue 23

Chad Post — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:40:05 +0000

As mentioned on Conversational Reading, the new issue of Hermano Cerdo is now available. Included in this issue are articles on Juan Jose Millas’s El Mundo, on Sergio Chejfec’s Los incompletos y Mis dos mundos, and on Daniel Sada’s Casi nunca, which will be published by Graywolf.

New Hermano Cerdo

Chad Post — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:21:13 +0000

For all Spanish readers, the new issue of Hermano Cerdo is now online. In his post about it, Scott Esposito points out this review of a new anthology of fiction by Peruvian women. It would be great if a few more Peruvian women writers made their way into English . . .

Hermano Cerdo's Books of the Year

Chad Post — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:29:20 +0000

I first found out from Scott Esposito of that — the fantastic Spanish-language blog about literature and martial arts — is running an incredible series of posts.

They’ve asked a wide range of authors and editors (mostly Spanish, although not entirely) to name the best book(s) they read this year. (Like The Millions’ these don’t have to be new books.)

I’ve been slowly working my way through all these posts and recommendations, but the one that caught Scott’s eye was of Mis dos mundos by Sergio Chejfec

Chejfec es un escritor argentino (Buenos Aires 1956), tal vez no muy conocido, pero autor de libros tan recomendables como Los incompletos (Alfaguara 2004). En Mis dos mundos desarrolla la crónica de un paseante, de un caminador, en la línea de Walser, Magris o Sebald. Incorpora un sorprendente humor dentro de la densidad germánica de una historia casi inmóvil en la que cuenta básicamente la reflexión sobre el desconcierto general de un viajero extraviado, inteligente y con buena disposición (a todas luces inútil) para acoplarse en un mundo que no parece hecho para él.

In my opinion, when Vila-Matas compares another writer to Sebald and Walser, it’s worth paying attention . . .

New Hermano Cerdo

Chad Post — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:29:46 +0000

Issue #21 of Hermano Cerdo is now available, and looks to have some interesting pieces.

Hermano Cerdo Otra Vez

Melissa Schoenberger — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:44:48 +0000

A new issue of this martial-arts-meets-literature site has . This edition includes a short war story, “Una buena semana,” or, “A Good Week,” by Juan Bonilla, a writer from Bogotá.

I also enjoyed the essay, “Sidekick,” by Miguel Habedero. He writes,
“Hubo una época en la que Juan Villoro era mi sidekick. Batman tenía a Robin, Superman a Kripto, el perro maravilla, y yo tenía a Juan,” or, “There was a time when Juan Villoro was my sidekick. Batman had Robin, Superman had Kripto, the wonder-dog, and I had Juan.” The essay’s humorous and admiring tone persists, and ends with a note that Habedero will continue the story of Villoro in another column.

This issue is full of blog posts, interviews, and short stories – not to mention the martial arts installments – to keep readers of Spanish busy for awhile.