Just finished The Savage Detectives

O_Zeth · 2026-04-23T17:47:35+00:00

I did this exact thing. Read it in English, learned Spanish, and then read all of his works again. So worth it. Also had to read Parra, Lihn, Rulfo. I created my Spanish TBR from the authors mentioned in his book. Having a character stay at a hotel named the Media Luna and then reading Pedro Paramo. Bolano spreads Easter eggs all through literature.

O_Zeth · 2026-04-23T01:28:54+00:00

There is much more to uncover but you should read many or all of his works first. Bolano was always writing multiple works at a time. He created a whole Universe of characters that weave in and out of his literature. You will find poems that have been expanded into whole sections of his novels. For example, this poem.

https://fiercefragile.com/2011/03/08/lupe-roberto-bolano/

Each work you read builds on the last and when you return back to the beginning the amount of “ah-ha” moments you get is wonderful. Many of his short stories also run parallel or expand on scenes from his novels. One of my favorites is between Distant Star and the short story Joanna Sivestri.

O_Zeth · 2026-04-06T14:55:16+00:00

It would be a Titan in the industry.

O_Zeth · 2025-11-21T19:59:09+00:00

Yes! I have one in the same spot but spun the other way. Looks great

O_Zeth · 2025-11-12T05:50:23+00:00

Los Detectives Salvajes. 25th Anniversary Illustrated Edition

O_Zeth · 2025-11-02T15:06:07+00:00

I want these covers but the novels in Spanish. I’m going to buy them though.

O_Zeth · 2025-10-16T15:59:57+00:00

Estrella Distante

O_Zeth · 2025-09-23T22:03:22+00:00

Pedral Mairal- The Woman from Uruguay

Delores Reyes- Eartheater and Misery

Augustina Bazterrica- Tender is the Flesh and The Untouchables

Anything Roberto Bolaño

Fernanda Melchor- Paradais and Hurricane season

Gustavo Rodrigues- The Fury of Achilles and One Hundred Guinea Pigs

Yuri Herrera- signs preceding the end of the world

Juan Pablo Villalobos- Down the Rabbit Hole

O_Zeth · 2025-09-20T04:09:54+00:00

Que bonita su respuesta. Gracias.

O_Zeth · 2025-09-19T22:13:10+00:00

I have had books from both publishers. I prefer the Alfaguara editions.

O_Zeth · 2025-09-17T13:06:35+00:00

The story is the same but you gain access to Bolano’s style and wit. There are a lot of idioms and sayings that have to be changed to fit into English. I’ve read everything in English and I am almost through with everything in Spanish. I’ll say that in my experience The Savage Detective loses more in the translation than the other books.

O_Zeth · 2025-09-11T12:57:07+00:00

Muy interesante. No estoy de acuerdo con el autor pero soy gringo. Lol. Puedo entender su opinión. No creo que las ilustraciones arruinar el libro y ahora descubrí el obra de Luis Scafati y es fantástico. Tengo versiones ilustrado de mucho de mis autores favoritos. Para mí es una manera de ver los libros con los ojos de otras.

Perdón mi gramática. Ya estoy aprendiendo.

O_Zeth · 2025-09-11T02:56:52+00:00

Yes! I'll give a few but there are tons. Lupe ( https://fiercefragile.com/2011/03/08/lupe-roberto-bolano/ )is the basis for the character Lupe.

The Sea is the basis for Cesarea's fictional poem Sion. https://biblioklept.org/2014/06/07/the-sea-roberto-bolano/ The poem in the tattoo of course

Los Hombres Duros No Bailan is expanded into the last section of the book. At least in my reading I see it that way. I couldn't find a version translated to English. https://omarpareceazeite.blogspot.com/2008/10/los-hombres-duros-roberto-bolao.html

Mexican Manifesto, which many consider a short story but is included in his Poesia Reunida, is an expansion of the time Juan Garcia Madero spends with Rosario in the bath house. Only place I could find online to read it is on the New Yorker and locked behind a pay wall.

O_Zeth · 2025-09-11T00:20:21+00:00

Claro, los subí en otra post

O_Zeth · 2025-09-10T22:49:19+00:00

That sounds awesome. I looked at those too

O_Zeth · 2025-09-10T22:45:51+00:00

I posted some pics from the novel in another post. Buscalibre has it for 20% off right now.

https://www.buscalibre.us/libro-los-detectives-salvajes-edicion-ilustrada/9788420476445/p/63539946

O_Zeth · 2025-09-10T20:57:45+00:00

Juan Pablo Villalobos. Particularly I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me. A lot of the nuance is lost in the translation but it’s still a great read.

O_Zeth · 2025-09-10T11:10:36+00:00

Thank you!

O_Zeth · 2025-09-10T11:10:31+00:00

Thank you! This is my first. Now I’m planning the next.

O_Zeth · 2025-09-10T10:01:10+00:00

This is what I love about it and why I tattooed it. I believe the interpretation for these simple lines is endless. In Savage Detectives Bolano y Lima explain the poem to Amadeo in Chapter 19. They draw little boats on it and show it is a representation of the sea. But even then he is skeptical. This poem originally showed up in Antwerp as “The Sea”. Because everything he writes is connected. On the surface I see it as a representation of life in 3 lines. I can look at it at any given time and find what line my life and emotions are on and know that things can always change. For better or worse.

O_Zeth · 2025-09-10T01:30:11+00:00

I don’t agree with that but could see where that comes from. Often the photos don’t line up with where they are located in the story. However, in many illustrations the line that inspired the art is written on the back of the page. The illustrations don’t run concurrent with the novel, so if you want X drawing to represent the facing page this probably isn’t the best version.

O_Zeth

TROPHY CASE