Last Evenings on Earth by Roberto Bolaño

The narrator tells of how he was arrested by government forces only to be rescued his former classmates and even though he was not tortured he heard the cries of others being tortured. My favourite story in the collection is Dance Card which was written in the first person and has been claimed to be a chronicle of an incident in the writer's life. It traces the life of Moore (and sometimes her sister) from when she was young into adulthood. The story records the somewhat Bohemian and epicurean life of a young girl who, with much promise and a good beginning, almost lost it all. Anne Moore is one story which is an exception to the rule: it is not about a Chilean in exile, neither is it about a writer however, the Anne went to and met several Spanish writers and other individuals. I like the way this particular story went. This behaviour of A creates extreme apprehension in B who is eager to meet A. Has this writer seen himself in the work? Is he pretending? B writes a second book and before the book will come out A has reviewed it. A Literary Adventure, one of my favourites, is about a lesser-known writer, B, who parodies a well-known writer, A, but instead of the usual verbal hassle he expected, he received rave reviews from this author. Desperation, depression and frustration virtually ooze off the pages of this work of Bolano. Enrique Martin is also about a failed poet who later became a science fiction writer and who later committed suicide.

During the World War II he provided immense help to several individuals and eminent writers, yet each never regarded him more than what he is. He ekes his living from a gutter press where he apes the writings of those he regard in high esteem. Henri Simon Leprince also traces the life of a lower middle class individual who has failed as a writer and in almost everything. It was clear that Sensini survived solely on such competitions.

Sensini shared with the narrator not only his life's story but also techniques and tricks about entering into writing competitions. The relationship between the two, though frank, was not an easy one. A friendship developed between Sensini, the man in question, and the narrator and through exchanges Sensini told the stranger his life: of how he lives in exile and senile of how he wishes to see his homeland of how he looks forward to meeting his first son who is presumed death. The first story Sensini is about a man who enters a short story competition and came fourth and after reading the first three stories found out that the third story was better than the first and second winning stories.

Last Evenings on Earth by Roberto Bolaño