His Name was Death (Paperback)

Rafael Bernal

ISBN 10: 081123083X / ISBN 13: 9780811230834

Published by New Directions Publishing Corporation, New York, 2021

About this Item

Paperback. A bitter drunk forsakes civilization and takes to the Mexican jungle, trapping animals, selling their pelts to buy liquor for colossal benders, and slowly rotting away in his fetid hut. His neighbors, a clan of the Lacodon tribe of Chiapas, however, see something more in him than he does himself (dubbing him Wise Owl): when he falls deathly ill, a shaman named Black Ant saves his lifeand, almost by chance, in driving out his fever, she exorcises the demon of alcoholism as well. Slowly recovering, weak in his hammock, our antihero discovers a curious thing about the mosquitoes buzzing, which to human ears seemed so irritating and pointless. Perhaps, in fact, it constituted a language he might learnand with the help of a flute and a homemade dictionaryeven speak. Slowly, he masters Mosquil, with astonishing consequences Will he harness the mosquitoes global might? And will his new powers enable him to take over the world thats rejected him? A book far ahead of its time, His Name Was Death looks down the double-barreled shotgun of ecological disaster and colonial exploitationand cackles a graveyard laugh. Never before in English, this legendary precursor to eco-fiction turns the coming insect apocalypse on its headA Wall Street Journal Best Science Fiction Book of 2021 Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780811230834

Bibliographic Details

• Title: His Name was Death (Paperback)
• Publisher: New Directions Publishing Corporation, New York
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 081123083X
• ISBN 13: 9780811230834
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Never before in English, this legendary precursor to eco-fiction turns the coming insect apocalypse on its head

A Wall Street Journal Best Science Fiction Book of 2021

A bitter drunk forsakes civilization and takes to the Mexican jungle, trapping animals, selling their pelts to buy liquor for colossal benders, and slowly rotting away in his fetid hut. His neighbors, a clan of the Lacodón tribe of Chiapas, however, see something more in him than he does himself (dubbing him Wise Owl): when he falls deathly ill, a shaman named Black Ant saves his life―and, almost by chance, in driving out his fever, she exorcises the demon of alcoholism as well. Slowly recovering, weak in his hammock, our antihero discovers a curious thing about the mosquitoes’ buzzing, “which to human ears seemed so irritating and pointless.” Perhaps, in fact, it constituted a language he might learn―and with the help of a flute and a homemade dictionary―even speak. Slowly, he masters Mosquil, with astonishing consequences… Will he harness the mosquitoes’ global might? And will his new powers enable him to take over the world that’s rejected him? A book far ahead of its time, His Name Was Death looks down the double-barreled shotgun of ecological disaster and colonial exploitation―and cackles a graveyard laugh.

About the Authors

Rafael Bernal (1915-1972) was a Mexican diplomat and novelist, best known for his crime novels, including The Mongolian Conspiracy (New Directions).

Kit Schluter is the author of Cartoons (City Lights, 2024) and has recently translated books from the French and Spanish by Copi, bruno darío, Rafael Bernal, Mario Levrero, Marcel Schwob, Olivia Tapiero, and Enrique Vila-Matas. He lives in Mexico City.