The story of a Peruvian Jew, Saul -- an outsider by ethnicity and appearance -- as he is transformed from a conscience-stricken, modern man obsessed with the survival of the pre-modern peoples of the Amazon into a member of the tribe, indeed the tribal storyteller.

Reviews

The author's moral conscience and political consciousness (at one point he considered running for the presidency of Peru) are evidenced in this slim volume, less conventional novel than a blend of memoir, folklore and polemic. The narrator tells of his college friend Saul Zuratas, a man obsessed with preserving the culture of the Machiguengas, a tiny, isolated Indian tribe threatened both by rapacious rubber barons destroying the Amazon jungle and the missionaries who want to bring the Machiguengas into the 20th century. Saul, called Mascarita because of a disfiguring facial birthmark, and doubly an outsider because he is a Jew, has a particular sensitivity to this primitive tribe that seeks to live peacefully with the natural world. The narrative alternates the story of Saul's obsession with chapters relating the Machiguengas' myths, stories handed down by the hablador , or storyteller. Through a remarkable coincidence, the narrator discovers that the mystery surrounding the habladores can be traced to Saul, who has found his destiny among the tribe. Written in the direct, precise, often vernacular prose that Vargas Llosa embues with elegance and sophistication, this is a powerful call to the author's compatriots--and to other nations--to cease despoiling the environment.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In his dazzling new novel, Vargas Llosa (whose works include The War of the End of the World ) shows that "story-telling can be something more than mere entertainment." In alternating chapters, he tells the story of Saul Zuratas, a Peruvian Jew who becomes an habladore (storyteller) to the Machiguengas--a tribe still wandering the Amazon jungle--and the tribe's stories themselves. The examination of the roles of anthropologists and ecologists in preserving the integrity of native societies is here explicit, and the good reader reaps the rewards of a novel that tackles major political issues as it fulfills the basic human need to tell and hear stories. A well-written work, demanding that we think about the results of acculturation and ecological disaster.
- Vincent D. Balitas, Allentown Coll., Center Valley, Pa.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

I DO NOT MAINTAIN AN OPEN SHOP.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

JOHN LUTSCHAK BOOKS
WI, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Payment can be made with VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, DISCOVER, PERSONAL CHECK, INTERNATIONAL BANK DRAFTS in US dollars drawn on a US affilliate bank, MONEY ORDER, OR PAYPAL. If you need or wish to contact me directly by phone you can do so by clicking the BOOKSELLER NAME above or E-MAIL me using the "ASK BOOKSELLER A QUESTION" to the right.

Shipping Terms

Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 14 business days	3 to 6 business days
First item	US$ 5.50	US$ 19.50

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.