photos from an abandoned observatory—never before translated into English—is perhaps Cortázar's most unconventional work. With a dream-logic of its own, the narrative flows from Jaipur to Paris, weaving in glimpses of the unearthly structures of a magical observatory (the brainchild of a local sultan) with descriptions of the life cycle of the Atlantic eel.Julio Cortázar (1914–1984) is one of the true giants of twentieth century Latin American literature. His previous works include Autonauts of the Cosmoroute, Diary of Andrés Fava (Archipelago Books), Hopscotch, and numerous collections of short stories.

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