Daniel Alarcón crafts fiction and nonfiction that delves into the intricate tapestry of identity and memory, often drawing from his Peruvian heritage. His writing explores the complexities of the post-colonial experience with a keen eye for the nuances of human relationships. Alarcón's distinctive voice offers profound insights into the psychological landscape of his characters.
Longlisted for the National Book Award for Fiction An unforgettable collection of stories from Daniel Alarcon, one of the New Yorker's 20 best writers under 40, and one of the best storytellers of our time.
FINALIST FOR THE PEN/FAULKNER AWARD FOR FICTION LONGLISTED FOR THE DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE A breathtaking, suspenseful search for the truth of one man's spectacular downfall, from Daniel Alarcon, one of the New Yorker's 20 best writers under 40.
Oscar "Chino" Uribe is a young Peruvian journalist for a local tabloid paper. After the recent death of his philandering father, he must confront the idea of his father's other family, and how much of his own identity has been shaped by his father's murky morals. At the same time, he begins to chronicle the life of street clowns, sad characters who populate the violent and corrupt city streets of Lima, and is drawn into their haunting, fantastical world.
The breakout novel from a prizewinning young writer: a “surrealistic tour de force” (O, The Oprah Magazine) about one man’s obsessive search to find the truth of another man’s downfall. Nelson’s life is not turning out the way he hoped. His girlfriend is sleeping with another man; his brother has left their South American country, leaving Nelson to care for their widowed mother; and his acting career can’t seem to get off the ground. That is, until he lands a starring role in a touring revival of The Idiot President, a legendary play by Nelson’s hero, Henry Nuñez, leader of the storied guerrilla theater troupe Diciembre. And that’s when the real trouble begins. Nelson’s fate is slowly revealed through the investigation of the narrator, a young man obsessed with Nelson’s story—and perhaps closer to it than he lets on. In sharp, vivid, and beautiful prose, Alarcón delivers a compulsively readable narrative and a provocative meditation on fate, identity, and the large consequences that can result from even our smallest choices.
American Odysseys is an anthology featuring twenty-two immigrant writers, including notable figures like Dinaw Mengestu and Téa Obreht. Their diverse works range from realism to fantasy, showcasing the richness of American literature and highlighting the contributions of immigrants to the literary landscape.
`Lost City Radio' is a poignant and deeply moving novel from a promising new author, which looks intensely at war's damaging effect on society and the individual.