On the day he learned he was going to die, the narrator's grandfather took his daughter-in-law to the Museum of Fine Arts in Bilbao to reveal a family-related painting. Years later, her son Kirmen explores their family's history, intertwining early twentieth-century art with tales of their ancestors' fishing experiences in the North Atlantic. The narrative flows seamlessly, interspersed with Kirmen's reflections during his travels—from airport security to the jet cabin—and insights into the creative writing process. This captivating novel earned Kirmen Uribe the National Prize for Literature in Spain in 2009. Exquisitely translated from Basque by Elizabeth Macklin, it masterfully navigates the connections between various journeys: historical and contemporary, physical and artistic, complete and ongoing. The book is part of the Spatial Species series, edited by Youmna Chlala and Ken Chen, which explores how language activates space. In the spirit of Georges Perec's work, the series features pocket-sized editions focused on unconventional spaces, emphasizing edges, alleyways, and diasporic traces rather than typical tourist destinations. This intimate exploration invites readers to engage with language and genre in innovative ways, blurring the lines between travelogue, fiction, and memoir.
