Luís Fernando Verissimo
Author of Borges and the Eternal Orangutans
About the Author
Image credit: Marcello Casal Jr./ABr
Series
Works by Luís Fernando Verissimo
FESTA DE CRIANCA 17 copies
A mulher do Silva 14 copies
O popular 8 copies
Verissimo Antologico - Meio Seculo de Cronicas ou Coisa Parecida (Em Portugues do Brasil) (2020) 6 copies
O nariz 5 copies
Amor brasileiro 5 copies
Sobre o tempo 4 copies
Quem é Capitu?: contos, crônicas e ensaios sobre a personagem mais enigmática da literatura brasileira (2008) 4 copies
20 Histórias Escolhidas 3 copies
O SUICIDA E O COMPUTADOR 1 copy
As cobras do Veríssimo 1 copy
Os filhos da Dinda 1 copy
Comédia da vida privada 1 copy
Humor nos tempos do Collor 1 copy
Seleções do L. F. Veríssimo 1 copy
Grande mulher nua 1 copy
Histórias de Humor 1 copy
HISTÓRIA DE HUMOR 1 copy
COMÉDIAS PARA LER NA ESCOLA 1 copy
O Analista de Bagé 1 copy
Crônicas de Amor 1 copy
A Mulher do Silva 1 copy
Comédias da Vida Privada 1 copy
O Analista de Bagé 1 copy
O ARTEIRO E O TEMPO 1 copy
Associated Works
Oitenta, Vol. 6 — Contributor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Verissimo, Luís Fernando
- Birthdate
- 1936-09-26
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- Brazil
- Country (for map)
- Brazil
- Birthplace
- Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Places of residence
- Porto Alegre, Brazil
Washington, D.C., USA
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil - Education
- Unisinos
Roosevelt High School, Washington - Occupations
- writer
journalist
musician - Relationships
- Verissimo, Erico (father)
- Organizations
- Jornal Zero Hora
Members
Reviews
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 113
- Also by
- 3
- Members
- 2,410
- Popularity
- #10,643
- Rating
- 3.6
- Reviews
- 40
- ISBNs
- 145
- Languages
- 10
- Favorited
- 12
A reclusive 50 year old and besotted admirer of Borges, an expatriated Jewish German named Vogelstein, finds himself meeting his idol amidst a murder investigation at a Edgar Alan Poe literary convention (the inventor of detective fiction, no less). The backstory to this meeting is complicated, since Vogelstein once translated a Borges story, changing the ending in the process and leaving (fictionally) the great author none-too-pleased. Furthermore, three stories the younger man had sent to his hero had all been rejected. Many years have passed until the current murder investigation serendipitously bring them together. The connection between the admirer and the translator of years before however, Borges has seemingly has all but forgotten or forgiven.
As chief witness to the crime, Vogelstein and his hero ruminate on who the killer may be. By methodically remembering events (unsurprisingly a mirror plays a part) they slowly progress down philological rumination, encompassing 'the origins of language, the work of John Dee and the "Necronomicon" (publicised by H. P. Lovecraft), the Kabbala, the occult, the Gnostic gospels, apochrypha, and the "eternal orangutan." All the while, Borges' friend, a criminologist and strong advocate of scientific method, tries to solve the murder using conventional methods - regularly returning (and despairing) to the illogical postulates the two excited authors create together whilst he is away.
This was a very entertaining read and a more than fitting tribute to the work of Borges. Admirers of Borges' work will get added pleasure from the story but knowledge of his work is by no means necessary in order to appreciate this book.… (more)