Sense of Achievement
Original title: Ese modo que colma
The author returns to his favourite territories in the desert of Northern Mexico with one of those stories of misfortune and joy in which his humour stands out. Therefore, in «El gusto por los bailes», we discover Rosita Alvírez, who escapes home one night after her mother forbids her from doing what she loves the most: dancing. Dámaso, the protagonist of «Un cúmulo de preocupaciones que se transforma», after a fight with his wife, goes for a walk, and an unexpected whirlwind changes his life forever. «Crónica de una necesidad» is the story of the bloody rivalry between two families, «the uglies» and «the pretties ». Atilio Mateo, the bureaucrat who appears in «Atrás quedó lo disperso», clears the decks, like the protagonist in the novel Via Merulana, by Carlo Emilio Gadda, and his friends all suffer the terrible consequences. «Eso va a estallar», tells the story of Mr Fulano de Tal, who has killed at least ten people, but manages to sleep three times as much as he is awake. In «El diablo en una botella», a group of friends get together in the same bar every week until one begins to receive some diabolical visits. And in «Un camino siempre recto», everything goes wrong when Arturo Garza assassinates his employee Cid Chavira with a knife. «La incidencia» tells the story of a meeting between incestuous, or insatiable, Americans, with a Mexican Spanish teacher. Julián, the child in «Cualquier cosa va», plays at being an actor who interprets all the roles despite the mockery of his cousin, who are already riding horses. And in the story that gives the name to the collection—bloody, sarcastic and amazing—there is a party for drug dealers involving decapitated heads in the icebox, two groups of Mexican musicians and lots of women: a party that will last a long time. The other protagonist of Sada’s literature is language. Because, as Roberto Bolaño affirms, «his work is, without doubt, one of the most ambitious in the Spanish language, only comparable with the work of Lezama Lima».
“Beautiful women, romantic songs, risqué comedies and anecdotes and, of course, a macabre portrait of the Mexican drug cartels. All these stories meet in the middle of the desert, led there by the skilful hand of Daniel Sada, one of Mexico’s most important writers” J.A. Masoliver Ródenas, La Vanguardia
“An important aspect of the beauty of Daniel Sada’s books, perhaps the best Mexican writer of the moment, is located in that voice that tells his stories... In Ese modo que colma the scope of the plot lines that Daniel Sada develops is ample and expansive: a push, a turnaround, a movement from here to there that transforms everything” Ana García Bergua, Jornada
“Short, striking sentences, sparkling situations and intelligent conclusions. Language is the great resource of this powerful tragicomic author called Daniel Sada.” Luis M. Alonso, La Nueva España
“The Mexican writer presents a volume of stories that confirms his commitment to high-voltage language and literature...” Zona de Obras
“Northern Mexico: the author returns to his favourite landscape with stories of bad luck and enjoyment, in which humour is the principle protagonist... In the story that gives its name to this collection—bloody, sarcastic and amazing—there is a party for drug lords, decapitated heads in an ice bucket, two Mexican bands, women, and a fiesta that could go on forever... The other great protagonist of Sada’s book is language. Because, as Roberto Bolaño affirms, “he is one of the most ambitious writers in our language, only comparable to Lezama Lima”” Víctor Claudín, Diario de Pontevedra
“The recurring theme of this book is highlighted in the story that gives its name to the volume and which concludes it; that bloody orgy that he describes in a party of drug lords in which no one is safe from Sada’s sharp and sardonic tongue” Iñaki Ezquerra, El Correo Español
“Reading Sada is a demanding exercise, but also a highly stimulating and entertaining one ... Among the best writers on the current literary scene” Rodrigo Pinto, El Mercurio (Chile)
The author returns to his favourite territories in the desert of Northern Mexico with one of those stories of misfortune and joy in which his humour stands out. Therefore, in «El gusto por los bailes», we discover Rosita Alvírez, who escapes home one night after her mother forbids her from doing what she loves the most: dancing. Dámaso, the protagonist of «Un cúmulo de preocupaciones que se transforma», after a fight with his wife, goes for a walk, and an unexpected whirlwind changes his life forever. «Crónica de una necesidad» is the story of the bloody rivalry between two families, «the uglies» and «the pretties ». Atilio Mateo, the bureaucrat who appears in «Atrás quedó lo disperso», clears the decks, like the protagonist in the novel Via Merulana, by Carlo Emilio Gadda, and his friends all suffer the terrible consequences. «Eso va a estallar», tells the story of Mr Fulano de Tal, who has killed at least ten people, but manages to sleep three times as much as he is awake. In «El diablo en una botella», a group of friends get together in the same bar every week until one begins to receive some diabolical visits. And in «Un camino siempre recto», everything goes wrong when Arturo Garza assassinates his employee Cid Chavira with a knife. «La incidencia» tells the story of a meeting between incestuous, or insatiable, Americans, with a Mexican Spanish teacher. Julián, the child in «Cualquier cosa va», plays at being an actor who interprets all the roles despite the mockery of his cousin, who are already riding horses. And in the story that gives the name to the collection—bloody, sarcastic and amazing—there is a party for drug dealers involving decapitated heads in the icebox, two groups of Mexican musicians and lots of women: a party that will last a long time. The other protagonist of Sada’s literature is language. Because, as Roberto Bolaño affirms, «his work is, without doubt, one of the most ambitious in the Spanish language, only comparable with the work of Lezama Lima».
“Beautiful women, romantic songs, risqué comedies and anecdotes and, of course, a macabre portrait of the Mexican drug cartels. All these stories meet in the middle of the desert, led there by the skilful hand of Daniel Sada, one of Mexico’s most important writers” J.A. Masoliver Ródenas, La Vanguardia
“An important aspect of the beauty of Daniel Sada’s books, perhaps the best Mexican writer of the moment, is located in that voice that tells his stories... In Ese modo que colma the scope of the plot lines that Daniel Sada develops is ample and expansive: a push, a turnaround, a movement from here to there that transforms everything” Ana García Bergua, Jornada
“Short, striking sentences, sparkling situations and intelligent conclusions. Language is the great resource of this powerful tragicomic author called Daniel Sada.” Luis M. Alonso, La Nueva España
“The Mexican writer presents a volume of stories that confirms his commitment to high-voltage language and literature...” Zona de Obras
“Northern Mexico: the author returns to his favourite landscape with stories of bad luck and enjoyment, in which humour is the principle protagonist... In the story that gives its name to this collection—bloody, sarcastic and amazing—there is a party for drug lords, decapitated heads in an ice bucket, two Mexican bands, women, and a fiesta that could go on forever... The other great protagonist of Sada’s book is language. Because, as Roberto Bolaño affirms, “he is one of the most ambitious writers in our language, only comparable to Lezama Lima”” Víctor Claudín, Diario de Pontevedra
“The recurring theme of this book is highlighted in the story that gives its name to the volume and which concludes it; that bloody orgy that he describes in a party of drug lords in which no one is safe from Sada’s sharp and sardonic tongue” Iñaki Ezquerra, El Correo Español
“Reading Sada is a demanding exercise, but also a highly stimulating and entertaining one ... Among the best writers on the current literary scene” Rodrigo Pinto, El Mercurio (Chile)
