Roberto Bolaño: 2666

[Stewart]

No, I've not read the book but, given the buzz about it, I think it warrants its own thread, even it it's not out, at least in the US, for a few months yet (18th November, to be exact).

So, it was the final novel of Bolaño, who died not long after showing the first draft to his publisher. And, at over 1,100 pages, it's huge. It's also unfinished, being in five parts, of which only 4½ were completed.

I don't know if I'd want to read through that many pages to find out I'd never know how it ends (if, indeed, it's the fifth section that remains incomplete).

Wikipedia, as it stands now, gives this almight brief summary of what it's about, of which means nothing to me (perhaps because it references previous Bolaño novels? I don't know).

Focused on the unsolved and still ongoing serial murders of Ciudad Juárez (Santa Teresa in the novel), the apocalyptic 2666 depicts the horror of the 20th century through a wide cast of characters, including the secretive, Pynchon-like German writer Archimboldi.

[elcalifornio]

Stewart, the murders in Ciudad Juarez, if I'm correct, relate to the maquiladoras that US corporations have set up there. Juarez is the border city twinned with El Paso, Texas--and you'd be forgiven for thinking El Paso is itself in Mexico. Ford and GE and the other baddies of American capitalism found some nifty loopholes in various health, safety, and wage issues by placing their major manufacturing centers just over the border. As if finding low-cost manufacturing alternatives wasn't enough, these companies decided to hire almost exclusively female workers.

Now, Northern Mexico is a very traditional place, where women in the workplace is not exactly popular; on top of that, they take the jobs at a lower salary (or rather the US companies offer them lower wages because, well, they can). But all the enterprising and "successful" men have left Mexico for the picking fields in the US, so the women have to make do while the remaining male population has no viable job opportunity.

The maquiladoras are located outside of Juarez in a very rural, desert locale and the women are bussed to work every day from the city. Sometime in the 90s, post-NAFTA I believe, several women went missing, and it has been unresolved ever since. They have discovered the bodies of dead women, along the side of the bus route. The police support both the patriarchal population in town that is actually approving of these murders AND the corporations who fear that exposing their shady practices would close the loophole and ruin their benefits. It has been quite openly reported that gangs of men go out and rape and murder these women as they return from the factories.

So, that is what I expect Bolano has in mind.

--

Is it out in the UK? I don't really want to wait that long to get my hands on an English translation.

[Stewart]

Originally Posted by elcalifornio

So, that is what I expect Bolano has in mind.

Aha! Thanks, that is much clearer, seeing as it's not something I've never heard of. It certainly makes it more intruguing than the inital overlong murder mystery with added gravitas feeling I had from the tiny synopsis.

Is it out in the UK? I don't really want to wait that long to get my hands on an English translation.

No. The Savage Detectives is still in hardback - until next month - so I suspect it will be a while before we see 2666. Even the UK Amazon is listing the US edition, citing 11th November rather than the 18th November suggested in my initial post.

[fausto]

No need to worry on the unfinished business. The book was probably 98% completed when he died and what he was working on was most certainly not the ending. It wasn't the first draft he gave to his publisher, it was what was meant to be the final one. Reportedly, he wanted the fourth section to be 200 pages longer but as you will see when you read, it's a litany of dead women and how they died so I wouldn't expect any big difference in plot, for example.

It's a fantastic book that goes way beyond the Ciudad Juarez murders. I'm surprised to see that some of the people with the galleys in the US are not sure what they make of it, as if they did not want to repeat the enthusiastic craze around "Wild detectives". It's weird as there is no doubt in my mind that "2666" is much better than "...detectives", however much I love the book.

[JPS]

I was just yesterday handed an advance copy (not an ARC, but a finished copy) of FS&G's three-volume paper version of the book. Though I haven't even removed the cellophane from the package, it's obvious the publisher has put a great deal of thought and care into it. It's a beautiful work of design.

I'm told by my friend (who's in sales at Bolaño's publisher) that it looks as if once this first printing is sold out (which they anticipate will happen immediately), copies may not be available in time for Christmas. So, if you want one of your very own, now's the time to order it.

[Stewart]

Originally Posted by JPS

So, if you want one of your very own, now's the time to order it.

I just ordered myself a copy, not that I hope to get around to it any time soon. I feel I've got to dip the toes in something shorter first, like Distant Star.

In other news, the Complete Review today posted up a review, extremely positive, that pushes 2666 into the upper echelons of their reviews: the A+ rating.

[JPS]

Also read his other great short novel, By Night in Chile.

[nnyhav]

Finished it yesterday. Best of 2008. How to summarize?

[Beth]

Wow, I love that image. And its ringing endorsement, like something John Wesley might post. "Preach the gospel; if necessary use words.''

So, can you say more about 2666?

[nnyhav]

Not just yet. But about the painting, it's 16th century, by the fictional author's pen-namesake.