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January 2010

Long Story Short: International Flash Fiction

This month we cut to the chase with the telescoped narratives known as flash fiction. Here flash translates to both speed and illumination, as writers focus on the telling moment. The form’s popularity in Latin America is represented with work from Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, complemented by snapshots from around the world. Fantastic or realistic, grounded or airborne, these short takes confirm that brevity is the soul of wit. Capture the moment with Yoav Avni, Jose Agualusa, Andrej Blatnik, Pena Cabreira, Horia Gârbea, Quim Monzó, Sergi Pàmies, Alberto Ruy Sánchez, and Ana Maria Shua.

From “You Do Understand?”

By Andrej Blatnik

I lay there with my eyes closed, waiting for my husband to vacate his half of the bed. To go to work, of course.

Translated from Slovene by Tamara M. Soban

Poetics of Wonder: Things They Say about Mogador

By Alberto Ruy-Sánchez

They say that according to the calculations of the most ancient African astronomers, the sun slows down when it passes over Mogador, lingering there more than any other place on the planet.

Translated from Spanish by Rhonda Dahl Buchanan

Father’s Return from War. Topics

By Horia Gârbea

Father went to war. Then he died in the war. When our neighbors found out the news, they looked at us, Mother and me, with pity.

Translated from Romanian by Mihaela Mudure

Thirty Lines

The writer begins typing cautiously. He has to write a short story.

Translated from Catalan by Lisa M. Dillman

The Fork

And then, while they’re still standing, taking off their jackets, one of the women accidentally knocks a fork—her own—with her sleeve, causing it to fall to the ground in silence

Translated from Catalan by Lisa M. Dillman

The Platform

By Pena Cabreira

As day dawned in the small town, old Ruschel was already at work assembling the platform, with the care of someone preparing a gallows.

Translated from Portuguese by Clifford E. Landers

Birthday Party

By Ana María Shua

“Silvia wants to show us all a magic trick,” said Mr. Rabbit. “She’s going to make someone disappear!”

Translated from Spanish by Steven J. Stewart

Brine

By Sergi Pàmies

I wake up with an overwhelming urge to cry, but, since today’s going to be a busy day, I decide to cry later.

Translated from Catalan by Lisa M. Dillman

If Nothing Else Helps, Read Clarice

By José Eduardo Agualusa

I’m afraid of turning on the TV and, like someone going into the Underground at rush hour, of having my intelligence stepped on, whether out of carelessness or malice.

Translated from Portuguese by Stefan Tobler

Professional

By Ana María Shua

Normal people fantasize a lot about our work, which is really pretty routine and not at all like what you see in the movies.

Translated from Spanish by Steven J. Stewart

Trumpet Lessons

Now he’s cold and he doesn’t believe it and he’s crying.

Translated from Hebrew by Margalit Rodgers

Multilingual

Babel in Paris

By Evgeny Shklovsky

Babel loved plump women. Where there’s lots of flesh there’s lots of sweetness. Lots of warmth, heat, tenderness, there’s a caress of sunshine and a velvety splash of the sea.

Translated from Russian by Byron Lindsey