Truth to Power: Introduction to Roberto Bolaño

This course is designed as an introduction to some of the major themes and works of the Chilean-Mexican author Roberto Bolaño (1953-2003), who is widely regarded as a foundational figure of early 21st-century Spanish American narrative. In the span of approximately ten years, Bolaño went from being an unknown young poet to becoming a best-selling and influential author of short stories and novels, a winner of major literary prizes, a mentor to younger Spanish American writers, and a cult figure. Questions to be addressed include: issues of truth and reality in Bolaño’s poetics; his ideas about literature, ethics, politics, gender, and national identity; his fiction-writing system based on fractals; his sense of humor. The course will focus primarily on selected short stories, short novels, essays, and poetry by Bolaño, as well as selected critical essays on his work. (1 unit).