The Angel Esmeralda: Nine Stories

Resumen del libro

The nine short stories of DeLillos first-ever collection span 30 years. Grouped around three historical moments and ranging in subject and setting from an earthquake in Athens to a snowbound college town, they offer both a compact way to observe the evolution of DeLillos writing and a highly palatable entrée into the work of the National Book Award winner (for White Noise) for the uninitiated. Human Moments in World War III features two Americans manning an orbital intelligence-gathering craft who begin receiving old-time radio signals while considering humanity at war; war, among other things, is a form of longing. In the title story, two nuns in the South Bronx encounter the near-feral Esmeralda Lopez, who, for a brief time, is transfigured into a rallying symbol for the impoverished community. And in Hammer and Sickle, a white-collar criminal in a minimum-security facility watches his two young daughters deliver financial news on a childrens program. DeLillos keen interest in the human experience of American historical and cultural moments is on clear display, and his full expressive rangefrom steady spareness (sometimes verging on disorienting frigidity) to roguish attitude and tender intimacyis showcased well. While there arent any surprises, this is a welcome addition to DeLillos oeuvre for fans and newcomers alike.

Biografía del autor

Don DeLillo nació y creció en Nueva York. Es autor de diecisiete novelas y tres obras de teatro, y ha ganado numerosos premios, como el National Book Award por Ruido de fondo (1985; Seix Barral, 2006), el International Fiction Prize por Libra (1988; Seix Barral, 2006), el PEN/Faulkner Award de Ficción por Mao II (1991; Seix Barral, 2008), la Medalla Howells por Submundo (1997; Seix Barral, 2009), el Jerusalem Prize y el PEN/Saul Bellow Award a toda su carrera y la Medalla del National Book Award por su contribución a las letras estadounidenses.