The first time I read this book, I laughed out loud. It wasn't until I reread it that I realized that it was not as funny as my first impression. Two birds sitting on opposite sides of a tree engage in a strange competition. One flies off and returns, placing a desk lamp on one of his branches. The other flies away and returns with a book for his side of the tree. I incorrectly guessed that they would read together using the lamp. Instead, both birds fly away and return with completely absurd items. One brings a television; the other, a toilet. The situation escalates as the branches on both sides of the tree are filled, and each bird tries to convince the other of the value of their nonsensical items. Sadly, the weight brings down all of the branches and the birds are left on opposite sides of the tree trunk.
From the 2011 White Ravens catalog: "Whether the protagonists act out of boredom, envy, or a desire to show off, and whether the unfettered consumption of a society that amasses material things is being scrutinised - this . . . book can be read in many different ways."
Dos Pajaritos [Two Little Birds] by Diego Francisco Sánchez. Colombia: Lumen, 2010. [9789588639079]
No comments:
Post a Comment