I recently learned that Manuel Puig is one of Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai's favorite authors and his novel Heartbreak Tango was inspiration for Wong's classic Days of Being Wild. The novel concerns the sickly Lothario Juan Carlos Etchepare and those connected to him, family, lovers, and whatnot, in the fictional small town of Colonel Vallejos. It is a realistic tale told in an unconventional manner through the testimony of others in third person narration, stream of consciousness, interviews, letters, police reports, newspaper reports, descriptions of photo albums, and objective eyewitness accounts. Puig also draws inspiration from any aspects of popular culture like films, radio programs, and popular songs-many of which are Tangos-which is appropriate since this story takes place in Argentina. It was an entertaining and effective way to tell the story. I look forward to reading his other novels as well.
Post a comment
Your Information
(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)
Comments