Bestiario

Bestiario is the first book by the Argentine writer Julio Cortázar. The stories in this collection are about everyday events that imperceptibly move into the dimension of the unusual: the home of a small family becomes the site of a creepy invasion. And in another house, a whole family coexists with a tiger. The headaches of the residents of the neighborhood border on delusions in which unknown creatures appear. A girl's diary becomes a bridge between Buenos Aires and Budapest. A young girl is conjuring over sweets and liquors while waiting for the bridegroom. Two men try to find their dead girlfriend in the middle of a night milonga.

The effect of surprise present in each story adds poignancy to the indescribable pleasure of reading Bestiario. Cortazar's stories have a rare quality — they make the reader a participant, a direct observer of all events.

These eight stories exemplify Cortazar's unique style: graceful, powerful, and captivating.