Tales of Clay, Bilingual Edition of "Cuentos de Barro"

by Rafael Lara-Martínez (Foreword), Salarrué, Nelson López Rojas (Translator)

Regarded as one of El Salvador's most talented and original artists, Salarrué continues to be revered for giving a voice to the indigenous peoples of his homeland. Born Salvador Efraín Salazar Arrué (1899-1975), the Central American native quickly discovered his passion for the arts, expressing himself through writing, painting, sculpture, and music. It was his book of short stories, Cuentos de Barro, that first brought Salarrué international recognition. Comprised of thirty-four brief tales, this work sympathetically describes the daily struggles of the Izalco Indians of western El Salvador as well as the frequently harsh conditions under which they live. Without romanticizing the lives of the white, mestizo, and indigenous men and women who fill the pages of his stories, Salarrué subtly criticizes government policies during a period of peasant oppression. His stories treat the characters with dignity, providing a quasi-anthropological authenticity to the customs and routines of their lives. Salarrué employs a simple, yet lyrical style that is marked by the frequent use of colloquialisms to depict landless laborers, prostitutes, smugglers, lonely migrants, and destitute children. This style imbues the characters with a humanity that is seldom found in books of this nature. [Kaydee McCann, Library of Congress]

198 pages, Paperback

Reviews

[Miguel Marroquín · Rating 5 out of 5]

Se nota en cada cuento el amor por su tierra, el campo, la sencillez y su gente.