Please Talk to Me: Selected Stories

by Liliana Heker, Alberto Manguel (Translator), Miranda France (Translator)

The first short story collection in the Margellos series, from a master of the genre and an irrepressible critic during Argentina’s brutal years of repression

Acclaimed for the gemlike perfection of her short stories, Liliana Heker has repeatedly received major literary awards in her native Argentina. Her work has some of the dark humor of Saki or Roald Dahl, and her versatility and range have earned her a wide, appreciative audience. This expertly translated volume brings to English-language readers the full compass of Heker’s stories, from her earliest published volume (1966) through her most recent (2011).

Heker rejected exile during the dangerous Dirty War years and formed part of a cultural resistance that stood against repression. As a writer, she found in the microcosm of the family and everyday events subtle entry into political, historical, and social issues. Heker’s stories examine the rituals people invent to relate to one another, especially girls and women, and they reveal how the consequences of tiny acts may be enormous. With charm, economy, and a close focus on the intimate, Heker has perfected the art of the glimpse.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

221 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2015

About the author

Liliana Heker began her literary career at age 17, mentored by Argentine writer Abelardo Castillo. She was a collaborator in Argentina literary magazine "The Paper Cricket" and founded, along with Castillo, The Golden Bug and The Platypus. She has published several short story books which have been collected in "Cuentos" (Alfaguara). She has also written two novels, "El fin de la historia" and "Zona de clivaje", and a collection of essays called "Las hermanas de Shakespeare".

Reviews

[Paul Dembina · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some excellent stories in here,. Particular favourites for me were:

"Jocasta" - A woman has an unhealthy relationship with her son
"Every Person's Little Treasure - All is not good beneath the surface
"Georgina Requeni or the Chosen One" - The narrator's journey through a life of illusions of her own making

Unfortunately there were a couple towards the end of the collection which didn't have the same impact and I couldn't understand the inclusion of the lengthy "The Cruelty Of Life" which comprises 40 pages of the total of 200 and was not as good as the earlier stories. For a "best of" collection couldn't a few other, better, short stories have been selected?

[Brie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Please Talk to Me, Liliana Heker shines a slightly twisted light on the South American family dynamic in a series of fourteen short stories. Please do not mistake this for your average short story collection. The majority of these tales are darkly humorous, with a few heavy dramas mixed in, along the lines of Roald Dahl.

Several of these pieces moved me. I particularly related to "The Music of Sundays." Coming from a futbol loving family myself, this story of a family bonding over the "Ole, ole, ole" soccer chant on a Sunday afternoon really hit home for me. Other stories, like "The Stolen Party" and "The Cruelty of Life" struck a more serious chord, focusing on heavier issues like socio-economic status and aging/treatment of the elderly, while others take it even further - suicide, child abuse, murder etc.

Unfortunately, there WERE stories that missed the mark. Had I not written a quick synopsis after reading "Family Life" or "The Night of the Comet," I would have completely forgotten what they were about -- even now, I can't put a definite finger on the theme of either of those stories.

In my honest opinion, this collection got weaker as the book progressed. The stories toward the beginning of the book really caught my attention, but as I continued reading I found myself becoming more and more unimpressed. Ultimately, I enjoyed this collection and would definitely recommend it to anyone with a dark sense of humor.

[Kusaimamekirai · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story collection by the Argentine writer Liliana Heker packs an emotional punch in that the majority of these stories deal in one way or another with family dysfunction. In both the literal sense of family as well as family as metaphor for class and socioeconomic issues among Argentinians, there is no shortage of sadness and dysfunction here.
While all of these stories are powerful, the one that resonated the most for me, and is one of Heker’s most famous, is “The Stolen Party” where the daughter of a maid is invited through her classmate to a posh party at the home where her mom cleans. The buildup is excruciating because we know where this is headed but we are unable to avert our eyes until the heartbreaking and inevitable conclusion. It’s a masterful story and the others in this collection are not far behind. Whether you are interested in the darker side of Argentinian society or just beautifully crafted stories about family, this collection is highly recommended.

[Hester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Berkeley or Marianna of the Universe.

Two sisters waiting for the return of their mother . A conversation that exposes everything about life in a dictatorship and it's precarious vulnerability without politics being mentioned . Chilling .

[Adele · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of short stories full of devilishly funny black humour & sincerity.