The St Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires

by Eric Stener Carlson

Hidden away in the pages of an old copy of Lives of the Saints is a diary brimming with heresy and claims of supernatural powers. When Miguel Ibañez stumbles across it in the strange bookshop he first believes it to be the ravings of a lunatic. But what if it is true? What if the anonymous author has really learned the secrets of controlling time? Could Miguel learn to do the same and therefore correct all the mistakes in his life?
Trapped in a mediocre job at a forgotten Ministry, his marriage falling apart, Miguel desperately searches for more hidden entries. This leads him on a chase through the forbidden bookstores, abandoned buildings and dark subways of Buenos Aires.
Miguel’s obsession soon brings him to the doors of the Saint Perpetuus Club, a secret society that holds the key to the salamanca, the cave where the Devil grants all wishes . . . for a price.
The deeper Miguel goes, the more he wonders whom he can trust. His wife, his friends, his old philosophy professor? Perhaps they are all members of the Club? Miguel is willing to risk his life, and his immortal soul, to uncover the secrets of The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires.

Genres: Mystery

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 25, 2009

About the author

Eric Stener Carlson (Minnesota, 1969) is an author currently based in Geneva, Switzerland.

He wrote his first book, "I Remember Julia: Voices of the Disappeared" (Temple University Press, 1996), when he was right out of college. It is based on his work with the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team identifying the remains of people killed by the military dictatorship in the 1970s. After working for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, he wrote his second book, "The Pear Tree: Is Torture Ever Justified?" (Clarity Press, 2006), a very personal investigation into the use of torture and its moral consequences.

Eric became a novelist with the publication of "The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires" (Tartarus Press, 2009), a surreal, supernatural mystery. He followed this up with the novel, "Muladona" (Tartarus Press, 2016), "Anxiety of Ghosts" (Amazon, 2017) and his first short story collection, "GAS" (Abraxas Press, 2018). He has a number of other novel projects in the works.

His short stories and articles have appeared in journals in the US, UK, Argentina and Spain.

Eric holds a BA in International Affairs from The American University, an MA in International Affairs from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He was also a Fulbright scholar affiliated with the University of Buenos Aires.

Eric frequently lectures and is always happy to give talks to book clubs and universities.

Reviews

[Glenn Russell]

“Colin Harrison is trying to do for New York what Raymond Chandler and James Ellroy have done for Los Angeles: map the sinister underbelly of the city, the nexus of greed and lust and ambition that metastasizes there and its dark spawn of larceny and murder.” So wrote Michiko Kakutani in one of her New York Times book reviews. Likewise, Eric Stener Carlson is trying to do for Buenos Aires what those other writers have done for their own cities.

The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires is a fast-paced page-turner. Since in a very real sense this is not only an absolutely first-rate work of literature but a mystery novel, rather than say too much about plot, I'll shift to a number of highlights a reader will encounter on their journey through the Argentine city that has been called "The Paris of the South." and "The Queen of Silver."

Miguel Ibañez, One - The novel’s first-person narrator is a young intellectual working in a suffocating government office job in order to support his wife Juliet and toddler son Miguelito. Having abandoned his doctoral dissertation on Martin Heidegger, Miguel feels frustrated and that’s understatement. Oh, what a quagmire! Miguel is part of the Ministry of Parks, Public Monuments and Green Areas where he’s just been handed the unenviable task of coordinating resources and proposing possible resolutions for one of the hottest hot potatoes in Buenos Aires: Should city parks be locked up at night, locking out the homeless, a decision that would amount to nothing less than a death sentence for hundreds of the city's men and women?

Miguel Ibañez, Two – Our scholarly protagonist takes on the role of amateur detective when he discovers a most peculiar diary written by an anonymous author, a diary written in a series of short books, a diary claiming to teach the secrets of controlling time. Astonishing! Who would have suspected such a heretical diary written as a sort of marginalia in elegant, flowing cursive would be found in, of all places, Alban Butler’s 1894 edition of Lives of the Saints? Ah, to possess the power to control time - what a colossal difference that would make in Miguel’s world. All of a sudden the story accelerates into overdrive - our main character is now a man obsessed.

Throwback Bookstore - Miguel comes upon this unique copy of Lives of the Saints not in one of those modern bookselling chains with blaring hip-hop music and foaming cappuccinos but in Bernardo’s Bookstore and Antiquary where white-haired oldster Bernardo is forever reading Proust from behind the counter at the back of the store. And Bernardo is joined by wife Bernardina, the person squarely in charge, along with an individual Miguel takes to be Bernardo’s retarded older brother, a big lumbering man by the name of Edgardo who reminds Miguel of the four idiot sons in Horacio Quiroga’s The Decapitated Chicken all rolled into one.

Unending Rat Wheel - Eric Stener Carlson depicts Miguel’s everyday slog at work and his emotionally wrenching home life in telling detail, all with a touch of humor. We get the feel for what it's really like to sit in that government office with self-styled Eastern philosopher/porno watching coworker Esteban and come home to beautiful wife Julieta (the most amazing lover Miguel has ever known - lucky man!) and son Miguelito who has started with a fever. Although Miguel has a brilliant mind and background in philosophy, turns out Julieta is among the wisest and most compassionate individuals, man or woman, a reader is likely to encounter in a lifetime of reading.

Nasty Narrator – As Miguel quickly learns, the diary’s author claiming to be a saint is a bureaucrat from a family of bureaucrats going back generations. “In my family, we have always been bureaucrats and we will always be.” And what is the highest value for this bureaucrat and self-proclaimed saint? Believe it or not - punctuality! “As I said, there’s no excuse for tardiness.” And the diarist goes on to include quotes from Nietzsche to undergird his world view. One need only scratch the surface to detect a cramped, diabolical mind at work here.

Righteous Relative - The diarist’s Great-Uncle Teófilo worked for the Buenos Aires subway and left the narrator his apartment at the corner of Avenida Santa Fe and Colonel Diaz, the apartment with the smallest window all the way at the top. Teófilo’s admonition: ‘I’ll be damned if you can’t show up to work on time’ became the diarist’s credo. Curiously, one of the more intriguing parts of the novel is when Miguel explores the old, abandoned apartment described in the diary.

Energy of the Panther – “There is some dark Power that flows beneath the streets of Buenos Aires. And we must obey its ebbs and flows. I call this force ‘Panther Energy' . . . . And all that Time flows towards the same subterranean pool. And it’s stored there, like cells in an ancient battery. The Panther Energy lies waiting.” Thus speaketh the diarist. Miguel understands risks are involved but he could certainly use an infusion of energy in his life.

Buenos Aires Underground – Again from the diary: "Sabato was telling me-as clear as day-to look underneath the streets of Buenos Aires . . . not above them! Avenues and parks and plazas were only the start. I had to scrape my fingernail against the immediate sense of things, to see Buenos Aires as it actually was.” The diarist includes direct references to Ernesto Sabato’s The Tunnel - and for good reason: the spirit of the great Argentine author’s work permeates its pages. Actually, Eric Stener Carlson’s The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires shares a number of key themes with Sabato’s On Heroes and Tombs, a sprawling novel concluding with its menacing “Report on the Blind.” Likewise Sabato’s novel The Angel of Darkness detailing a network of evil that pervades the city.




Fiendish Mural - In one of the stations in the Buenos Aires subway the diarist reports seeing a fragment of a mural on the other side of the subway tracks: “An explosion of colours and forms. Fire spitting out of the earth. Snakes twisting. An alligator thrashing and gone mad. A coven of demonic creatures, an orgy of condemned flesh.” This description has a magnetic pull on Miguel – he conducts his own investigations down in the city subways.

Human Rights – In the concluding chapters of the novel, Miguel Ibañez has a few more surprises in store for a reader. To find out what I mean here, you will have to pick up a copy and read for yourself. And to add to your reading pleasure, it is worth pointing out this is a high quality Tartarus Press publication.


Eric Stener Carlson, born 1969, has spent most of his life in Latin America, Asia and Europe. He is the author of novels and short stories mostly of the "strange" variety a la Robert Aickman as well as articles on Human Rights

[Nancy Oakes]

oopsie - hit the post button before cutting to a shorter version. The longer one is actually here.

Set in Buenos Aires, Miguel Ibaňez spends his days working as a civil servant, "the lowest-rung bureaucrat" in the "most obscure" Ministry of Parks, Public Monuments and Green Areas. His boss, Gutierrez, has dumped a lose-lose assignment in his lap -- telling him that since he had been a student of "all that philosophy and shit at the University of Buenos Aires," maybe he could figure out how to keep everyone happy on both sides of the issue of gating all of the city's parks and then locking them at night to keep the homeless out. Miguel knows that whatever he does will cause controversy, and matters are made even worse when he's told he'll be organizing a conference on the topic. This wasn't the life Ibaňez had planned -- once he'd been a promising PhD student working diligently on his dissertation with the aim of being a professor, but as things so often happen, he had to set his future plans aside and take a job. As an escape, he often returns to his favorite haunts, bookstores. His favorite is Bernardo's, where the owner sat perpetually thumbing through his well-worn copy of Proust's A la recherche du temps perdu. And indeed time, or more specifically, the secret of controlling time, is the subject of this fascinatingly strange book, which weaves its way through the streets, the offices, the subways and the old bookstores of Buenos Aires.

There's is a LOT going on in this book, but it's all very tightly controlled in the hands of the author, who has woven several topics into one story. Aside from the idea that even when time is of the essence, there's much to be discovered in the "dark fissures," the history, and the public spaces of where one lives, he also explores the nature of time, the nature of destiny, the hell and the often absurd world of bureaucracy and civil service, and the importance of history. There are several funny moments, but it is and should be taken as a very serious novel -- one I can definitely recommend.

[Sarah L. Covert · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I cracked open this book I was expecting great things. As usual, Tartarus Press never disappoints. What I found was far more than greatness – it is a captivating tale, full of twists and turns, that I could not put down. Eloquently written and well researched, I was taken with the imagery of Carlson’s fascinating novel. I have only experienced Buenos Aires through films and documentaries, but now I feel as if I have been there. I can clearly picture the city’s streets, subways, and buildings in my mind’s eyes. I can smell the fragrant air of the city and the musty odor of the old books stores. All I can say is, bravo Mr. Carlson!

This tale is about Miguel Ibañez – a civil servant who was not too happy with his life. A long time ago he dreamt of something better for himself. He wanted to finish his dissertation and become a Professor, but a case of life got in the way. Now he was in a failing marriage, working a desk job where he was barely noticed. He felt doomed and trapped. That is until one day, when wandering through a second-hand bookstore, he stumbled across a strange copy of Butler’s Lives of the Saints. This copy had a handwritten chapter about a Saint he had never heard of “Saint Perpetuus”. He wasn’t sure why, but he knew he must have the book. It contained part of the story of a self-proclaimed Saint – the Saint of time travel. He knew there must be other books like it and he had to find them. The books take him on an unexpected journey through the underbelly of Buenos Aires. Miguel’s obsession with the books overtake him – at the risk of losing his family and very possibly his own life. If only he could learn the secrets of Saint Perpetuus… maybe he could take his life back, but at what price?

Eric Stener Carlson’s love for Buenos Aires is evident in this amazing novel. He paints brilliant and crystal clear images of the vibrant city and its strange past. Reading his book made me want to learn more about the history of Argentina. That alone speaks volumes about the author’s storytelling prowess. I consider myself a bit of a movie/book detective. I can usually guess what’s coming next in most stories with little effort. Carlson’s The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires left me breathless and always kept me guessing.

Final Thoughts:
If there is one book you should spend your hard earned money on this year, you should make it The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires. If you like Strange Tales, Mysteries, or Thrillers – or if you just enjoy an eloquently written piece of literature – you should not miss the opportunity to pick this book up. This is the finest book I have had the pleasure of reading this year. It kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. It is a welcome addition to the Covert library. I cannot wait for my husband to read it. As soon as I am able, I intend to get Mr. Carlson’s other books. Eric has kindly agreed to do an interview for SNS – keep an eye out for that, coming soon.


(Full review with images and links here: http://sheneverslept.com/newsandrevie... )

[Ends of the Word · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires had been on my wishlist for ages, until, feeling in the mood for it, I finally downloaded it as an ebook and read it through in a matter of a few days.

Eric Stener Carlson’s novel is set in Buenos Aires, where the novel’s narrator – failed philosopher/academic Miguel – lives and works as a lowly bureaucrat at the Ministry of Parks, Public Monuments and Green Areas. He is married to loving, sexy Julieta, and a father of a little boy, but the daily frustrations at his office increasingly seep into his private life, making him question his past choices – including his marriage to Julieta. One day, browsing through the books at an old second-hand shop, Miguel stumbles across an edition of Butler’s Lives of the Saints containing cryptic handwritten annotations by a previous owner. These turn out to be part of a diary kept by a fellow civil servant some years before, recounting this mysterious personage’s quest to control and turn back Time. Miguel soon becomes obsessed with this account, following its trail to seek other annotated volumes with occult instructions. Miguel hopes to obtain membership of the elusive club of the title and, ultimately, the supernatural powers described in the diary. But others seem to be onto the same secrets – including his old philosophy lecturer and, possibly, even his wife. Can anyone be trusted?

I was drawn to this novel because its blurb gave off dark academia vibes. And there are indeed plenty of Gothic elements and tropes both in its narrative structure (the incorporation into the narrative of “found artefacts”, in this case a diary) and in its plot (references to the occult; reworkings of supernatural legends particularly those referring to the salamanca where witches meet; nightly shenanigans and orgies; psychogeography; Faustian pacts). What I wasn’t prepared for – and possibly wasn’t quite in the mood for either – was the novel’s humour. Indeed, despite its dark elements, there is, throughout the book, a farcical undercurrent. Admittedly, the humour is acerbic and cynical, but, nonetheless, creates a contrast with the more overtly horrific elements. Both aspects of the novel support what is ultimately a philosophical question – if we had the power to turn back time, would that really be a gift? Or would we be better off making the best of our present and future? Perhaps – in the real world – the answer is staring us in the face. Short of discovering the powers of the mysterious Argentine bureaucrat, we’re lumped with our past. Rather than recriminating our life-history, we should embrace the here and now...

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...

[Jess M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A engaging and original novel, easily slipped into, put down with difficulty. An original plot device serves as an anchor for the reader. The rest of the story has an unpredictable but well constructed rhythm. I did encounter one or 2 “problems” within the work, but they are easily overlooked , or more precisely; overshadowed by the originality of the plot and the author’s skills of timing and humor

[P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely magnificient urban "horror" novel. Atmosphere reminiscent of "Our Lady of Darkness" by Fritz Leiber with traces of Gogol. Psychogeographers and urban topographers should like this book!
This one deserves a much bigger readership.

[Andy Weston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tartarus publish the writing of Eric Stener Carlson, an American based in Switzerland, having spent most of his life in Latin America. His novels are influenced by his work in the 1970s with the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team identifying the remains of people killed by the military dictatorship in the 1970s. I originally came across him with his excellent literary horror novel Muladona.

A young intellectual, Miguel Ibañez, narrates, who works in a stifling government office job in order to support his wife Juliet and young son Miguelito. He is part of the Ministry of Parks, Public Monuments and Green Areas where he has the unenviable task of coordinating resources for one of Buenos Aires biggest conundrums; should the city parks be locked at night, thereby kicking out the homeless, meaning an likely death sentence for them.

With this as the backdrop, in a bookstore he frequents, Ibañez discovers a mysterious anonymous diary written as a series of short books, hidden inside a copy of Alban Butler’s 1894 edition of Lives of the Saints. With his daily life a drudge, he sets his mind to solving the mystery that lies in the diary’s pages. Carlson takes on issues such as human rights, and the city of Buenos Aires in good times and bad, and does so with aplomb. He writes with a gentle humour that appeals also.

There is a lot going on here, which is a small criticism, in that it’s not easy to stay on top of the various angles this novel considers, but there’s no question that Carlson’s work is absolutely fascinating. It’s just a pity that, as yet, there aren’t many of them. I thoroughly recommend this, and Muladona which for me was slightly better.
My mission now is to track down his short stories.

[Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very very interesting book, a peculiar subject, a curious main character, an obscure narrative conscience driving his steps through Buenos Aires never seen before like that...in a way a book i didn't ever imagine built with this frame(i prepared to read it in a very different way of approaching, in fact ,more like a hunting treasure movie).. only at times i found the Language a bit difficult and the several references to Argentina's history and town geography were to be appreciated with the internet helping.

[Neal Carlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eyes Wide Shut with some time travel in Argentina. I enjoyed it more than his collection Dark Arts, but I think I’ve decided Carlson might not be for me. Not strange enough.