Although Onetti is quick to make clear that it's Felisberto the writer rather than "Felisberto político" who interests us here, he adds that an anecdote or two which will help us to understand Felisberto better or to reassess him are on the other hand fair game. After this set-up, Onetti suggests that "factores políticos" might have had something to do with his fellow Uruguayan's lack of celebrity because "Felisberto -siempre se le llamó así- era conservador, hombre de extrema derecha" taken to arguing out loud about politics in gatherings during World War II and its aftermath.
Esto no debe preocupar, cuanto la ignorancia de su obra es también comprobable en el Uruguay". "Muy poco conocido en España -según estoy comprobando. "Felisberto Hernández fue uno de los más importantes escritores de su país", he begins. Here's a good example of one such piece I've been wanting to share for a while. Onetti's book talk-I hesitate to call it criticism-almost always strikes me as hurried but loaded with insight with the caveat that "loaded with insight" sometimes means accompanied by the perfect anecdote.
To help wash this all down, I will avoid all mention of the gross-out ending and will instead propose a lágrima ** for all #Spanishandportugueselitmonths readers who are so inclined in honor of one Jorge Luis Borges' almost tearful response to this story: "Borges lo odiaba", Mariana Enriquez writes in her recent must read Ocampo bio, "siempre le pedía a Silvina que no lo incluyera en sus recopilaciones". Le acarició la cabeza con la punta de los dedos y cuando creyó que el marido no la miraba, le dio un beso furtivo" -all leading to uncomfortable laughter. Ocampo's peculiar sense of humor is clearly the dulce de leche filling of our alfajor argentino with the cookie-like descriptions of 1) the pet owner Mercedes-"Con su tejido en la mano esperaba como Penélope, tejiendo, la llegada del perro embalsado" 2) the now glass-eyed Mimoso himself-"Nunca había parecido de mejor salud.lo único que le faltaba era hablar" 3) and in particular Mercedes' reaction to the new and improved, "bien peinado y lustroso" post-embalming Mimoso-"Ese perro muerto la acompañaría como la había acompañado el mismo perro vivo, la defendería de los ladrones y de la soledad. Alfajores Havanna or Cachafaz? * Whatever, it's now time for the dessert & coffee portion of Spanish and Portuguese Lit Months 2018 at long last! "Mimoso", a four page-long morsel from "Silvina is a Borges" Ocampo's 1959 La furia which brings unwanted attention to that previously innocent term "animal lover," is the giddily effed-up taste treat in question-a morally dubious tale about a woman who so loves her dog Mimoso that she decides to embalm him after his passing only to eventually arouse the suspicions of her neighbors.
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