The Story of My Teeth / La historia de mis dientes

by Valeria Luiselli

Gustavo ‘Highway’ Sanchez is a man with a mission: he is planning to replace every last one of his unsightly teeth. He has a few skills that might help him on his way: he can imitate Janis Joplin after two rums, he can interpret Chinese fortune cookies, he can stand an egg upright on a table, and he can float on his back. And, of course, he is the world’s best auction caller—although other people might not realize this, because he is, by nature, very discreet. In his quest for a perfect set of pearly whites, however, ‘Highway’ finds unusual ways to raise the funds he needs…

The group will meet Wednesday, May 11, 7-8:00 pm, 3rd Floor, Seminar Room, Main Library. Attendees have the option to read in English and/or Spanish. Discussions may also be in English and Spanish. Attendees do not have to be bilingual. Copies of Valeria Luiselli’s The Story of My Teeth (Spanish: La historia de mis dientes) will be held at the 2nd floor Readers Services Desk one month before the discussion. Call to register at (847) 448-8620!

Money to Burn / Plata quemada

by Ricardo Piglia

Ricardo Piglia, one of Argentina’s best-known contemporary writers, delivers a blend of noirish crime and social commentary in this provocative tale of a 1965 Buenos Aires bank robbery and its bloody aftermath. Based on original reports, Money to Burn tells the story of a gang of sexed-up, drug-abusing, reckless bandits who, fancying themselves as urban guerrillas, raided a bank in downtown Buenos Aires. They escaped with millions in cash but six weeks later found their hideout surrounded by 300 military police, journalists & TV cameras. The subsequent siege and its shocking outcome have become a Latin American legend.

The group will meet Wednesday, April 13, 7-8:00 pm, 3rd Floor, Seminar Room, Main Library. Attendees have the option to read in English and/or Spanish. Discussions may also be in English and Spanish. Attendees do not have to be bilingual. Copies of Ricardo Piglia’s Money to Burn (Spanish: Plata quemada) will be held at the 2nd floor Readers Services Desk one month before the discussion. Call to register at (847) 448-8620!