From Library Journal
Meticulous observation is Goytisolo's metier, the power energizing his writing. Therefore, it is not surprising to find this collection of ten essays throbbing with life at every turn. Goytisolo is no mere traveler, but an astronaut of the mind hurtling through cultural space, a writer in touch with societal first principles who, in the face of Flaubert's cultural arrogance, urges instead the complete immersion championed by Sir Richard Burton. Such is the burden of the opening two essays. Having taken this stand, he then considers Paris, La Chanca, Turkey, Berlin, Yeste, Port Bou, and Nashville, Illinois, in a whirlwind crackling with vibrant prose and keen insight.Paul E. Hutchison, Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park
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