{"product_id":"invasion-of-the-spirit-people-9781913505363","title":"Invasion of the Spirit People","description":"\u003cp\u003eJuan Pablo Villalobos's fifth novel adopts a gentle, fable-like tone, approaching the problem of racism from the perspective that any position as idiotic as xenophobia can only be fought with sheer absurdity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn an unnamed city, colonised by an unnamed world power, an immigrant named Gastón makes his living selling exotic vegetables to eateries around the city. He has a dog called Kitten, who's been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and a good friend called Max, who's in a deep depression after being forced to close his restaurant. Meanwhile, Max's son, Pol, a scientist away on a scientific expedition into the Arctic, can offer little support.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGastón begins a quest, or rather three: he must search for someone to put his dog to sleep humanely; he must find a space in which to open a new restaurant with Max; and he must look into the truth behind the news being sent back by Pol: that human life may be the by-product of an ancient alien attempt at colonisation . . . and those aliens might intend to make a return visit. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eJuan Pablo Villalobos was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1973. He studied marketing and Spanish literature before working as a market researcher as well as writing travel stories and literary and film criticism. He has researched topics as diverse as the influence of the avant-garde on the work of César Aira and the flexibility of pipelines for electrical installations. His books include his \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e First Book Award-shortlisted debut \u003ci\u003eDown the Rabbit Hole\u003c\/i\u003e, as well as \u003ci\u003eQuesadillas\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eI'll Sell You a Dog\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eI Don't Expect Anyone to Believe Me\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRosalind Harvey is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, teaches translation at the University of Warwick, has served on the board of the Translators Association and is a founding member and chair of the Emerging Translators Network.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"And Other Stories","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50724811964690,"sku":"9781913505363","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_f9cc1fe6-ccb1-4bca-8708-00a1ef2ed54f.jpg?v=1734809706","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/invasion-of-the-spirit-people-9781913505363","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}