{"product_id":"older-brother-9781999859343","title":"Older Brother","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"This slim and vital novel is a tour de force; it will floor you, and lift you right the way up--I adored it.\" \u003cstrong\u003e--Claire-Louise Bennett\u003c\/strong\u003e, author of \u003cem\u003ePOND\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring the summer of 2014, on one of the stormiest days on record to hit the coast of Uruguay, 31-year old Alejandro, lifeguard and younger brother of our protagonist and narrator, dies after being struck by lightning. This marks the opening of a novel that combines memoir and fiction, unveiling an intimate exploration of the brotherly bond, while laying bare the effects that death can have on those closest to us and also on ourselves.\u003cem\u003eIt's always the happiest and most talented who die young. People who die young are always the happiest of all...\u003c\/em\u003eCan grief be put into words? Can we truly rationalise death to the point of embracing it? \u003cem\u003eOlder Brother\u003c\/em\u003e is the vehicle Mella uses to tackle these fundamental questions, playing with tenses and narrating in the future, as if all calamities described are yet to unfold. In a style reminiscent of Bret Easton Ellis and J.D. Salinger, recalling in parts Cronenberg's or Burgess's examination of violence and society, Mella takes us with him in this dizzying journey right into the centre of his own neurosis and obsessions, where fatality is skilfully used to progressively draw the reader further in.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDaniel Mella\u003c\/strong\u003e (Montevideo, Uruguay, 1976) is one of the key figures in contemporary Latin American literature. He published his first novel \u003cem\u003ePogo\u003c\/em\u003e (Mosh, 1997) at the age of 21, followed by \u003cem\u003eDerretimiento\u003c\/em\u003e (Melt, 1998). Both books were lauded by critics and quickly gained Mella the reputation of a cult writer, with his unique take on violence and moral decline. He cemented his place on the literary scene with his third novel, \u003cem\u003eNoviembre\u003c\/em\u003e (November, 2000). After a decade without writing, Mella returned with \u003cem\u003eLava\u003c\/em\u003e (2013), a collection of short stories for which he was awarded the Bartolomé Hidalgo Prize, the most prestigious literary prize in Uruguay. \u003cem\u003eOlder Brother\u003c\/em\u003e appeared in 2017, garnering jubilant press internationally and winning Mella the Bartolomé Hidalgo Prize for the second time. It is his first book to be translated into English.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMegan McDowell\u003c\/strong\u003e is a literary translator focusing on contemporary Latin American authors. Her translations include works by Alejandro Zambra, Samanta Schweblin, Mariana Enriquez, Lina Meruane, and Diego Zuñiga. Her short story translations have appeared in \u003cem\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Paris Review\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eTin House\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMcSweeney's\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eGranta\u003c\/em\u003e, and the \u003cem\u003eVirginia Quarterly Review\u003c\/em\u003e, among others. Her translation of Alejandro Zambra's \u003cem\u003eWays of Going Home\u003c\/em\u003e won an English PEN Translates award (2013), and her English version of \u003cem\u003eFever Dream\u003c\/em\u003e by Samanta Schweblin was shortlisted for the 2017 Man Booker International Prize. She has been awarded residencies by the Banff International Translation Centre (Canada), Looren Translation House (Switzerland) and Art Omi (USA). She currently lives in Santiago, Chile.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Charco Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50507278713106,"sku":"9781999859343","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_dc09ef41-d97a-4769-8ce4-918207ac4979.jpg?v=1730859813","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/older-brother-9781999859343","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}