Alvaro Mutis

It didn't prove to be Gogol. I bought this book last summer in Bloomington, read the introduction by Francisco Goldman and was determined to read the book. I beleive that subsequently samizdat became aroused by the prospect of Europe Central and thus the tome was returned to the shelf.

The introduction, the sole one of the NYRB Classics series that I found worthwhile, is essentially a polished version of this interview:

http://www.bombsite.com/mutis/mutis.html

I was readily enchanted last night and look forward to the sinuous serial within.