Argentine writer César Aira follows neither the rules of literature nor of literary fame. His work has been translated into 37 languages, Patti Smith says he's one of her favorite authors and he's been named as a likely future Nobel Prize laureate. Yet he lives quietly in Buenos Aires and lets small presses publish his books for free. He rarely gives interviews, but made an exception for Alejandro Chacoff, who spoke to him for The Dial.
'Aira rejects great theorizations about his decision to give away books for free or publish the majority with small publishing houses. “His form of publishing is part of his poetics, his resistance to editorial capitalism, his punk attitude”...'
"From this graphic, we can see that Asia and Latin America emerge as the primary sources of immigration, collectively accounting for 81% of America’s 46.2 million immigrants."
📚 Just finished reading: The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Guevara (2021 edition)
The diary of Che Guevara's journey to discover the continent of Latin America while still a medical student, in 1952 on a vintage Norton motorcycle with his friend Alberto Granado, a biochemist. It captures the exuberance and joy of one person's youthful belief in the possibilities of humankind tending towards justice, peace and happiness.