Adolfo Bioy Casares
Encyclopedia
Adolfo Bioy Casares was an Argentine
fiction writer, journalist, and translator. He was a friend and collaborator with his fellow countryman Jorge Luis Borges
, and wrote what many consider one of the best pieces of fantastic fiction
, the novella The Invention of Morel
.
, the grandson of a wealthy landowner and dairy processor, and the descendant of Patrick Lynch
, a successful Irish emigrant. He wrote his first story ("Iris y Margarita") at the age of eleven. He was a friend and frequent collaborator of Jorge Luis Borges
and wrote many stories with him under the pseudonym of H. Bustos Domecq
.
Bioy and Borges were introduced in 1932 by Victoria Ocampo
, whose sister, Silvina Ocampo
(1903–1994), Bioy Casares was to marry in 1940. In 1954 they adopted Bioy’s daughter with another woman, Marta Bioy Ocampo (1954–94), who was killed in an automobile accident just three weeks after Silvina Ocampo’s death, leaving two children. The estate of Silvina Ocampo and Adolfo Bioy Casares was awarded by a Buenos Aires court to yet another love child of Adolfo Bioy Casares, Fabián Bioy, shortly before Fabián Bioy died, aged 40, in February 2006.
Bioy won several awards, including the Gran Premio de Honor of SADE (the Argentine Society of Writers, 1975), the French
Légion d'honneur
(1981), the title of Illustrious Citizen of Buenos Aires (1986), and the Premio Miguel de Cervantes (awarded to him in 1991 in Alcalá de Henares
).
Adolfo Bioy Casares is buried in La Recoleta Cemetery
, Buenos Aires.
In 2006 Ediciones Destino published a book of Bioy's diary entries on Borges, numbering 1663 pages of anecdotes, witticisms and observations.
). It is the story of a man who, evading justice, escapes to an island said to be infected with a mysterious fatal disease. Struggling to understand why everything seems to repeat, he realizes that all the people he sees there are actually recordings, made with a special machine, invented by Morel, which is able to record not only three-dimensional images, but also voices and scents, making it all indistinguishable from reality. The story mixes realism
, fantasy
, science fiction
and terror
. Borges wrote a famous prologue in which he called it a work of "reasoned imagination" and linked it to H. G. Wells'
oeuvre. Both Borges and Octavio Paz
described the novel as "perfect." The story is held to be the inspiration for Alan Resnais's Last Year at Marienbad
and also an influence on the TV series Lost
.
Generally, these Spanish-language collections have not been systematically translated into English. English language collections include:
Dos fantasías memorables and Un modelo para la muerte were originally published in private printings of only 300 copies. The first commercial printings were published in 1970.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
fiction writer, journalist, and translator. He was a friend and collaborator with his fellow countryman Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
, and wrote what many consider one of the best pieces of fantastic fiction
Fantastique
The Fantastique is a French term for a literary and cinematic genre that overlaps with science fiction, horror and fantasy.The fantastique is a substantial genre within French literature...
, the novella The Invention of Morel
The Invention of Morel
La invención de Morel — translated as The Invention of Morel or Morel's Invention — is a science fiction novel by Adolfo Bioy Casares. It was Bioy Casares' breakthrough effort, for which he won the 1941 First Municipal Prize for Literature of the City of Buenos Aires...
.
Biography
Adolfo Bioy Casares was born in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, the grandson of a wealthy landowner and dairy processor, and the descendant of Patrick Lynch
Patrick Lynch (Argentina)
Patrick Lynch, born 1715, was an Irish emigrant who became a significant landowner in Rio de la Plata, which is now part of Argentina. He was born in Galway and was the second son of Patrick Lynch of Lydican Castle and Agnes Blake...
, a successful Irish emigrant. He wrote his first story ("Iris y Margarita") at the age of eleven. He was a friend and frequent collaborator of Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
and wrote many stories with him under the pseudonym of H. Bustos Domecq
H. Bustos Domecq
H. is a pseudonym used for several collaborative works by the Argentine writers Jorge Luis Borges and Adolfo Bioy Casares.-Origin:Bustos Domecq made his first appearance as F...
.
Bioy and Borges were introduced in 1932 by Victoria Ocampo
Victoria Ocampo
Victoria Ocampo Aguirre was an Argentine writer and intellectual, described by Jorge Luis Borges as La mujer más argentina ....
, whose sister, Silvina Ocampo
Silvina Ocampo
Silvina Ocampo Aguirre was an Argentine poet and short-fiction writer.Ocampo was born in Buenos Aires, the youngest of the six children of Manuel Ocampo and Ramona Aguirre. She was educated at home by tutors. One of her sisters was Victoria Ocampo, the publisher of the literarily important...
(1903–1994), Bioy Casares was to marry in 1940. In 1954 they adopted Bioy’s daughter with another woman, Marta Bioy Ocampo (1954–94), who was killed in an automobile accident just three weeks after Silvina Ocampo’s death, leaving two children. The estate of Silvina Ocampo and Adolfo Bioy Casares was awarded by a Buenos Aires court to yet another love child of Adolfo Bioy Casares, Fabián Bioy, shortly before Fabián Bioy died, aged 40, in February 2006.
Bioy won several awards, including the Gran Premio de Honor of SADE (the Argentine Society of Writers, 1975), the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(1981), the title of Illustrious Citizen of Buenos Aires (1986), and the Premio Miguel de Cervantes (awarded to him in 1991 in Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares , meaning Citadel on the river Henares, is a Spanish city, whose historical centre is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, and one of the first bishoprics founded in Spain...
).
Adolfo Bioy Casares is buried in La Recoleta Cemetery
La Recoleta Cemetery
La Recoleta Cemetery is a famous cemetery located in the exclusive Recoleta neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It contains the graves of notable people, including Eva Perón, Raúl Alfonsín, and several presidents of Argentina.- History :...
, Buenos Aires.
In 2006 Ediciones Destino published a book of Bioy's diary entries on Borges, numbering 1663 pages of anecdotes, witticisms and observations.
Works
The best-known novel by Bioy Casares is La invención de Morel (The Invention of MorelThe Invention of Morel
La invención de Morel — translated as The Invention of Morel or Morel's Invention — is a science fiction novel by Adolfo Bioy Casares. It was Bioy Casares' breakthrough effort, for which he won the 1941 First Municipal Prize for Literature of the City of Buenos Aires...
). It is the story of a man who, evading justice, escapes to an island said to be infected with a mysterious fatal disease. Struggling to understand why everything seems to repeat, he realizes that all the people he sees there are actually recordings, made with a special machine, invented by Morel, which is able to record not only three-dimensional images, but also voices and scents, making it all indistinguishable from reality. The story mixes realism
Literary realism
Literary realism most often refers to the trend, beginning with certain works of nineteenth-century French literature and extending to late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century authors in various countries, towards depictions of contemporary life and society "as they were." In the spirit of...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and terror
Fear
Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger...
. Borges wrote a famous prologue in which he called it a work of "reasoned imagination" and linked it to H. G. Wells'
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
oeuvre. Both Borges and Octavio Paz
Octavio Paz
Octavio Paz Lozano was a Mexican writer, poet, and diplomat, and the winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize for Literature.-Early life and writings:...
described the novel as "perfect." The story is held to be the inspiration for Alan Resnais's Last Year at Marienbad
Last Year at Marienbad
L'Année dernière à Marienbad is a 1961 French film directed by Alain Resnais from a screenplay by Alain Robbe-Grillet....
and also an influence on the TV series Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
.
Novels
- La invención de Morel (1940, translated into English as The Invention of Morel, or "Morel's Invention" ISBN 1-59017-057-1)
- Plan de evasión (1945, translated into English as A Plan for Escape, ISBN 1-55597-107-5)
- El sueño de los héroes (1954, translated into English as Dream of Heroes, ISBN 0-7043-2634-5)
- Diario de la guerra del cerdo (1969, translated into English as Diary of the War of the Pig, ISBN 0-07-073742-8)
- Dormir al Sol (1973, translated into English 1978 as Asleep in the Sun, ISBN 0-89255-030-9)
- La aventura de un fotógrafo en La Plata (1985, translated into English as The Adventures of a Photographer in La PlataLa PlataLa Plata is the capital city of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and of La Plata partido. According to the , the city proper has a population of 574,369 and its metropolitan area has 694,253 inhabitants....
, ISBN 0-7475-0798-8) - Un campeón desparejo (An Uneven Champion, 1993)
Short Story Collections
- Prólogo (Prologue, 1929)
- 17 disparos contra el porvenir (17 Shots Against the Future, 1933)
- La estatua casera (The Household Statue, 1936)
- La trama celeste (The Celestial Plot, 1948)
- Luis Greve, muerto (Luis Greve, Deceased, 1937)
- Las vísperas de Fausto (Faust's Eve, 1949)
- Historia prodigiosa (A Remarkable History, 1956)
- Guirnalda con amores (Guirnalda with Loves1959)
- El lado de la sombra (The Shady Side, 1962)
- El gran serafín (The Great Seraph, 1967)
- El héroe de las mujeres (The Hero of Women, 1978)
- Historias desaforadas (Colossal Stories, 1986)
Generally, these Spanish-language collections have not been systematically translated into English. English language collections include:
- The Russian Doll and Other Stories (ISBN 0-8112-1211-4)
- Selected Stories (ISBN 0-8112-1275-0)
With Jorge Luis Borges
- Seis problemas para don Isidro Parodi (1942, translated into English as Six Problems for Don Isidro Parodi, ISBN 0-525-48035-8)
- Dos fantasías memorables (Two Memorable Fantasies, 1946)
- Un modelo para la muerte (A Model for Death, 1946)
- Cuentos breves y extraordinarios (Short and Amazing Stories, 1955)
- Crónicas de Bustos Domecq (1967, translated into English as Chronicles of Bustos Domecq, ISBN 0-525-47548-6)
- Libro del cielo y del infierno, (The Book of Heaven and Hell, 1960)
- Nuevos cuentos de Bustos Domecq (New Stories by Bustos Domecq, 1977)
Dos fantasías memorables and Un modelo para la muerte were originally published in private printings of only 300 copies. The first commercial printings were published in 1970.
With Jorge Luis Borges
- Los orilleros (1955, The Hoodlums)
- El paraíso de los creyentes (1955, The Paradise of the Believers)
- InvasiónInvasiónInvasión is an Argentine film released in 1969 and directed by Hugo Santiago. It is an example of an interphase between the classic cinema and nouvelle vague of French style...
(1969, Invasion) - The OthersThe Others (1974 film)The Others is a 1974 French drama film directed by Hugo Santiago. It was entered into the 1974 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Maurice Born - Durtain* Noëlle Chatelet - Valérie* Patrice Dally - Roger Spinoza* Pierrette Destanque - Agnès...
(1974)
External links
- Caricature and obituary at literatura.org (in Spanish)
- logosfreebooks.org biography of Bioy Casares (in Spanish)
- Spanish-language page on Bioy Casares, including links to some passages from his works
- Bioy renowned around the world. Published online in www.Argentina.ar (in English)
About The Invention of Morel
- Borges on Morel
- The opening to The Invention of Morel in English
- Analysis of Ruth Simms' translation of The Invention of Morel
- Review of 'The Invention of Morel' by Seamus Sweeney on nthposition.com
- Prologue to The Invention of Morel (in Spanish)
- Review of 'The Invention of Morel' on waggish. Adolfo Vásquez Rocca, La Invención de Morel; Defensa para sobrevivientes Luke nº 77, September 2006 - ISSN 1578-8644. Adolfo Vásquez Rocca, De la invención de Morel a los simulacros de Baudrillard; La nueva ecología de los mass media, Tendencias 21, 17 September 2006.