Hi everyone,

I was really looking forward to this book this week, especially because I have briefly gotten to do some high-level research into these types of events all throughout Latin America–but I have never gotten to explore the situation in Chile in-depth and have always wanted to. Luckily, Bolaño’s book provides an account or an idea of just how violent the Pinochet regime was, and how deeply that impacted those such as poets, as many featured in the book, or artists, singers, and more. From my little knowledge on Chile during the Pinochet regime, I was aware that artists and poets were some of the most targeted and effected, so I think this book is helpful in furthering that understanding.

Though through various means, but especially poetry considering his background, Bolaño effectively highlights the political and economic and cultural and social implications of the time and how political upheaval reaches every corner of society. This makes me think that accounts like this, especially the ways in which this book is written, is incredibly powerful in maintaining and highlighting memory, despite being traumatic. This concept of withholding and protecting memory is almost symbolic because it highlights the deeply violent impacts of the disappeared in Chile, many of them being writers or even poets, like in the book. Like Deeba mentioned in their blog, I am also an IR student and am VERY used to analyzing the political circumstances and outcomes of an event, but getting to learn more about the technological and artistic aspects of this representation of many Chilean’s lives was impactful and refreshing in many ways. It challenged me to think about how despite the style of writing, it serves as a form of. resistance and memory. Additionally, like some of my peers have mentioned, I am also sure that Bolaño was the first narrator himself, and utilized this form of writing to release his feelings and experiences in a way that is meaningful and comfortable with him. Similar to Wieder, although his art is not exactly great in terms of what it represents, it could be said that this plays the same case for himself. Having photography as an element of this books helps the reader further their main arguments, and I think all together, it ties well.

My question for you is: Can you think of any other examples of artists who faced similar forced and unfair prosecution? How else did Bolaño utilize his writing to maybe share some specific parts of his life with us?