The Story of My Teeth

I have read four of Valera Luiselle’s books, beginning with her newest book first. This was my fourth read and was written when she was still in Mexico. There is much I believe I missed is this book, partly because I didn’t know the people she referenced and partly because I couldn’t follow (relate to) the structure she chose to use to write the story. Nonetheless, I applaud the effort she went to to create a story that both entertained and challenged the reader. A great book for graduate-level book study. It has left me thinking about it long after the book is finished. It was originally produced and distributed in “books” for employees of a/the juice factory that is a background feature of the story. Imagine Marilyn Monroe’s teeth!

I am not sure why I selected this book but as I read the first couple of chapters I found it quite enjoyable. The idea that an item takes on value as a consequence of the stories associated with the item was interesting. There were some pretty amazing stories connected to each the teeth that were auctioned off by Gustavo (Highway) Sánchez Sánchez. After the chapter dealing with the teeth auction I thought the story began to drag. I did not see the value of having Gustavo's story retold by a new narrator. I did not get much out of the Time Line that the translator added. Reading about the creation of the novel was interesting and helps explain some of the chunkiness of the book.The hardcover version has a number of pictures which were meaningless in the Kindle version.

I' d like to make it 5 stars. I was so intrigued sometimes when I just read and thinking something in midair but suddenly taken back to his highway and his son's story. Sometimes I couldn't concentrate reading because a lot of stories too short to remember. .Afterwards,I knew the reason, though. I'm not used to this some kinds of experimental literature. It's good to read and never forget after all.

this book was great - shipped perfect quality and was a fantastic read. strange in a good way and kept you reeled in the whole time. highly recommend

This novel is simply delusional, in the most wonderful sense of the word. Short, I could not stop reading it from beginning to end.It is the "march of folly" that we human beings live, travelling daily from our own misery to our greatness and back. This story, happening in my beautiful and beloved Mexico, is deeply universal, providing easy access - to lay readers such as me - to some of the best writers of all time.It is also, in itself, a megainnovation in its genre, by building a participatory story with factory workers.It is both a sad novel, and a humorous story, well written and perversely ironic, about the greatness and weaknesses of us all. I read it with a smile in my mouth, swallowing a playful sarcasm or a surprise every few lines.

I had read a review in the LA Times but didn't purchase the book for several months. At first I was having a little trouble trying to figure out what I was reading and then it came together and from there all was good. I appreciate laughing at the written word and I did this several times as I read the book. A good read.

I read about this book in the New and Noteworthy section of The New Yorker. I love Latin American writers. The very short blurb sounded like the writing might be similar to that of the recently deceased Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the master story teller and Nobel Prize winner. Valeria Luiselli's imagination works overtime. It's the wonder she had a thought left in her head after writing this little jewel. I was so entranced I couldn't put it down and so I read it in one sitting. The story must have originated in a dream the author had. The whole book is so delightfully absurd that it had to be hatched from a dream. One more example of the "magical realism" that Latin American authors are so famous for.

I know that this novel is widely acclaimed and brilliant by many measures. At the same time, I had trouble finishing it. I have an aversion to novels that seem to propelled more by an interest in shocking the reader than in the art of storytelling. I also found the main character so very unsympathetic. A recent novel that I absolutely love and find tremendously brilliant is The Parisian by Isabella Hammad. If you're looking for a brilliant young author, read The Parisian!

I've been meaning to order this book for ages and I'm glad I finally got round to it.Other reviews will do it more justice than i can, so I'll be brief.It's beautifully written. The first few pages set the tone nicely, i admit to reading them twice before settling in to the 'voice'.It's quirky, interesting and fun.And if like me you've reached the end of extensive dental work, it's even more enjoyable!Enjoy.

Valeria Luiselli can write. Sometimes a single sentence delights but it's her originality and ideas that get me more.

Não fosse um tremendo livro, THE STORY OF MY TEETH, da mexicana Valeria Luiselli, já seria interessante por sua concepção. Conforme ela conta num posfácio, o romance é resultado de um projeto colaborativo entre ela e trabalhadores da fábrica de suco Jumex nos arredores da Cidade do México. Ela escrevia os capítulos, mandava para eles, que liam e discutiam, e a gravação era mandada de volta para ela em Nova York, e ela mexia no que já foi escrito, e avançava na narrativa. O processo é todo detalhado, mas ela resume numa fórmula: Dickens + mp3 ÷ Balzac + jpge. O romance é composto, então, por histórias contadas pelos trabalhadores e também imagens, tudo isso moldando pelas mãos e imaginação da escritora.Não bastasse tudo isso, ela escreve muito bem. Acho que uma pessoa de 30 anos (a idade dela quando lançou em 2013) não tem o direito de escrever tão bem assim. Imagina. Mas, enfim, ela escreve, e como em seu Rostos na Multidão prossegue com uma investigação sobre a fragmentação dos nossos tempos. Composto originalmente de 6 blocos, o romance narra a história de Gustavo Sánchez Sánchez, mais conhecido como Highway, um leiloeiro de sucesso no México, que trocou todos os seus dentes estragados por os de Marilyn Monroe, que ele comprou num leilão. Com sua arcada, fez um outro leilão, dizendo que os dentes são de figuras famosas, como Platão, Petrarca e Virginia Woolf.É fácil entender como as pessoas caem no papo do sujeito, porque ele é bom de conversa, e bom de contar história – e isso fica claro ao longo do romance em 1a pessoa. Ele resgata toda sua trajetória desde funcionário de fábrica de sucos (sim, aquela mesma) até o presente com os (supostos) dentes da diva na boca. Luiselli, por sua vez, investiga um esvaziamento da historicidade simbolizado nos lotes que o protagonista leiloa.A edição em inglês é traduzida por Christina MacSweeney, que também compôs um capítulo final, uma cronologia (tomara que a edição brasileira, prevista para sair ainda esse ano também traga), que não está no original mexicano. Conforme diz a autora no posfácio, ela prefere chamar de versão, ao invés de tradução, pois ela mesma revisa e modifica, junto com a tradutora, ressaltando o caráter colaborativo desde a origem deste romance.

I read this book for a book club and would not normally have done so, especially because of some really off putting reviews out there. Mostly and firstly I enjoyed its really good story telling and strange anti-hero. It is also though an experimental book that was created in an organic and collaborative way that explicitly and implicitly questions the value of material objects, words and stories.I also like the way it portrays Mexico. Comedic but not condescending.

Valeria Luiselli's book makes for an interesting read.The last part, where the author writes about the circumstances which brought here to write the book was especially revealing, I thought.All in all, a recommended read.