Cronicas del Angel Gris

Rating:
Summary: Soothing the soul
Review: Once upon a time in a far, far away country called Argentina there was this sorcerer invoking angels and ghosts, silly, funny, profoundly human. His writings appeared in a small courageous (it survived a military dictatorship) humorous magazine, called "Humor" (obviously). The sorcerer had (still does) also a radio program late, late in the night: "Demasiado Tarde para Lágrimas." His collection of short writings finally were published in this book: "The Stories of the Gray Angel." Dolina provides balsam for our beaten, tired souls through his stories. His wit, his extensive literary and philosophy knowledge pervade through every page. The book is about life (between absurd and fantastic) in the Flores neighborhood in Buenos Aires. One cannot avoid feeling that Dolina is Borges in sneakers, dressed as an "hincha de futbol" (an Argentine soccer fan). From all the stories, the ones I enjoyed the most were those about the adventures of "Los Hombres Sensibles de Flores" (Flores Sensitive Men), a bunch of dreamers that are not far from being grown-up innocent kids, perhaps, parhaps I feel identified somewhat. This book is among the very few in my collection that I have read a hundred times: every time I need it to soothe my soul.