The Souls of Outcasts

This autobiographical novel by a Romani writer, professor of literature and activist is set in the 1960s through 1980s and takes the form of an intimate letter from a father to his son. In it, the author takes stock of his failed parenthood and, at the same time, tries to identify the causes of this failure, whether in the traditional life of the Argentinian Romani people or in his own controversial desire to break free from it. He is not blind to a certain conservatism within his community, yet he portrays it as worthy of respect and acceptance. He subjects his life to uncompromising scrutiny, all the while hoping for his son’s understanding. And not just his son’s…

The text, which surges and meanders like a raging river, possesses something of the opulence of magical realism, yet despite its apparent capriciousness, it is bound by a solid literary framework. Few Romani authors have so aptly described the sacred awe and obsession with which a member of a non-literary community views the inaccessible world of the written word.

The Czech translation of El alma de los parias was published thanks to the kind support of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and Bader Philanthropies, Inc.