Moacyr Scliar Centaur In The Garden First Ed and 12 similar items

THE CENTAUR IN THE GARDEN by Moacyr Scliar Translated from Portuguese to English by Margaret A. Neves New York: Available Press/Ballantine Books, (1985). First edition in English, first printing, Trade paperback original. Contains publisher's 'First Edition, January 1985' statement. Scliar, a Jewish Brazilian physician wrote over one hundred literary books in Portugese including fantasy, novels, young adult fiction, children's books, and essays. Most of his writing themes include issues of identity and being different, stemming from his own issues of Jewish/Brazilian identity. This novel is considered a fantasy masterpiece and is also included in the list of 100 Greatest Works of Modern Jewish Literature. A baby is born to a Brazilian/Jewish couple as half boy, half horse--a centaur. The novel explores the boy as he grows up, and travels to other lands in search of his identity, acceptance, love, (he finds the love of another creature), relationships, and meaning of life. Scliar's remarks about the centaur metaphor: "The centaur is a symbol of double identity, characteristic of Jews in a country like Brazil. At home you speak Yiddish eat gefilte fish, and celebrate Shabbat. But in the streets, you have soccer, samba, and Portuguese. After a while you feel like a centaur." An important fantasy novel, and a significant Latin and Jewish work. Crisp, tight, fresh! Barely perceptible rubbing to the lower shelf-edges and corner tips, else very nearly fine in glossy cream stiff-card wraps with brown and green titles, lettering rules, and illustration to the covers, and with author photo to the rear cover. An exceptionally well-preserved collectible. Octavo; 216 pages. FREE SHIPPING TO THE USA PLEASE VIEW OUR STORE FOR MORE GREAT FIRST EDITION BOOKS THANKS!