All Men are Liars

Alberto Manguel

How did Alejandro Bevilacqua die - what is the truth about his life story and achievements? Four differing accounts and viewpoints of the Argentina of the generals (desaparecidos etc) and post-Franco Spain are told to a named but silent recorder. A hugely satisfying puzzle - you will reassess your view of all the participants each time the narrator changes.

Extract

I wanted Alejandro to be a part of that new wind of change, to be a dazzling new voice, a new discovery. Yes, yes, my Terradillos, I know what you're thinking: those fotonovelas of his were hardly literature. We had a laugh when he showed me three or four that he had discovered in a pile of old magazines in the old Rastro flea market. Worse than soap operas - don't think I didn't realize that. I'm not stupid. But Alejandro knew the art of spinning stories.

Parallels