About the Author

Alejandro Zambra was named as one of Granta's "Best Young Spanish-language Novelists." He is the author of three novels, including Bonsai, which was made into a film, and Ways of Going Home.

Megan McDowell received her Master's Degree in Literary Translation from the University of Texas at Dallas. In addition to two books by Alejandro Zambra, she has translated Under This Terrible Sun by Carlos Busqued and La Vida Doble by Arturo Fontaine.

Reviews

"It's rare to find a story—much less such a short one—that offers this kind of pleasure and manages to linger in mind as an unsolved mystery ... as exciting as the best daydream you ever had."—The Second Pass

"Zambra's sentences string together like pearls, each of them perfect, fragile, and self-contained. Often, they are startlingly beautiful in their careful starkness, or hilariously deadpan ... Trees has a wry sense of remove. It washes over you, and it lingers."—Rachel Sugar, New City Lit

The Private Lives of Trees is a novel from Chilean writer Alejandro Zambra, masterfully translated by Megan McDowell ... Poignant and thought-provoking, The Private Lives of Trees is a fine piece of international fiction."—The Midwest Book Review

" Zambra writes peculiar books that work on many levels—the kind to be read again and again because they become something different each time."—Tottenville Review

"Alejandro Zambra is certainly the most interesting Chilean writer to emerge since Bolano died in 2003 ... his biggest strengths [are] a lively attention to detail and an ability to plausibly, enjoyably break the binds of tradition..."—Stephan Delbos, The Prague Post

"The Private Lives of Trees confirms Alejandro Zambra as one of the most interesting writers of the younger generation."—Álvaro Enrigue

"One of the greatest literary events of recent years."—Alfonso Cortínez, Las Últimas Noticias