Red Parrot, Wooden Leg

This is an original first novel of an accomplished poet: erotic, humorous, exotic and sensuous. It describes the adventures of two young writers, set in the midst of political repression, anti-Semitism and violence during the Latin American dictatorships of Brazil and Argentina in the '60s. Kohon's text might be deceptively read as personal reminiscences. In fact, this is one of the many achievements of this wonderful piece offiction.It is a highly original, often comical novel. The Beat writers of the period-Kerouac, Ginsberg, Henry Miller-are his models. Yet so extraordinary is the blend of European, African and native Indian cultures in Brazil, that the experiences of the characters often have the hallucinatory quality characteristic of Latin American magical realism. The book's great strength lies in the way it explores the place of love and friendship, on the one hand and beliefs and ideas on the other, in young lives that are at the mercy of politics, history, superstition, and passion.