Dear Julio Ramón Ribeyro
Walking in London
found in the window of a bookstore a couple of books from the incomparable Julio Ramón Ribeyro. Peruvian writer forgotten and yet very remarkable storyteller hispanoamericano.Los characters in their stories, often autobiographical and usually written in a simple but ironic, belong mainly to the middle and lower classes and often end with a cruel and sad. But despite his pessimism evident Ribeyro work is usually funny, because the humor springs from the irony of the incidents that befall the protagonists.
an interview here that makes the sr. Jorge Coaguila in 1991, I hope you enjoy it.
-Luder About Sayings of his statements there. Furthermore it is a widely disseminated work, right? Well, I can tell you why. Is that half of the edition was sent to Paris as payment for copyright. Is there still, I have stored in a closet. (Smiles) .-
500, right? - Yes, more or less. I do not know if they were 500 or thousand copies were published. Only I know you sent me half the books published.
- Do you think this book is an evolution of Prosas stateless or disintegration of this book?
"It has nothing to do with Prosas stateless .- But both have the pessimistic, philosophical .- Yes, maybe. But obviously, that stateless Prose texts are a little more developed, a little longer and also are my own thoughts, directly from me. These texts of Luder, however, are replicas, answers, statements, "said" by that. What happens is that I found the formula that corresponds to what the French call 'propos' this or' les propos. " There are a number of books of this kind in Europe. For example: Les propos de Valery, Les propos de Sartre, which are very short things that their authors have said.
- Aphorisms?
"Not only aphorisms. They may also jokes, original observations, occurrences or paradoxes. In the case of Luder These are things I've said and things I've heard other writers like Julio Cortázar and Pablo Neruda.
"On the other hand, the story" Silvio in the Rose Garden "do not you think that you start another stage narrative? Ie stage more reflective, more personal perhaps where you leave the hot topics of the first period.
"Well, basically the songs are less now, it is true, and more personal, more intimate, not as the first stories. Let's say in the first stories, mostly, except for all first written in first person, are tales of topics I talk about other characters, myself do not speak ...- ...- This same key You say that "Silvio in the Rose Garden" is written in third person but Silvio is more or less, a performance, a delegate of mine, I'm kind of Silvio in the background.
- The same will continue in the word of the mute, volume four?
"No, he took four will be, will consist of several parts. (Brief silence). There are a number of stories as "Away for an indefinite period in which the character is a writer. And there are a number of stories from the Miraflores district of Santa Cruz, a neighborhood in which I lived in my childhood and youth. These recent stories are several aspects of various styles and even several times. It is already a little out of the general title of my stories, the word dumb, because they are already other things. But to keep this title in good account is fine. Because originally, as I say in the prologue of the first volume of the mute The word is the word of people who do not have a voice. While it is now my voice is mine, it has become. The word of the dumb, fourth volume, I am. The mute who was quiet and suddenly speaks and appears with new fields.
-present, is being devoted to writing or editing? -parallel
'm writing and editing. Especially on the forties in the district of Santa Cruz on the Miraflores of the decade
.- With respect to have intimate issues critics say this is for the writer's crisis, which has no other prospects, that has no other opportunities to speak.
"Possibly, I did not put in doubt. But I have always believed that truly great writer is the writer no matter what, forgetting about their own experiences, his own life. What I can tell you: about the Crusades, on Plato, something happened in Afghanistan and Japan. That is the truly epic writer, who invents, which takes everything out of nothing. While the guy who is taking things from within, from his own life, his own experience, is a lyric writer, minor, is not it, the lighter, smaller, but
the same time, as everything has its counterpart, and every argument has its counter-argument-there are great writers who have dealt entirely on his own life, that is the case of Proust. Proust has only write about himself, from first to the last line.
- What books have meant when he said sorry for having read in his youth? Do the lumps of the human comedy?
"No, those of the human comedy is not, never. I regret having read a. ..
- Thomas Mann?
"No, not Thomas Mann. I think Goethe spoke of learning novels, which are really boring.
-Referring to skepticism: When did this on you? When he became aware of it?
"Actually, I believe that force decírsemelo preguntársemelo and I ended up believing. (Laughs). Well, skepticism is the person who doubts and finds it very difficult to get to know the truth. If we think well, maybe I am a skeptic. Although people are much more stringent than, say, believe in nothing, in that sense I am not well, because I believe in some things .- But doubt always? .- Yes, yes. The question always ...
- How don?
"No, as a method. A little in the manner of Descartes .
"Very rationalist, is not it?
- Yes -
"And who is Ribeyro for you?
- Ribeyro? Go to how hard, what a question. This is a good question, for this would I have to finish a book, just my autobiography that I have been writing for some time. You may know the answer at the end when you finish the book.
- Do not you think that his silence to fame? -
No, but it contributed.
- Did not you create a mythic aura?
"Possibly. That is why I should, if I want to keep that aura of myth, giving interviews too long. At that time
photographer arrives, followed by two newspaper colleagues .
Julio Ramón says: " ahead and pass " and then I asked: "Who are ?".
He explained that one of them is a photographer and the other two, his admirers . Julio Ramón is concerned, he smiles and says:
" Unfortunately I have to do in a short time." Lily Saldana, the photographer asked me to open the curtains for some footage backlight and while I'm pulling the cord, I say to Julio Ramón: "Where were we?". While Lily still shooting, Julio Ramón says "Ah, I was saying that I am, who are depriving me of my marginality and are abusing my aura of solitary man, a man who does not give interviews. It may be, ah. It's the last time ...».
- is the only interview she has granted in recent weeks?
- The only throughout the year, I feel that the interview is about to break.
- Do not you feel a bit private - asked my friend Luis Bouillon, who until now had not intervened - the things you want to do, how to behave like an ordinary mortal?
"I behave like an ordinary mortal when I'm incognito," replied Julio Ramón, smiling.
- In Paris?
further intervention Luis Bullón - feels more comfortable?
- Ah, Paris, of course, nobody knows me, "replied Julio Ramón.
-Although Alfredo Bryce - say - he went from Paris to Barcelona because he annoyed a lot. Yes
Julio Ramón says, "but so will bother back in Barcelona. Even as he left Barcelona, \u200b\u200bnow in Madrid.
-migration to Paris - Do not you think that is a sign of cultural failure in Latin America?
"No, I think," says Julio Ramón, while spending a few jokes with the photographer.
There are many writers and perhaps the best Peruvian writers have never left Lima or country, in any case, have traveled to Europe recently. I can cite the case of Martin Adam who is, after Vallejo, Peru's greatest poet, I think only once traveled to Arequipa and Cusco, as well as old. But almost no Barranco moved or Larco Herrera. The case of José María Arguedas is another. Arguedas is a writer who has done his work in Peru, despite having lived in Spain some months on a scholarship, despite having held conferences in France, Germany and other countries. Although it was well marked influences of cultural environment of other countries, Arguedas has done all his work in Peru.
"On the other hand, does it bother you that they considered a philosopher? -" No "- says Julio Ramón philosopher .- Do You Think?
"I think so. If you define me as a philosopher who seeks the reason of things and obviously a lover of wisdom, I think so, yes I would ...
- A Peruvian Plato?
- A Plato would be a pride, a glory for me.
-in Peruvian narrative, making comparisons, perhaps you are a Vargas Llosa Hemingway and Faulkner.
- A Hemingway? - With clear and simple .- Is a view of values? - No. What I mean is that you are the opposite, say, of Vargas Llosa in narrative technique, as it was Hemingway, Faulkner.
"Do not think. In Hemingway's a technique, a great technique is not very noticeable, which is not seen too much. But I do not know much to Hemingway, I do not know very well. I have read stories about him, some of his novels, not all, but who knows what is Alfredo Bryce, who is a fan of Hemingway. Alfredo says there is a technique in Hemingway's work which he has learned a lot. (Brief silence). Hemingway a bit of a narrator who describes behaviors, because their characters are always in action. Hemingway does not get to explain what a character thinks, never, but makes them tick. Hemingway has great stories, as is the case with "The murderers." For example there are people who are talking, doing things without thinking. The reader learns of the characters through their actions and not by descriptions. I do not know if this is noted Alfredo Bryce. Would have to reread the books of Alfredo Bryce to see if there is a presence of Hemingway, if relative state of mind or just actions.
- Changing themes does not believe that causes less acceptance among readers because it no longer trata generalmente de sus problemas?
— No, no, no. A mí muchas veces me han dicho, amigos y críticos, que por qué no sigo escribiendo cuentos como la primera época, que es lo que le gusta al lector. A mí no me importa, qué voy a hacer yo, yo no voy a escribir para darle gusto al lector.
—¿Y los críticos le interesan?
— Me interesan poco. ¿Cómo le puedo decir? Leo libros de crítica, pero sobre los autores que me interesan. He leído una cantidad considerable de libros sobre las obras de Flaubert, Stendhal o Kafka, esos libros sí interested me a little, but to write about me, no.
- What is the difference among the critics Peruvian and French or European?
- I think critics are a little late Peruvian trends in European and foreign criticism. What's hot, I mean. I will not mention names, but some are still with the method of Roland Barthes, Georg Lukacs, Lucien Goldmann ...
- What Sartre?
- of Sartre as well.
- Sartre greatly influenced you?
-
No. - No? "Not in the social?
- No.
- Not in the compromised?
- No.
- Anatole France? "my friend Luis Bullón.
-Anatole France probably more than Sartre. Anatole France is a writer that nobody reads now, is largely forgotten. But curiously, there is a kind of rebirth Anatole France now in France. I mean his books are reissued in paperback, because at one time and not edit it anymore. Had to be found in old libraries. Now, I repeat, they're going to paperback. People read it with interest because it is a great writer, a great prose writer, a man like Sartre, if you want-nineteenth century: very committed to the social, where the Dreyfus case.
-As it was Proust.
"But Proust was defending Dreyfus because he was Jewish as he is, by reason of consanguinity. (Lily Saldaña keeps shooting and Julio Ramón stands for some shots).
"One of the reasons for success," says my friend Luis Bouillon, who have their stories is that you are very accessible to all audiences, not just an elite audience but not too started in literature . Any reader understands very well and plays well with his stories.
"Oh, ya, though. Affordable are my stories, not me. No, the truth, I am too.
"He has a sense of humor-Bullón intervene again, irony, nonsense special. I think it's a gift, you can not learn that. It appears that you have that.
"Yes, in any case," says Julio Ramon, one aspect of my stories, my books, which is very little perceived by critics and is just humor. Everyone considers me a writer very dark, very skeptical, very tragic, that is, pessimistic, when there is, I believe, very funny things. I enjoy a lot when I write.
(We all knew these were her last moments, so we asked one last annoyance: that, please, we are dedicated to Luis Bullón and me Prosas stateless, each of them had brought a copy. Julio Ramón took a pen:)-must "said Luis Bullón seem quite superfluous, such ceremonies.
"Suddenly you did as a youth?
- Ah, yes, yes. I have a very important dedications.
- as?
- I have books dedicated by John Steinbeck, Samuel Beckett, Gabriel García Márquez, Julio Cortázar.
- And the Peruvians?
-Peruvians, everybody.
- Was it a joke that the book autographed by Ciro Alegria changed it to cigarettes?
"Oh, yes, that the story in" Only for smokers. " Mine was an exaggeration. (Smiles).
"He was very funny," I said. We had to increase the drama of Anton Chekhov. (Julio Ramón is dedicating his books).
Lately "has a personal interest for a writer? -added Bullón
-. Milan Kundera, suddenly, have you read anything about him? - Yes .- What do you think? "said Bouillon.
"It's good, eh. Although a little mannerism.
-Upon the death of Graham Greene, what can you say?
"Nothing. (Pause).
Last time I asked by phone to Paris, a group of reporters: "Hey, what you think of the Nobel Prize awarded to Octavio Paz?". (Gestures with hands). I do not think anything I said. (Laughs). Why? What do you want me to say? "Ah, how lucky is a great honor for Latin America." Nonsense.
- Save even said Bouillon, a small hope that you recognize him with this award?
"It is very difficult.
- Have you ever asked again Bullón- thought as a possibility, albeit very remote?
"No, to receive the National Prize for Literature is sufficient.
- And the Asturias? What about Cervantes? "I said.
"No, I think.
(Brief silence). Well, boys, I think that's all. Julio Ramón
Ribeyro had the dumb speak. It was time to say goodbye. We appreciate your attention. I felt a strong emotion, unforgettable, when I shook his hand and when we saw him closing polite, politely on his apartment door. later, when traveling in the car of the day, with a big heart and cheerful, opened the stateless Prose and read: "To George, who tormented me for hours with questions for publication in El Peruano, very cordially, Julio Ramón."
