"A daring talent. . . . Cortazar is a dazzler." -San Francisco Chronicle

This lyrical, ethereal text interwoven with Julio Cortazar's own stunning photos from an abandoned observatory - never before translated into English - is perhaps Cortazar's most unconventional work. With a dream-logic of its own, the narrative flows from Jaipur to Paris, weaving in glimpses of the unearthly structures of a magical observatory (the brainchild of a local sultan) with descriptions of the life cycle of the Atlantic eel. Julio Cortazar (1914-1984) is one of the true giants of twentieth century Latin American literature. His previous works include Autonauts of the Cosmoroute, Diary of Andres Fava (Archipelago Books), Hopscotch, and numerous collections of short stories.