La boca llena de tierra. (Mouth Full of Earth). Šćepanović, Branimir

Originally published in 1974 in French, this novel by one of Serbia's best-known authors takes readers on a taut existential chase. Out in the countryside, an ailing man facing a biological death sentence is confronted by the animosity of two hunters. They become obsessed by this silent figure, who does nothing to provoke them, but their curiosity turns to malice and soon they are joined by others, including a forest guard, in pursuing him. The text alternates between the collective state of mind of the group pursuing the man and the man himself as he reflects on their pent-up animosity toward him as he tries to survive. His final journey also takes him back to a forest and some mountains he knew as a young man, which gives him some sustenance and hope. Although not obviously political, this work could be interpreted as a metaphor for intolerance and the consequences of misunderstandings between human beings. Recommended for general libraries.—Catherine Rendón, Savannah, GA