La mula

Critically acclaimed throughout Spain, and now available for the first time in English, this tender, satirical novel vividly captures the intrinsic absurdity of war--and the joys of true friendship in a place where it is difficult to distinguish man from beast.Juan Castro Perez is a simple muleteer caught in the brutal Spanish Civil War. Never far from his closest companion--a stray mule named Valentina whom he is determined to keep for himself after the war--Juan engages in the low-brow drinking escapades, long shots at love, and an otherwise droning existence shared by his compatriots.As he…