One Hundred Guinea Pigs

“Fast-paced and witty… Gustavo Rodríguez is a remarkable talent.” —World Literature Today

“Both classic and rhythmic, the story unfolds into a lively road trip through old age. A final whirlwind before the inevitable leap: this luminous novel is a compassionate tribute to hearts and bodies that are weary yet remain defiant in the face of decrepitude.” —Le Monde

“A tragicomic story, moving, crafted with skill and humour.” —Claudia Piñeiro , author of ELENA KNOWS

“Amusing and thought-provoking.” —Latino Book Review

“Gustavo Rodríguez skilfully captures the metaphor of life as a passage to death, navigating it with a touch of humour and dignity, devoid of moralistic overtones or sensationalism.” —ABC Cultural

“An appealing novel with an excellent plot development: endearing, moving, intelligent, and empowering.” —Segre

“Gustavo Rodríguez once again alternates between the good and the bad in life to reveal a horrible indecency. (…) Racism, economic inequality, and the contradictions of Peruvian society are elements that One Hundred Guinea Pigs inherits from his previous work […] luminous writing.” —El periódico

“A work where tragedy and comedy intertwine in the exploration of the passage of time, old age, and its contradictions. […] A masterful development that allows the voice of his country in world literature to rediscover its place, breaking free from what seemed like an eternal adolescence.” —Zona de Obras

“In his ninth novel the writer reveals just how little attention is paid to the elderly in our society, and advocates for worthy representation, at the same time that he challenges the taboo that is dignified death and offers a portrait of structural classism and racism in Peru. These topics could be difficult to digest, but Rodríguez seasons them with a wit that points to an astonishing literary maturity and brilliance.” —Coolt

“An ode to old age, a song to existence, and a tribute to those women who work, suffer, care, empathise, yearn, and, despite everything, survive.” —La Razón

“A story about the culture of caregiving, senectitude, the body, ageism, and death.” —El Mundo

Gustavo Rodríguez (Lima, 1968) is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Latin American literature, and is also known for his creative work in the media. He has published, among other titles, the novels La furia de Aquiles, La risa de tu madre (Herralde Novel Prize Finalist) and La semana tiene siete mujeres (Planeta-Casamérica Prize Finalist). He has also written children’s and YA books that are read in schools throughout South America. He was the winner of the 2023 edition of the prestigious Alfaguara Prize for his novel One Hundred Guinea Pigs.

Daniel Hahn is a writer, editor and actual human translator. His work has won him the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, the International Dublin Literary Award and been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, among many others. His translations for Charco Press include novels from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru. He is the author of Catching Fire: A Translation Diary.