In this gripping episode of The Big Book Project, host Lori Feathers dives into the most haunting and unrelenting section of Roberto Bolaño’s 2666—The Part About the Crimes. This chapter confronts readers with a relentless account of femicides in the border town of Santa Teresa.
Lori explores why Bolaño meticulously details the murders of more than 200 women—examining how individualizing victims creates an emotional impact, the novel’s critique of societal apathy, and the shocking contrast between law enforcement’s response to these crimes versus their pursuit of a church vandal known as "the Penitent."
Join us as we unravel the themes of violence, dehumanization, and the chilling banality of evil, drawing connections to philosopher Hannah Arendt’s work. How does Bolaño want us to react? What emotions does this overwhelming accumulation of horror evoke? And what does it say about the societies we live in today?
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