New ArrivalsEasterClothing, Shoes & AccessoriesHomeKitchen & DiningOutdoor Living & GardenFurnitureGroceryHousehold EssentialsBabyBeautyPersonal CareHealthWellnessBackpacks & LuggageSports & OutdoorsToysElectronicsVideo GamesMovies, Music & BooksSchool & Office SuppliesParty SuppliesGift IdeasGift CardsPetsUlta Beauty at TargetShop by CommunityTarget OpticalDealsClearanceTarget New ArrivalsRoller Rabbit x TargetEasterHome Decor Ideas & TrendsTop DealsTarget Circle DealsWeekly AdShop Order PickupShop Same Day DeliveryRegistryRedCardTarget CircleFind Stores
Distant Star - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback) - 1 of 1

Distant Star - by Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

Pre-order

Free & easy returns

Free & easy returns

Return this item by mail or in store within 90 days for a full refund.
Eligible for registries and wish lists
Available deals

Target Circle Deal: Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

Eligible with Target Circle membership ∙ Expires Mar 27 ∙ Details

About this item

Highlights

  • "[One] of his best.
  • About the Author: Roberto Bolaño (1953-2003) was the author of The Savage Detectives and 2666, among many other notable works.
  • 176 Pages
  • Fiction + Literature Genres, Literary

Description



About the Book



"A novel following the crimes and disappearance of a murderous air force pilot in Pinochet's Chile"-- Provided by publisher.



Book Synopsis



"[One] of his best." --Daniel Zalewski, The New Yorker

"A masterpiece." --Los Angeles Times

The year is 1971, or perhaps 1972, in Salvador Allende's Chile. Arturo B. is just one of a motley crew of young bohemians attending Juan Stein's poetry workshop at the University of Concepción when a mysterious newcomer by the name of Alberto Ruiz-Tagle arrives. Though Alberto's taciturn manner, patrician airs, and cold, distant poetry confound the group, he catches the attention of Veronica and Angelica Garmendia, the twin stars of the workshop. When Chile's government is toppled and replaced by a brutal military dictatorship, many of the young poets--among them, the Garmendia sisters--disappear, and Arturo is horrified to learn that Alberto, now revealed to be Carlos Wieder, an air force pilot and a darling of the new regime, may have something to do with it. Wieder's great ambition is to revolutionize Chilean poetry--to mythologize the new order in a spectacle of verse--and he takes to performing his poems in the skies above the Andes, using the sky as his paper and an old Nazi aircraft as his pen. But when Wieder takes his radical art a step too far, he, too, disappears without a trace. Decades later, Arturo, living in exile in Europe, and still preoccupied by the fates of his old classmates, is presented with an opportunity to track Wieder down--a journey that will lead him to one last encounter with the violence of their generation. A detective novel, a horror story, and a tragicomedy of global proportions, Roberto Bolaño's Distant Star is a haunting tale about the grotesque collisions of high art and politics, of idealism and brutality, and of hopes and reality.

With a new introduction by Ben Lerner.



Review Quotes




"[Distant Star portrays], with disarming humor, the inevitable and sometimes gruesome collision (and collusion) of literature, history, and politics . . . [It] marries humor and irony, violence and love, poetry and death."
--Aura Estrada, Bookforum

"[A work of] astonishing force."
--Lily Meyer, NPR

"A story about fascism and art [grafted] onto the structure of a detective novel."
--Siddhartha Deb, Harper's Magazine

"[One] of his finest."
--William Deresiewicz, The New Republic




About the Author



Roberto Bolaño (1953-2003) was the author of The Savage Detectives and 2666, among many other notable works. Born in Santiago, Chile, he later lived in Mexico City, Paris, and Barcelona. His accolades include the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Premio Rómulo Gallegos. He died at the age of fifty and is widely considered to be the greatest Latin American writer of his generation.

Chris Andrews has translated books of prose fiction by César Aira, Roberto Bolaño, Liliana Colanzi, and Ágota Kristóf, among others. He is also the author of How to Do Things with Forms and The Oblong Plot.

Dimensions (Overall): 8.4 Inches (H) x 5.4 Inches (W) x .5 Inches (D)
Weight: .3 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 176
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Literary
Publisher: Picador USA
Format: Paperback
Author: Roberto Bolaño
Language: English
Street Date: April 7, 2026
TCIN: 1003285976
UPC: 9781250352194
Item Number (DPCI): 247-44-1275
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.5 inches length x 5.4 inches width x 8.4 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.3 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO, Alaska, Hawaii

Return details

This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, delivered to the guest, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or picked up by the guest.
See the return policy for complete information.

Q: What type of literary work is Distant Star?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
  • A: Distant Star is a blend of detective fiction, tragedy, and satire, highlighting intersections of art and politics.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What role does Alberto Ruiz-Tagle play in the novel?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
  • A: Alberto Ruiz-Tagle, later known as Carlos Wieder, is a mysterious air force pilot linked to the disappearances of poets.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What significant historical event is featured in the book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
  • A: The story is set during the military coup in Chile, affecting the lives of the characters profoundly.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: Who is the main character in Distant Star?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
  • A: The main character is Arturo B., a young poet navigating the turbulent political landscape of Chile.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What themes are explored in this novel?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
  • A: The novel explores themes of politics, art, violence, and the impact of dictatorship on personal lives.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 8 days ago
    Ai generated

Additional product information and recommendations

Discover more options

The Skating Rink - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

$17.00
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

Posthumous Stories - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

$15.64
MSRP $16.00
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

A Little Lumpen Novelita - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

$15.00
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

Third Reich - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

$14.97
MSRP $21.99
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

The Insufferable Gaucho - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

$12.92
MSRP $16.00
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

Monsieur Pain - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

$10.79
MSRP $15.00
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

Guests also viewed

By Night in Chile - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

$14.88
MSRP $16.00
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

Third Reich - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

$14.97
MSRP $21.99
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

Los Detectives Salvajes / The Savage Detectives - by  Roberto Bolaño (Paperback)

$19.67
MSRP $21.95
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

A Table for Fortune: Box Set - by  William T Vollmann (Hardcover)

$142.99
MSRP $149.99
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

Shadow Ticket - by  Thomas Pynchon (Hardcover)

$19.53
MSRP $30.00
Buy 2, get 1 free select books, movies & music

Get top deals, latest trends, and more.

Privacy policy

Footer

About Us

About TargetCareersNews & BlogTarget BrandsBullseye ShopSustainability & GovernancePress CenterAdvertise with UsInvestorsAffiliates & PartnersSuppliersTargetPlus

Help

Target HelpReturnsTrack OrdersRecallsContact UsFeedbackAccessibilitySecurity & FraudTeam Member ServicesLegal & Privacy

Stores

Find a StoreClinicPharmacyTarget OpticalMore In-Store Services

Services

Target Circle™Target Circle™ CardTarget Circle 360™Target AppRegistrySame Day DeliveryOrder PickupDrive UpFree 2-Day ShippingShipping & DeliveryMore Services
PinterestFacebookInstagramXYoutubeTiktokTermsCA Supply ChainPrivacy PolicyCA Privacy RightsYour Privacy ChoicesInterest Based AdsHealth Privacy Policy