Musicians and Watchmakers

"Musicians and Watchmakers" is a first-person narrative about the life of a young Jewish girl in Argentina in the 1940s. Written by Alicia Steimberg, the book has been translated into English by Andrea G. Labinger.Steimberg reflects on the autobiographical roots of this book in an author's note. This is a colorful, frequently humorous narrative. We meet several interesting characters, including her maternal grandmother (an emigrant from Kiev) and her maternal grandfather (a secular Jew and socialist).Steimberg's narrator (named Alicia, like the author) tells about her experience of anti-Semitism, her sexual awakening, her fascination with Roman Catholicism, and other topics. Particularly interesting is the portrayal of life under Peronism. "Musicians and Watchmakers" is an enjoyable contribution to both Latin American and Jewish literature.