The Obscene Bird of Night
First US edition | |
| Author | José Donoso |
|---|---|
| Original title | El obsceno pájaro de la noche |
| Translators | Hardie St. Martin and Leonard Mades |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Magical Realism, Horror |
| Publisher | David R. Godine Publisher |
Publication date | January 1, 1970 |
| Publication place | United States |
Published in English | 1973 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 328 |
| Award | PEN Translation Prize for Hardie St. Martin & Leonard Mades (1974) |
| ISBN | 9781567920468 2003 paperback |
The Obscene Bird of Night (Spanish: El obsceno pájaro de la noche) is a novel by Chilean writer José Donoso, first published in 1970. It is widely regarded as his most important and acclaimed work. Donoso was a prominent member of the Latin American literary boom and is frequently associated with the literary movement known as magical realism. The novel is noted for its complex narrative structure, themes of identity and alienation, and its use of myth and symbolism, particularly the figure of the Imbunche from the folklore of Chiloé Island.