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Why it matters
Torres makes archival erasure visible through storytelling between generations.
Opening the archive

2023 selection · Literary fiction
In a desert institution, a young narrator keeps vigil beside dying Juan Gay and receives fragments of queer history. Redacted texts and photographs reconstruct distorted lives.
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Torres makes archival erasure visible through storytelling between generations.
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You welcome hybrid fiction combining images, documents, and dialogue.
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Primary record
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National Book Award for Fiction — official winner recordOfficial record↗ (opens in a new tab)NPR Books We Love — official recommendation recordOfficial record↗ (opens in a new tab)NPR Books We Love — official recordOfficial record↗ (opens in a new tab)