Ordstäv som framkallar ett leende.

Denna samling av mer eller mindre insiktsfulla ordspråk började med att författaren ville skapa ett stilprov för den nya sättmaskin med 100-tals fonter som hans reklambyrå med sätteri och tryckeri införskaffat i slutet på 1980-talet. Projektet avslutades emellertid aldrig emedan företaget såldes innan stilprovet blev färdigställt.

Den ursprungliga idén med stilprovet var att varje font skulle illustreras med ett roande ordspråk ackompanjerat av en lätt beskrivning avseende typsnittets upphovsman, dess historia, m m.

På dessa sidor återfinns många av de unika ordstäv som skulle ingå – här dock återgivna i en och samma font. Denna senare omständighet hindrar dessbättre inte läsaren av dessa visdomsord från att lyfta på mungiporna vid en genomgång av denna samling av iakttagelser som gjorda för att framkalla smilgropar.

Un monje tibetano contempla los cinco obstáculos que lo previene fugar de una prisión imposible de escapar, hasta que la fuerza bruta que lo mantiene encarcelado está vencida por la fuerza de su voluntad.

La vida de una estrella de rock ’n’ roll toma el ritmo de un tren. Después de lentamente haber partido de la estación cuando era niña, la falta de control resultado de sus éxitos hace que empieza a viajar más rápido hasta que su vida se vuelve un tren desenfrenado.

Mientras un despiadado pero hábil administrador de un campo de concentración está en constante búsqueda de soluciones, una ama de casa en un pueblo cercano lamenta que cada rato está obligada limpiar las ventanas de su casa.

Un náufrago en el océano Índico usa su ingenio parar luchar contra los elementos por su supervivencia.

Basado en un crimen verídico, este acontecimiento tomó lugar en Guatemala en 1971. La ejecución de los culpables fue publicada de manera extensa, y el sentimiento público era que se había logrado justicia en el caso. Pero – ¿cuál fue la razón que los llevó a su atroz crimen? Revisando los antecedentes, deberían existir explicaciones lógicas de por qué se desencadenan crímenes sin sentido como éste.

Una duquesa rusa abruptamente decide viajar de Moscú a su casa en la campiña para finalmente recibir un pretendiente rechazado.

Como si fuera con el pincel de un pintor, seis personas dejan sus impresiones individuales sobre un lienzo donde la escena es un café pintoresco donde las pinceladas de la suerte y las mentes conspiradoras de los participantes resultan ser exactamente como el aire primaveral – impresiones falsas. Entre los estafadores y los engañados, ninguno puede evitar registrar una pérdida.

“El lector transitará por este libro como quien recorre un camino tan lleno de asombros que es imposible interrumpirlo antes de llegar al final. Pasará por momentos de esperanza; se aterrará ante la crueldad humana; será cómplice del humor y la ironía que sólo una pluma filosa como la de este autor es capaz de crear; estará ante encrucijadas de las que, por un instante, deseará encontrar la salida, pero no hay tal, porque ya está atrapado y tendrá que ir pasando por las historias hasta llegar al último desenlace. La empatía o el rechazo que sentirá por los personajes con los que ya está involucrado, son imanes de los que no podrá escapar. 

“Un recorrido dividido en ocho tramos; a lo largo del cual conocemos a un mexicano poderoso y fanfarrón, que no por serlo deja de tener virtudes proporcionales a sus defectos. Un genio del jazz que vive su historia de amor y traición, y la resuelve con la misma agudeza con la que logra desprender notas de su saxofón. Un par de escritores protegidos del sol por la sombra de un gran árbol, en una cultura extraña para ambos, no se conocen más que por los intercambios de sus miradas y, a través de este lenguaje silencioso y sutil, se leen para reinventar uno la vida del otro. Un hombre, tan metódico y tan nórdico, que organiza su propia muerte en función de los temas que más le obsesionan. Una pareja de escapistas capaces de salir de todas los artefactos, menos de aquellas que la codicia y la soberbia tejieron en su contra. Un condenado a muerte cuyos sofisticados conocimientos culinarios le proporcionan pequeñas prórrogas a sus contadas horas de vida. La hermandad de dos hombres cuya superstición resulta en una dura lección sobre lo relativo de la pobreza y la abundancia. La venganza de una esposa vista a través de los ojos de su marido, quien no supo calcular lo implacable que puede llegar a ser una mujer despechada. 

“El lector se colocará en el lugar de cada uno de estos personajes; muchas veces se identificará con ellos, los sabrá comprender o por lo menos entenderá sus motivaciones para actuar; porque a través de las diestras narraciones del autor, se dejan conocer a profundidad. Sus virtudes o sus ardides podrían resultar ajenas ante los ojos de muchos, pero existe un contexto que las explica. Sus acciones no son fortuitas, ya que responden a la lógica de los sentimientos humanos más profundos y complejos, tan universales que traspasan fronteras, culturas y tiempos.

“Las historias de Kim Ekemar son un mosaico de puro material humano. Emociones, paisajes y circunstancias que hermanan al lector con sus páginas, lo llenan de interrogantes, conocimientos y conclusiones que seguirán girando en su mente trascendiendo el tiempo estricto que implica la lectura.”

México, 17 de diciembre de 2019

Andrea Lehn Angelides

Partridge envía a Crimson a Harbor, un gélido pueblo ubicado en Nueva Inglaterra, a casa de una pareja de amigos (Inocencia y Daniel McPherson) para que, medio alejado de las drogas que lo enferman, concluya La Nave, un historia de suspenso que narra los asesinatos ocurridos en un barco abandonado que servía de refugio temporal a 7 locos escapados de un manicomio…7 personajes inspirados en los 7 pecados capitales…que al mismo tiempo tienen que ver con los otros personajes del libro que leemos…

Y todo va bien hasta que Crimson enloquece y comienza a vivir una historia semejante a la que narra en la novela en la que está trabajando (La Nave) y entonces las tramas y los destinos de los personajes involucrados se confunden, haciéndonos conscientes de que la vida literaria va más allá de las páginas de un libro.

El trabajo de Ekemar, emparentado con los juegos intelectuales de Borges y de Cortázar es realmente brillante y lo traigo a estas páginas de este diario no sólo porque me parece entretenido, redondo y sumamente recomendable, sino porque vale la pena acercarse a su trabajo autoral en busca de nuevos valores y ficciones propositiva e inteligentes.” – Diario de Morelos, México

– Dr. Martín Almada, Premio Nobel Alternativo, y miembro del Comité Ejecutivo de la Asociación Americana de Juristas (AAJ)

“Part historical text and part political thriller frightening in its reality, El Reino del Terror presents a wealth of information on a tormented era in Latin America’s history. In this true story, Ekemar offers a detailed investigation of one of the most vicious and corrupt dictatorships that the South American continent has ever known.

“Alfredo Stroessner’s thirty-five-year regime was the longest-lasting dictatorship in twentieth-century South America. Ekemar’s narrative, supported by personal experience and extensive research, paints a chilling picture of the pervasive human rights violations of his iron-fisted rule, which was marked by personal and political corruption, sexual depravity, and the protection of Nazi fugitives, drug traffickers, and terrorists.

“The text contains reminders that the practice of torture was extensive under Stroessner, with political activists, journalists, peasants, teachers, intellectuals, indigenous tribes, children, and pregnant women among the targeted. Victims were flown out over the Paraná River and dropped to their deaths from airplanes.

“Ekemar also reveals the extent to which the United States knew about, and was responsible for, the abuses that took place during “Operation Condor,” a Cold War-era campaign of political repression and state terror that involved intelligence operations and the assassination of opponents in South America and elsewhere. The program was intended to eradicate communism and Soviet influence in Latin America’s Southern Cone; sadly, one of the methods used was to prop up brutal right-wing dictatorships in the countries involved, supporting them with funds, training in effective methods of torture, and more. The book vividly and meticulously describes the treatment that Ekemar and his wife received while detained by the Paraguayan police.

“Front cover art, while graphic and disturbing, is appropriate for the nature and content of the book. To facilitate personal research, Ekemar has included ample listings of data, statistics, and online resources.

“Part historical text and part political thriller frightening in its reality, El Reino del Terror presents a wealth of information on a tormented era in Latin America’s history. It is a powerful call for the truth to be recognized and taught, and a warning to us all of the perils of failing to honor our human rights and guard our freedom.

“Alfredo Stroessner’s thirty-five-year regime was the longest-lasting dictatorship in twentieth-century South America. Part historical text and part political thriller frightening in its reality, El Reino del Terror presents a wealth of information on a tormented era in Latin America’s history.

“Ekemar’s narrative, supported by personal experience and extensive research, paints a chilling picture of the pervasive human rights violations of his iron-fisted rule, which was marked by personal and political corruption, sexual depravity, and the protection of Nazi fugitives, drug traffickers, and terrorists.

“The text contains reminders that the practice of torture was extensive under Stroessner. Ekemar also reveals the extent to which the United States knew about, and was responsible for, the abuses that took place during ‘Operation Condor’, a Cold War-era campaign of political repression and state terror that involved intelligence operations and the assassination of opponents in South America and elsewhere. Front cover art, while graphic and disturbing, is appropriate for the nature and content of the book. ‘El Reino del Terror’is a powerful call for the truth to be recognized and taught, and a warning to us all of the perils of failing to honor our human rights and guard our freedom.”

– A 5-star rated review by Clarion Foreword Review

“El Reino del Terror efectivamente sumerge al lector en una atmósfera de pesadilla. Es un testimonio sincero de primera mano acerca de una de las dictaduras más feroces que asolaran a nuestro Continente durante el siglo pasado; por así decirlo, es una ‘micro-historia’ que nos remite a las espléndidas obras de ficción de Asturias, García Márquez, Vargas Llosa y Carpentier, entre otras, solo que en este caso se trata de un documento veraz basado en la cruda realidad atestiguada -sufrida- por el autor y su esposa, una realidad ciertamente conmovedora y alucinante. El magnífico esfuerzo de documentación que permite contextuar lo ocurrido redondea sin duda el trabajo. El Reino del Terror constituye una lectura obligada para todos aquellos que buscan desentrañar la naturaleza del poder absoluto y sus consecuencias avasalladoras en la vida de las personas de carne y hueso. Por todo ello resulta ser un libro altamente recomendable.”

– Javier Barros, ex-embajador de México ante la UNESCO

The Last Beat; London, 1966

A policeman walks the empty streets of London Town on the eve of his death from a heart attack. As is his custom, he makes up tongue-in-cheek plays on words while reflecting on the sad state of society. The rhymes come to him to the beat of his footfall and a clock announcing midnight.

From a Critical Point of View; New York City, 1990

A wicked critic writes columns for a daily paper. He finds it more rewarding to criticise by twisting the truth into satire than to produce balanced reports on the artistic efforts he evaluates. Loneliness is his only friend, and he writes for the self-satisfaction by putting down others with his eloquent pen.

The Palindrome; England, 1976

In the exchange of two letters – one begging for human contact, the other refusing it – it is shown that you will reap only what you have sown. The reader’s sympathy is intentionally meant to shift as the facts are revealed. The story has been written in such a way that the events go continuously backwards in time while it maintains its palindrome framework. A palindrome, for those who may not be aware of it, is a game with words that spell the same backward or forward (i.e. “able was I ere I saw Elba”).

Neville’s Daughter and the Genius with the Bottle; Ireland; 1984

Recognition, admiration, village bard … all fine words that come with a price. Irish poet Neville thinks more of the sea and his dead wife than the daughter he has lost to city life. When she unexpectedly returns, his life is upset in more than one way. A tragic story in which the destiny of its main character is accompanied by his poetic visions.

The Man the Gods Punished by Giving Him the World; Greece, 500 BC

When a mortal uses his talent to mock the gods in a play, they decide to get even. To accompany his fame and great talent, they punish him with excess. This story is written with a nod to the Greek mythology tradition, although at the core the present-day myths are not any different.

Homage to a Man of Letters; England; 1901 – 1997 

Zachariah Abercrombie was an illuminated, creative and verbal man in every combination of the words. This ‘relay homage’ to the prolific scholar one year after his death gives glimpses of the multitasking, word-juggling genius he was. Twenty-six persons, one way or another influenced by him during his lifetime, get their own words about Zachariah off their chest.

My Thousand and One Last Suppers; Arabia, 1973 – 1976 

An arrogant jet setter ends up condemned to death in an Arabian jail. Using his vast gourmet knowledge, he cunningly strikes a daily deal to cook for the small country’s ruler in exchange for a few hours of extended life. As his skills expand, he will have the Sheikh’s stomach at his mercy – but his head belongs to the Sheikh.

Time to Go to Work; Mexico City, 1996

Patience and plenty of time are required in this Latin American megalopolis where new events constantly distract the narrator in his challenging task to get to work.

A Slight Imperfection in the Balance; Madrid, 1990

When you bet on a box-office draw, the final screenplay can turn out very challenging to the author of the book that it is based on. This satire about the vanities and cynical pursuits in the movie industry is based on the records of a brainstorm around a film project.

Standing in me Own Shadow; England, 1952 – 1988

Success may be just around the corner when you least expect it. From his recollections for an unfinished autobiography, here are the challenging memoirs of a recent self-made millionaire hunting for all the pleasures money can buy.

The Hawk and the Bull; New York; 1988

Talking for the goods and selling the wares is the trade of this successful advertising conglomerate. Although destiny works against the boss’s initial decisions, the resulting mix-up works out to the best for everybody.

The Secrets of the Secretaire; Paris; 1782 – 2006 

An antiques dealer’s successful bid at an auction leads to several enriching discoveries about the provenance of the writing desk he has bought.

Promising Stars; Paris; 1997 – 1999

A couple of starry-eyed swindlers try to hit the big time with small-time schemes, until they finally stumble upon an idea with astronomical potential.

The End of the Wild Strawberry Days; Paris – Bristol; 1969 – 2004

Passion belongs to youth, and youth is a limited resource quickly wasted, never to return. Over the years Paula and Gaston’s passionate days in the past become diluted into a faded memory that not even wild strawberries can revive.

Wouldn’t you too be game if you received the unexpected gift of getting everything you desired? Then again, what if this delightful gift turns out to be a challenge too great to handle? This is a dream about attaining everything imaginable.

Bargaining Chips; Spain – Papua New Guinea; 1932

What can a man do when he covets something beyond his reach? His last resort is to trade the jewel among his possessions – his wife. A story that exposes the simultaneous bargaining going on in two distinct societies which, despite all, are not that different when it comes to getting what you want.

Mad Captain Boccaccio and the Ship in the Desert; The Middle East, in the eighteenth century 

Extra! Extra! Rumours of a ship stranded in a desert are flying, and men come from all over the world to confirm their versions of an elusive story. After a telling night of speculation the truth unexpectedly dawns on the participants. This is a satire about how news is handled by the media.

The Prospects of a Secure Investment; The United States, 1993-1995

Small fry and big fish – it’s all a matter of size and confidence in a game where the participants play only for their own advantage. A con man is trapped by his own device, as the victim he wants to set up is in fact manipulating him. When things turn in his favour, he suddenly perceives an opportunity resulting from his previous misfortune – both for riches and revenge.

The Puppeteer; The World, 2023 – 2028

Making the world a better place may look easy if you are the richest man in history. But even the richest man can be trapped by human greed and become the victim of his own device.

The Grapes of Greed; France; 1999

A widowed watchmaker reaching his retirement age decides to use his lifetime savings to purchase a vineyard, with the aspiration of becoming a renowned winemaker. Yet he is tempted to reap the fruits of his investment quickly, rather than using his head for some sobering thoughts about why everything is handed to him on a platter.

Green End Transfer; Switzerland/Panama, 1992

A Swiss bank clerk decides his safe world is too suffocating for his own good and envisions greener pasture somewhere else. He eventually finds it at the end of the world, but not the way he had imagined. Money isn’t everything, but it’s what a lot of people set their sights on in life. Bank transactions are at the heart of this story.

In the Eyes of Blind Love; Central Asia, more than a thousand years ago

Those in love only see what they want to see, and their hearts obscure the rest. They become the game of their own desire and their passion challenges their reason. A tale out of an ancient Arabian storybook, where the storytelling moves a heart of stone to see that there is more to love than meets the eye.

Evil on the Prowl; London; 2035

The unexpected side effect of a cloning experiment carries out its own multiplied revenge.

The Curse; Corsica: 1769

After an old woman has invoked the evil eye, a series of apparently accidental events leads to the demise of the man she has cursed. His death comes twenty years too late, however, and in generations to come many more will die in compliance with the old woman’s curse.

Signatures for Sale; Sonora/Los Angeles, 1943 – 1970

The introduction is written like a train slowly leaving the station, mimicked in the rhythm of the text. After some hard years in Los Angeles it finally gathers speed, and to talented Rita, who has boarded the train, its increasing velocity promises a future away from the poverty she was born into. Her lack of control mechanisms, however, leaves her a prisoner onboard her own device – a runaway train. The second part shows how those close to her fight over the control she has lost, and how low they stoop to satisfy their greed.

The Final Pageant by the Hogan Bros.; USA, 1924 – 1933

Greed and extravagant entertainment have long been two key factors in American show business. The point is – how far are you prepared to go to satisfy these needs?

Face Value; An unspecified execution room in USA, 1999

A dying man, who finds himself officially already dead, comes to terms with his fate. During these last minutes his thoughts are constantly chopped into smaller pieces. His conclusions show that hypocrisy, vanity and vengefulness are very forceful factors in the denial of truth.

The Eyewash Experience; Santa Fe in the Caribbean – New Orleans, USA; 1978 – 1981 

A dictator wants to improve his own fortune and his tiny island’s income by promoting tourism. To his surprise it turns out more successful for his subjects than himself, which leads to a serious hangover for the marketing man behind the success.

Deceptions on a Canvas of Thin Air; Rome, 1956

The impressions of six persons written with a painter’s brush. Deceiving and deceived they all register loss. The setting – or canvas – is a picturesque café where the strokes of fortune and the scheming minds of the participants turn out to be just like the spring air – false impressions.

A Final Note in D-Sharp Minor ;New York City, in the 1980s

This story is meant to rattle with sounds. What matters is the right mood for music, even though in the orchestra revenge plays a deadly blues.

The Dowry; Afghanistan, 1980

War makes a cynical suitor. The future of a young man of marriageable age as seen from his pragmatic gunpoint view. An incident that never made the news, as recalled by a war correspondent.

The lasting logic of a chance challenge; The Chinese-Russian border, the 1890s

Death for stakes to prove a point: a story about opposite approaches to a deadly game that can be played two ways.

The Realm of the Black Eagle; Nature; today

The true ruler of this mountainous region is a black eagle, until one day humans decide to invade his corner of the world. The eagle has no choice but to turn into a stealthy guerrilla warrior in his struggle to recover his kingdom.

The Paper War; Stockholm, 1978 – 1992

The Swedes have two main topics – the weather and their oppressive tax system. Often they find these subjects more important even than death. The question is: what can be done about them?

Two Lives and the Camp of Death; Poland, 1943

Gerber, the merciless commander of a World War II concentration camp, doesn’t see himself as part of a greater human community, but as a skilled administrator looking for solutions. In the village nearby a homely woman and her children welcome their husband and father as he arrives from work. In the warm atmosphere of their close-knit relationships they all avoid thinking about the ongoing war and the incineration of its victims in the camp next door. It is a dark story about shutting out a brutal reality, or thriving on it.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place; Paris/London, 1997

The killing game is not for amateurs. Killing for a living, the hired assassin reasons, must be better than living to be dead. Murder Inc. makes the step into the Internet age. In this cat-and-mouse narrative the challenge is as taxing for the cold-blooded killer as it is for the target of his contract.

Carved Out for an Infinite Game ;Cathay, Persia, Florence and Buenos Aires; 475 BC – AD 1939

The art of warfare when it has taken on the stylised form of chess. The methods used to wage war may have become more sophisticated over the millennia, but the desire to conquer remains unchanged. Four historic flashbacks in which a chessboard plays the central role.