"Originally published in hardcover in slightly different form in Great Britain by Picador, an imprint of Macmillian Publishers Ltd., London, in 1998 as The Picador book of Latin American stories."--Verso t.p.

The aleph / Juan Luis Borges -- The balcony / Felisberto Hernández -- The third bank of the river / João Guimarães Rosa -- The one who came to save me / Virgilio Piñera -- Hell most feared / Juan Carlos Onetti -- Luvina / Juan Rulfo -- Blow-up / Julio Cortázar -- Love / Clarice Lispector -- Ana María / José Donoso -- The handsomest drowned man in the world / Gabriel García Márquez -- The melancholic pedestrian / Salvador Garmendia -- The wardrobe, the old man and death / Julio Ramón Ribeyro -- Subterranean river / Inés Arredondo -- The scissors / Antonio Benítez Rojo -- Orion's glow / Alejandro Rossi -- A new man / Luis Loayza -- Bukhara nocturne / Sergio Pitol -- Getting even / Luis Rafael Sánchez -- House of passion / Nélida Piñón -- Panther eyes / Luisa Valenzuela -- The queen / José Emilio Pacheco --

A brief reappearance by Florence, this autumn / Alfredo Bryce Echenique -- The stroke of midnight / José Balza -- Van Gogh's ear / Moacyr Scliar -- The cyclist of San Cristóbal Hill / Antonio Skármeta -- Notes from Buenos Aires / Mario Levrero -- The feast / Policarpo Varón -- The benefactor / Rodolfo Hinostroza -- The centerfielder / Sergio Ramírez -- Naturally / María Luisa Puga -- Mirror images / Hernán Lara Zavala -- [from] Big-eyed women / Angeles Mastretta -- Taxi driver, minus Robert De Niro / Fernando Ampuero -- Don't tell her you love her / Senel Paz -- Voice of the water / Alberto Ruy Sánchez -- [from] Naturalezas menores / Antonio López Ortega -- Coyote / Juan Villoro -- National sovereignty / Rodrigo Fresán -- Clamour / Pablo Soler Frost.