by Lewis Shiner
qué lindo “How beautiful.”
querido(a) Literally “beloved.” A common endearment, equivalent to “dear” or “darling.”
reina “Queen.”
sacada Literally a “taking out”—a tango move in which the leader’s foot seems to displace the follower’s. The sacada por atrás, or infamous “back sacada,” is a particularly difficult heel-first variation.
Subte Short for Subterraneo, or Underground, the Buenos Aires Subway system.
tanda A set of tangos, usually three or four in number, in which you keep the same partner. At the end of the tanda, the DJ plays a cortina to clear the floor.
vals Tango waltz. A tango in three-quarter time, using some of the same moves as tango, with a lighter, more circular feeling.
verduras “Greens” or “vegetables.” Typically this means acelga, Swiss chard, which Argentines freely substitute for spinach.
yerba mate The national drink of Argentina, a hot herbal tea containing caffeine and other stimulants. Typically served in a hollowed gourd with a metal straw and passed around on social occasions.
zapateo Literally “tapping the feet”—stomping the feet as a kind of drumming. It passed from the gypsies to the Spaniards to the gauchos of Argentina and thus into folk dances like the chacarera.
By Lewis Shiner
NOVELS
Outside the Gates of Eden
Dark Tangos
Black & White
Say Goodbye
Glimpses
Slam
Deserted Cities of the Heart
Frontera
COLLECTIONS
Heroes and Villains
Collected Stories
Love in Vain
The Edges of Things
Nine Hard Questions about the Nature of the Universe
About the Author
Born in Texas, Lewis Shiner is a musician, rock music journalist and award-winning author, writing across genres. He has published six short stories collections and eight novels, including Glimpses, winner of the World Fantasy Best Novel Award.
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