El año del desierto

Published in 2005, Pedro Mairal's *El año del desierto* is a gripping narrative that blends elements of the fantastic, nightmare, and political allegory. It chronicles a year in the life of María Valdés Neylan as she bears witness to the "Intemperie" (The Elements/Outdoors), an unstoppable, inexplicable force that gradually consumes Buenos Aires, turning the bustling metropolis back into a savage desert.

As the city physically deteriorates, so too does the social fabric of Argentina. The novel brilliantly traces a backward historical trajectory: from a modern capitalist society to a nomadic horde, reverting through centuries of Argentine history to a state of barbarism and survival. María, an ordinary middle-class woman, is forced into a harrowing journey of adaptation, losing her family, her status, and even her language as the nation disintegrates around her.

Edited and extensively annotated by Susan Hallstead and Juan Pablo Dabove, this edition provides essential linguistic, historical, and intertextual keys (highlighting the subtle but profound influences of Cortázar and Borges). It is a powerful read for courses in contemporary Latin American literature, offering a profound reflection on the fragility of civilization, national identity, and the enduring myth of the "desert" in the Argentine imagination.