The People of Paper - Softcover

Published in hardcover by McSweeney's, 2005, 1932416218

"The People of Paper is a novel like no other . . . Calvino, Borges, and García Márquez will come to mind, but Plascencia's novel is a creature of its own, firmly grounded and soaring at the same time."--T. C. Boyle
Federico de la Fe is a devoted husband and father, but his lime-loving wife, Merced, abandons him, and he and his daughter, Little Merced (who also loves limes), must start a new life together. They leave their home in Mexico and head for California, where they settle among a community of flower-pickers. Federico de la Fe’s sadness festers, and Little Merced’s love for limes develops into a dangerous addiction.

All the while, an oppressive force bears down on the town. When the identity of this mysterious oppressor is finally revealed, the story takes an unexpected turn and moves toward its magical, breathtaking end. A mesmerizing debut novel about the anguish of lost love, The People of Paper marks the arrival of an incredibly talented new writer.

"Wondrous and comically inventive."—The New York Times Book Review

"[A] charming meditation on the relationship between reader, author, and story line, filled with mythic imagery and unforgettable personalities . . . Readers will find it hard to turn away from The People of Paper. A."--Entertainment Weekly

"A nervy new voice."—San Francisco Chronicle

"[I]mpressive on terms anyone can appreciate."--Los Angeles Times


SALVADOR PLASCENCIA was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and now lives in Los Angeles. He is a graduate of Whittier College and holds an MFA from Syracuse University. The People of Paper is his first novel.