Gregorio is a middle-aged clerk, grey and ordinary, whose youthful aspirations for an exciting and intellectual life have faded to nothing when he gets into a phone relationship with Gil, a modest, mature man exiled in the countryside.This relationship changes everything completely, and it is through his conversations with Gil that Gregorio forges another personality for himself as Faroni, an attractive polyglot, engineer and poet, and great traveller. Gregorio is so thoroughly immersed in his own lies, however, that when Gil suddenly announces that he is finally coming to meet him, he panics completely. Al'ab muta'akhirah was first published in 1989 and went on to win Spain's Critics' Prize that same year, followed by the National Literature Prize in 1990, making Luis Landero one of the top names in contemporary Spanish literature.

Los anhelos de una vida amorosa e intelectual inquieta que Gregorio aliment en su juventud se haban esfumado cuando, convertido ya en un oficinista gris, conoce un da por telfono a Gil, hombre modesto, maduro tambin, quien, tras largos aos de exilio, acab idealizndolo todo en mitos anacrnicos. Gil necesita a toda costa a un hroe-artista al que adherirse y, lentamente, consigue resucitar en Gregorio sus sueos juveniles y el deseo de convertirse en esa figura simblica. Y ha lugar la metamorfosis de Gregorio en Faroni, personaje que ninguno de los dos nunca logr ser -ingeniero y poeta, trinfador, culto, polglota, apuesto, audaz en el amor, progre-, pero pattica caricatura del artista trasnochado. Cuando Gil va por fin a conocer a Gregorio, ste ya no puede volver atrs. Estos dos adolescentes otoales han emprendido juegos demasiado peligrosos, y fortificando el uno por la feredentora del otro, ya no pueden sino fundirse para siempre en Faroni.

In the room of a hospital, and likely on his last night on earth, a man about 65, tells someone the story of his life. Carried away by his memory goes back and forth in time to rescue with humor, small and significant adventures he lived and watched living. Because at this man always liked to watch the spectacle of the world as much as participating in it.

In the room of a hospital, during which most likely be his last night on earth, a man about 65 years tell someone, and himself, the story of his life. Carried away by the chance of his memory and the fluidity of his own story, goes back and forth in time to rescue, with little humor, small and more significant adventures that he lived and watch living. Because at this man always liked to watch the spectacle of the world as much as participating in it.