Disco Frito (Book Review)

“Disco Frito”, 0879052899, c1988, By Richard Elman. An odd though at times interesting collection of anecdotes and short stories on life in Nicaragua, 1978-1986.

This was Elman’s second larger effort dealing with revolutionary Nicaragua. The first extended visit resulted in “Cocktails at Somoza’s : A Reporter's Sketch Book of Events in Revolutionary Nicaragua”, which is also reviewed here on this site. Elman passed away about a decade ago. He is sometimes -unfortunately- best remembered for writing the novelization of the film “Taxi Driver”. “Disco Frito” was actually Elman‘s 21st book (some of these books were written under the pseudonyms John Howland Spyker or Delmar Hanks). He covered a lot of territory over the years. Some previous Elman projects include: “Education in Blood”, “Uptight with the Rolling Stones - A Novelist’s Report”, “Poorhouse State - The American Way of Living on Public Assistance”, and “A Coat for the Tsar”.

“Disco Frito” is a somewhat unusual book, offered by Elman at an unfortunate time. While the book may have had several things not going in it, in its favor it does have an unusual if not bizarre title, which has significance in Nicaragua, even though it is now mostly forgotten. As Elman recounts, his title comes from an incident in 1978. In September of that year, the FSLN bombed & burned a popular discoteque, Disco Frisco, owned by a Somoza in-man. The disco was completely destroyed, though no one was killed or injured in doing so. Some local graffiti and a later FSLN leaflet claimed: “!Ahorita Frisco Disco es Disco Frito!” (trans., “Now Frisco Disco is the Fried Disco!”).

It is not clear what led Elman to offer this literary collection, in the released form, at the time he did. In some respects, the book seemed almost destined to poor sales. It was released as a work of fiction, though in some respects it differs little from his earlier non-fiction work, “Cocktails at Somoza’s”. In fact, it might be more factual than many books written about Nicaragua. As Elman makes clear in the preface, “Disco Frito is a work of fiction. Some of these stories were told to me and, perforce, became fiction in the act of retelling them. Some happened to me or my friends, and when I think of them again they are as fiction”. A curious definition of “fiction”, and in doing this book Elman differed little in his research and writing than he did when writing newsprint, covering important events backed up by ever-popular, “…reliable sources have told me…”. In just over 200 pages Elman offers 44 very brief stories (many are just 3-4 pages). Each story is dated within the title. Some sample chapter titles include: Alleyway in Leon (1978), Beisbol (1978), With Bravo in Rivas (1979), Weak Tambourines (1979), When They Killed Macho Negro (1979) & The Anvil of the Times (1984). All of the stories are offered in English. The book could hardly be described as uplifting, though this surely stems from Elman’s conclusion that Ortega and his Sandinistas were, sadly, not all that much better than Samoza and his Guard. Regardless of whether or not he is relating the actions of diplomats, Ambassadors, prostitutes, or thieves, something sinister underlies so many interactions, that it becomes the same sort of ruthlessness or sleaziness which Elman saw firsthand, as Somoza lost grip on the country.

The stories Elman tells seem somewhat repetitious. With the “facts” not claimed nor defended, as in a non-fictional work, the book failed to find an audience. I found it a step down from this other well-known volume on Nicaragua (and most of his other works). While worth seeking out if you particularly enjoyed his other book on Nicaragua, or if you are a diehard Nica reader, it simply did not seem as powerful and influential as most other readers have relayed to me.