Book of Questions

Some books do not answer reader’s questions – instead, they ask them a flow of endless questions, as if you step into a corridor with many doors leading to the unknown. The Book of Questions, the last great work of Chilean poet and Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda, was written just a few months before his death in 1973. It is full of questions – philosophical, playful, and absurd – like “Where does the rainbow end, in your soul or on the horizon?”, “How do I express to the tortoise that I surpass him in slowness?”, and “Why do rocks have so many wrinkles and so many holes?” These riddles stretch the boundaries of thinking and imagination, they teach us to look at the world as we used to, with childlike curiosity and wonder.

Paloma Valdivia, who, like Neruda, comes from Chile, unveils these questions through her stylish illustrations. On her pages, everything connects: animals and plants, people and space, wind and waves. Bright reds, yellows, and greens intertwine with deep, serious blacks and greys, as if the images are simultaneously shouting and staying silent.

The book comes in a transparent cover with green lettering, a nod to Neruda’s favorite ink color, the color of hope. Inside, six gatefold spreads reveal hidden questions and secret illustrations, drawing readers deeper into the mystery.