The worldly and wise, semi-autobiographical tale of coming-of-age in 1940s Buenos Aires. The protagonist, like the author, is Alicia Steimberg. Among the pleasures of the novella are Steimberg's deft portraits of a decidedly eccentric extended family, including a grandmother born in Kiev, unstable mother, a stable of aunts and atheist grandfather. The tale unfolds against the backdrop of life in Peronist Argentina. Originally published in 1972. The talented Steimberg is also the author of Call Me Magdalena, set at an estancia.  (ARG46, $15.00)