TheCubsandOtherStoriesisMarioVargasLlosa'sonlyvolumeofshortfictionavailableinEnglish.VargasLlosa'sdomainisthePeruofmaleyouthandmachismo,wherelife'sdramasplaythemselvesoutonthesoccerfield,onthedancefloorandonstreetcorners.Thetitlework,TheCubs,tellsthestoryofthecarefreeboyhoodofPPCuellarandhisfriends,andofPP'sbizarreaccidentandtragiccomingofage.Inacandidandperceptiveforewordtothiscollectionofearlywriting,VargasLlosaprovidesbackgroundtothevolumeandauniqueglimpseintothemindoftheartist.