The One Before is a collection of three interlinking stories from one of Argentina's greatest writers: a series of short pieces called Arguments and two longer stories - Half-Erased and The One Before, all of which revolve around the ideas of exile and memory. Many of the characters who populate Saer's other novels appear here, including Tomatis, Angel Leto, and Washington Noriega. Saer's typical themes are on display in this collection as well, as is his idiosyncratic blend of philosophical ruminations and precise storytelling.