Favourite books... spanish & english

TV Buff · TOP Guru

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Favourite books... spanish & english

Chilenita · Comandante

quote:
Originally posted by: TV Buff
"You know what? I think I read it, or it was the biography, but it was a long (looong) time ago, so I'll re-read it. I even think I was in love with Che for a while, after reading his story. "

ohhhhhh I am still in LOVE with him. He is the best! I think one of the reasons I travel to cuba is because I LOVE seeing his face all over the place. Can you believe that in Argentina they still don't teach about him in schools. Hopefully that will change.....

TV Buff · TOP Guru

quote:
Originally posted by: Chilenita
"This is so true....buff...read the motorcycle diaries before you see the flick...."

You know what? I think I read it, or it was the biography, but it was a long (looong) time ago, so I'll re-read it. I even think I was in love with Che for a while, after reading his story.

Chilenita · Comandante

quote:
Originally posted by: TV Buff
" I'll make sure I read both. Thanks for the recommendations. Also, movies don't always make the book justice. I usually read the book first and then watch the movie. Some have been awesome, like Gone with the wind, the Thorn Birds and Mystic River, but some have been extremely disappointing, like The Deep End of the Ocean. I read the book and had to finish it at like 3 in the morning, and i was bawling all the way through, 'cause the book is so good. The movie was crap, though. "

This is so true....buff...read the motorcycle diaries before you see the flick....

TV Buff · TOP Guru

quote:
Originally posted by: Miss Lee
" by the way "In the Times of the Butterfly" was made into a movie with Marc Anthony and Salma Hayek but the book is better than the movie. I read "In the name of Salome" in spanish, it was great. I've also read Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros, i suggest her as well."

I'll make sure I read both. Thanks for the recommendations.

Also, movies don't always make the book justice. I usually read the book first and then watch the movie. Some have been awesome, like Gone with the wind, the Thorn Birds and Mystic River, but some have been extremely disappointing, like The Deep End of the Ocean. I read the book and had to finish it at like 3 in the morning, and i was bawling all the way through, 'cause the book is so good. The movie was crap, though.

Miss Lee · Senior Member

quote:
Originally posted by: TV Buff
"
Good choices. I read I know This much is true and it took me a while to finally get into it, but when I did, I couldn't put it down. I've also read A Sunday at a Pool, and although the story was gripping, there's something about the author that just didn't grab me. Maybe because I read it in English and he originally wrote it in French. Of Julia Alvarez I've read In the Name of Salome and How the Garcia Girls lost their Accents and they were both EXCELLENT. She's an incredible writer. I'll make sure I read the one you recommend.
(I told you people I was a geek...)-- Edited by TV Buff at 07:41, 2005-02-14"

by the way "In the Times of the Butterfly" was made into a movie with Marc Anthony and Salma Hayek but the book is better than the movie. I read "In the name of Salome" in spanish, it was great. I've also read Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros, i suggest her as well.

TV Buff · TOP Guru

quote:
Originally posted by: God
"This is my Number one.... Sabines

Check this one out... from a Nun, of all people...

Al que ingrato me deja busco amante;
y al que amante me sigue dejo ingrata;
constante adoro a quién mi amor maltrata;
maltrato a quién mi amor busca constante.

Al que trato de amor hallo diamante;
y soy diamante al que de amor me trata;
triunfante quiero ver al que me mata;
y mato al que me quiere ver triunfante.

Si a éste pago, padece mi deseo;
si ruego a áquel, mi pundonor enojo;
de entre ambos modos infeliz me veo.

Pero yo por mejor partido escojo;
de quién no quiero ser violento empleo;
que de quién no me quiere, vil despojo.

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

TV Buff · TOP Guru

quote:
Originally posted by: God
"But this one from Benedetti is Da Bomb !

Estan lindos los dos poemas. Good taste.

DR J · Guru

quote:
Originally posted by: Yesi
"jejejeje I guess am a geek too. I love reading, Everything from Romance to Mistery
Some of my favorite books are
El amor en los tiempos del Colera, Cronica de una muerte anunciada en fin de todo me gusta, pero uno de mis escritores favoritos es Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Ahorita estoy leyendo el de El codigo Da Vinci, all I can say is its very good
Anyway if you have any recomendations, let me know.
Yesi
"

The Da Vinci code is a great book....there's a couple of TV documentaries based on that book, you might wanna watch them after you've finished the book.

Yesi · Guru

jejejeje I guess am a geek too. I love reading, Everything from Romance to Mistery

Some of my favorite books are

El amor en los tiempos del Colera, Cronica de una muerte anunciada en fin de todo me gusta, pero uno de mis escritores favoritos es Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Ahorita estoy leyendo el de El codigo Da Vinci, all I can say is its very good

Anyway if you have any recomendations, let me know.

Yesi

TV Buff · TOP Guru

quote:
Originally posted by: GENIE
"ANYTHING FROM JOHN GRISHAM AMAZING AUTHOR!! AND BASICALLY ANY MISTERY BOOK OR LAW!!!"

I LOOOOOVE Mystery books. I think that's even better than watching a movie. I've read a lot of Agathat Christie, but to tell you the truth, I'll read anything that falls into my hands, and so some of them were really, really good, but I don't remember the names. I still have to read Grisham. That's on my To Do list for this year.

TV Buff · TOP Guru

quote:
Originally posted by: Miss Lee
""I know this much is true", by wally lamb, If you've seen hotel rwanda then you will appreciate "A Sunday at a Pool in Kingali," Gil Courtemanche, Any book by Julia Alvarez but my favorite by her is "In the Times of the Butterflies". In poetry my absolute favourite is Roque Dalton a poet and a revolutionary.-- Edited by Miss Lee at 19:32, 2005-02-13"

Good choices. I read I know This much is true and it took me a while to finally get into it, but when I did, I couldn't put it down. I've also read A Sunday at a Pool, and although the story was gripping, there's something about the author that just didn't grab me. Maybe because I read it in English and he originally wrote it in French. Of Julia Alvarez I've read In the Name of Salome and How the Garcia Girls lost their Accents and they were both EXCELLENT. She's an incredible writer. I'll make sure I read the one you recommend.

(I told you people I was a geek...)

-- Edited by TV Buff at 07:41, 2005-02-14

Miss Lee · Senior Member

"I know this much is true", by wally lamb, If you've seen hotel rwanda then you will appreciate "A Sunday at a Pool in Kingali," Gil Courtemanche, Any book by Julia Alvarez but my favorite by her is "In the Times of the Butterflies".
In poetry my absolute favourite is Roque Dalton a poet and a revolutionary.

-- Edited by Miss Lee at 19:32, 2005-02-13

God · TOP Guru

But this one from Benedetti is Da Bomb !

Táctica y estrategia
Mi táctica es
mirarte
aprender como sos
quererte como sos.

Mi táctica es
hablarte
y escucharte
construir con palabras
un puente indestructible.

Mi táctica es
quedarme en tu recuerdo
no sé cómo ni sé
con qué pretexto
pero quedarme en vos.

Mi táctica es
ser franco
y saber que sos franca
y que no nos vendamos
simulacros
para que entre los dos

no haya telón
ni abismos.

Mi estrategia es
en cambio
más profunda y más
simple.

Mi estrategia es
que un día cualquiera
no sé cómo ni sé
con qué pretexto
por fin me necesites.

God · TOP Guru

This is my Number one.... Sabines

Los amorosos

Los amorosos callan.
El amor es el silencio más fino,
el más tembloroso, el más insoportable.
Los amorosos buscan,
los amorosos son los que abandonan,
son los que cambian, los que olvidan.

Su corazón les dice que nunca han de encontrar,
no encuentran, buscan.
Los amorosos andan como locos
porque están solos, solos, solos,
entregándose, dándose a cada rato,
llorando porque no salvan al amor.

Les preocupa el amor. Los amorosos
viven al día, no pueden hacer más, no saben.
Siempre se están yendo,
siempre, hacia alguna parte.
Esperan,
no esperan nada, pero esperan.

Saben que nunca han de encontrar.
El amor es la prórroga perpetua,
siempre el paso siguiente, el otro, el otro.
Los amorosos son los insaciables,
los que siempre -¡que bueno!- han de estar solos.
Los amorosos son la hidra del cuento.

Tienen serpientes en lugar de brazos.
Las venas del cuello se les hinchan
también como serpientes para asfixiarlos.
Los amorosos no pueden dormir
porque si se duermen se los comen los gusanos.
En la oscuridad abren los ojos
y les cae en ellos el espanto.
Encuentran alacranes bajo la sábana
y su cama flota como sobre un lago.

Los amorosos son locos, sólo locos,
sin Dios y sin diablo.
Los amorosos salen de sus cuevas
temblorosos, hambrientos,
a cazar fantasmas.
Se ríen de las gentes que lo saben todo,
de las que aman a perpetuidad, verídicamente,
de las que creen en el amor
como una lámpara de inagotable aceite.

Los amorosos juegan a coger el agua,
a tatuar el humo, a no irse.
Juegan el largo, el triste juego del amor.
Nadie ha de resignarse.
Dicen que nadie ha de resignarse.
Los amorosos se avergüenzan de toda conformación.
Vacíos, pero vacíos de una a otra costilla,
la muerte les fermenta detrás de los ojos,
y ellos caminan, lloran hasta la madrugada
en que trenes y gallos se despiden dolorosamente.

Les llega a veces un olor a tierra recién nacida,
a mujeres que duermen con la mano en el sexo,
complacidas,
a arroyos de agua tierna y a cocinas.
Los amorosos se ponen a cantar entre labios
una canción no aprendida,
y se van llorando, llorando,
la hermosa vida.

TV Buff · TOP Guru

quote:
Originally posted by: God
"mmmm I love Poetry..... and everything with Jaime Sabines, Pablo Neruda, Mario Benedetti, Jorge Luis Borges... All the guys from above feed my soul....."

My favourite, Neruda's Poema No. 20

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.

Escribir, por ejemplo: «La noche está estrellada,
y tiritan, azules, los astros, a lo lejos.»

El viento de la noche gira en el cielo y canta.

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.
Yo la quise, y a veces ella también me quiso.

En las noches como ésta la tuve entre mis brazos.
La besé tantas veces bajo el cielo infinito.

Ella me quiso, a veces yo también la quería.
Cómo no haber amado sus grandes ojos fijos.

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.
Pensar que no la tengo. Sentir que la he perdido.

Oír la noche inmensa, más inmensa sin ella.
Y el verso cae al alma como al pasto el rocío.

Qué importa que mi amor no pudiera guardarla.
La noche está estrellada y ella no está conmigo.

Eso es todo. A lo lejos alguien canta. A lo lejos.
Mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.

Como para acercarla mi mirada la busca.
Mi corazón la busca, y ella no está conmigo.

La misma noche que hace blanquear los mismos árboles.
Nosotros, los de entonces, ya no somos los mismos.

Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero cuánto la quise.
Mi voz buscaba el viento para tocar su oído.

De otro. Será de otro. Como antes de mis besos.
Su voz, su cuerpo claro. Sus ojos infinitos.

Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero tal vez la quiero.
Es tan corto el amor, y es tan largo el olvido.

Porque en noches como ésta la tuve entre mis brazos,
Mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.

Aunque éste sea el último dolor que ella me causa,
y éstos sean los últimos versos que yo le escribo.

Chilenita · Comandante

quote:
Originally posted by: GENIE
"ANYTHING FROM JOHN GRISHAM AMAZING AUTHOR!! AND BASICALLY ANY MISTERY BOOK OR LAW!!!"

yeah he is good

GENIE · Foro Master

ANYTHING FROM JOHN GRISHAM AMAZING AUTHOR!! AND BASICALLY ANY MISTERY BOOK OR LAW!!!

God · TOP Guru

mmmm

I love Poetry..... and everything with Jaime Sabines, Pablo Neruda, Mario Benedetti, Jorge Luis Borges...

All the guys from above feed my soul.....

TV Buff · TOP Guru

quote:
Originally posted by: Chilenita
"ANTYHING by Isabel Allende Prozac Nation = easy read but great Operacion Peter Pan = Wonderul Cuban book....very left wing if you are into that Che's official Bio (red cover) is just GREAT and truly inspirational I am like you though BUFF I read a lot and soI don't really have favs I just loved these ones. If you liked house of spirits you should really read more allende she is brilliant!"

I have; I've read Daughter of Fortune, Eva Luna, Portrait in Sepia, and I find her brilliant. Of all these, I think I liked Portrait in Sepia the most. I'm still in shock with the husband and his sister in law's story.

Chilenita · Comandante

ANTYHING by Isabel Allende

Prozac Nation = easy read but great

Operacion Peter Pan = Wonderul Cuban book....very left wing if you are into that

Che's official Bio (red cover) is just GREAT and truly inspirational

I am like you though BUFF I read a lot and soI don't really have favs I just loved these ones. If you liked house of spirits you should really read more allende she is brilliant!

TV Buff · TOP Guru

Okay, so I'm a geek. I like books.

What are your all time favourites? Both Spanish and English. I've personally read so many that I don't have a favourite, per se, but I did like The Red Tent a lot-- very good in strengthening the female bond. I highly recommend it. I also liked She's come Undone a lot. I couldn't get over the fact that it was a man writing as a teenage girl. I recently read The Da Vinci Code and that's a must read-- for everyone.
Spanish books: Cien años de Soledad, of course, but I also liked La Casa de los Espiritus (in fact, I read both the same week and I liked Isabel Allende's better.) I also enjoyed Sofia de los Presagios a lot. I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of any right now.

Any other nerds out there? What would recommend?