Recently finished books?

[Daniel del Real]

Kenzaburo Oe, Hiromisha Notes
Leonardo da Jandra, Distopía +

[Caodang]

I feel eager to read Sethu's book in English translation! Is there any hope the book will be translated, kpjayan?

[Worldeater]

Joseph Roth-Hotel Savoy

[Worldeater]

Jaroslav Hašek-History of the Party of Moderate and Peaceful Progress Within the Limits of the Law

[kpjayan]

I feel eager to read Sethu's book in English translation! Is there any hope the book will be translated, kpjayan?

Hi, not this book. But one of his more acknowledged book is available in English. I'm sceptical about the quality of translation, though. Let me check next time I visit the book store. Will let you know.

Here is the link for your info..http://www.flipkart.com/pandavapuram...8-49ad69062ae1

[kpjayan]

Umberto Eco - The Prague Cemetery : Not sure if anyone else has read this here. I am not very convinced with the end result to the level of hype it created . It is a good book, but definitely not in the same league as Foucault's Pendulam, Name of the Rose or even Islands of the Day before. I guess, it got into the mess of its on plot of creating one incident to the next within the scope of Jew/ Freemason conspiracy. Though Eco, claims that most of the characters here really existed, not necessarily in one person, and he has given them a fictional form through one individual protagonist, it gets into the uncertain terrain of fiction versus the historical document at times. Whole lot of big names thrown around and and few indirect references. On the whole, it is captive and engaging read. But not among the best of Eco +

[sirena]

Le rêve - Emile Zola +

[Daniel del Real]

Umberto Eco - The Prague Cemetery : Not sure if anyone else has read this here. I am not very convinced with the end result to the level of hype it created . It is a good book, but definitely not in the same league as Foucault's Pendulam, Name of the Rose or even Islands of the Day before. I guess, it got into the mess of its on plot of creating one incident to the next within the scope of Jew/ Freemason conspiracy. Though Eco, claims that most of the characters here really existed, not necessarily in one person, and he has given them a fictional form through one individual protagonist, it gets into the uncertain terrain of fiction versus the historical document at times. Whole lot of big names thrown around and and few indirect references. On the whole, it is captive and engaging read. But not among the best of Eco +

I've been meaning to read it for long time ago with no results. Probably once I finish with my "to be read pile" I'll go ahead and read it. I think my father has a copy. However I wouldn't be of great help because I haven't read any other novel by Ecco, thus can't be comparing it with his previous works. However as much as I've heard praise to The Name of the Rose and Focault's Pendulum I've also heard bad comments about Queen Loana for example. Would you consider his works as a novelist uneven?

Le rêve - Emile Zola +

How far are you in the Rougon-Maquart series?

[Daniel del Real]

After reading the three last poetry books by Borges in January, this month I decided to read his first three. Very interesting experiment with a lot of contrasts but also patterns to follow. Also interesting to check why after this three youth poem books the next one is 31 years distanced. Something I'd like to investigate.
Fervor de Buenos Aires (1923) +
Luna de Enfrente (1925) +
Cuaderno San Martín (1929)

Don't know why I forgot to write it down but I also finished this book last week:

Antonio Lobo Antunes, The Return of the Caravels

[kpjayan]

Would you consider his works as a novelist uneven?

Not really. His novels are the development of plots/theme into fiction. They are cerebral and fact rich. You hardly experience emotional/sentimental upheaval as you read them. They appeal to the brain and not to the mind. His ideas and schemes are profound though.

His fiction also had gone through the familiarity issue. I was stunned with Foucaults Pendulam and Name of the Rose. to a lesser extend by Islands of the Day Before. However both Bodolino and 'The Queen' did not really excite me. Prague Cemetery is probably above the last two in my ranking. However, this by far is the simplest of his book to read. I would suggest you start with Foucault's Pendulam or The Name of the Rose as a starting point.

[Daniel del Real]

Not really. His novels are the development of plots/theme into fiction. They are cerebral and fact rich. You hardly experience emotional/sentimental upheaval as you read them. They appeal to the brain and not to the mind. His ideas and schemes are profound though.

This sounds Borges-like. Do you find any similarities between them?

[Daniel del Real]

Tomas Tranströmer, The Sad Gondola +
Tomas Tranströmer,The Great Enigma +

Some random thoughts at the Tranströmer thread.

[Raphael Lambach]

Borges - Nove contos Dantescos & A memória de Shakespeare
Camius - The Fall

[Peeping Tom]

This sounds Borges-like. Do you find any similarities between them?

You should read The Name of the Rose. One of the central characters in that novel is modeled after Jorge Luis Borges. That particular character is a monk named Borges, who is a librarian in charge of a Babelesque library, etc., etc. In other words, Eco is very much influenced by Borges.

Also, I'm almost half-way through The Prague Cemetery and so far I feel the same way about it as kpjayan. I've read The Name of the Rose (and loved it very much) and Foucault's Pendulum (and loved it). But that was a long time ago. I remember The Name of the Rose, but for some reason I can't remember what Foucault's Pendulum was all about (is that a bad sign?).

[kpjayan]

Dan, I am not too familiar with Borges ( Its a shame, I know), having read only a couple of books. However, I was told Eco was greatly influenced by Borges.

Tom, Is that a Bad sign ? I dont think so. Me too read FP and Name of the Rose long ago. However, the movie visuals of Name of the Rose continue to linger.

[Daniel del Real]

Well, if the Name of the Rose is superior by all means to The Prague Cemetery, then it is a mayor reason to read the later first.That way I will like the Prague Cemetery and enjoy more The Name of the Rose.

[Daniel del Real]

Tomas Tranströmer, Memories Look at Me +

Don't know what it is, but there is something in the memoirs of poets than the ones of prose writers lack. This is an example of a very well achieved and sincere autobiography of the early days, mainly childhood. Reminded me to the semi fictionalized version of the early days of Patrick Modiano, Un Pedigree, that cuts off the book at the moment where the figure of the writer starts and the children fades away. It seems there is an intention with those two authors to let the inner child speak and reveal what are the bases on everything else that came later. I like this perspective, because as interest it is to describe the life of a writer with all their relationships (friendships or enemies) with intellectuals and some other people, these type of works are easily used as propaganda, creating a super hero out of the figure of the author. The only complaint about this memoir is its brevity, as I really wish he could have expanded way more in a lot of topics and aboard some others he left untouched and that I'm sure are very important to the lifer and further development of Tranströmer personality and ouvre.

[sirena]

How far are you in the Rougon-Maquart series?

I've just finished the 5th.

[kpjayan]

Olga Tokarczuk - Primeval and Other Times : Thanks to the recommendation from Nightwood, I ended up reading it. Made some notes at the appropriate thread. Very well written book.

[Daniel del Real]

Tomas Tranströmer, The Truthbarrier +
Tranströmer keeps fascinating me; Schubertiana is a hell of a poem and his whole vision of the world is terrific. Will re-read Baltics and will rest it some time for a later read this year.

Alessandro Baricco, Next, Essays about globalization and the upcoming world +
A lot if interesting facts about globalization that makes you think. The problem is that Baricco never seems to take a side thus the core of the book deludes easily and seems purposeless. It is like really long prologue with no later work to read.

Jean Echenoz, L'équipée Malaise
The worse Echenoz I've read by far. Seriously, if this is supposed to be a satire of a novel of adventures, don't make it that dull and pointless. On contrary of other Echenoz books I've read, this one lacks the main qualities of the author; agility and humor.