One Hundred Years of Solitude

[bcbm]

Anyone read it? I'm reading it now and like it a lot.

[metalero]

I did. A kind of story with fictional events but recreated among Colombia historical episodes such as the civil war at the end of XIX century, and the Massacre of Bananeras (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_the_Bananeras), all through the scope of Magical Realism, typical from Garcia Marquez. It is also related to his own life.

[Angry Young Man]

It's a strange thing when you read a book translated from another language to your own (Spanish, in this case) and the imagery is as strong and evocative as any writer in your own can muster (English in my case).
It is a beautiful and disturbing book, and I'm worried that I'm using the lexis and semantic fields of a critic.
Read it when I was 16.

[black magick hustla]

I want to read it. I read some of his short stories in my MEXICAN SCHOOL and now I want to read that book!

[Rawthentic]

Its a great book, like some historical narrative, that describes the lineage of their family in their town of Macondo and how everything changes when the banana company comes in.

Its an amazing book. Please read it.

[black magick hustla]

Yeah.

there are many great leftist authors out there, and I don't understand why stalinists love socialist realism.

Some of the greatest spanish writers were communist or left leaning--like Neruda, Marquez, or Cortazar.

[Delirium]

It is my most favorite book in the entire world!

[Angry Young Man]

Originally posted by [email protected] 13, 2007 12:13 am
Yeah.

there are many great leftist authors out there, and I don't understand why stalinists love socialist realism.

Some of the greatest spanish writers were communist or left leaning--like Neruda, Marquez, or Cortazar.
[BEWARE THIS POST IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK YET] I didn't know that Marquez was leftist. Isn't it a story about the ruling class in Macondo (the Buendias). The only class struggle themes I noticed was when Jose Arcadio Segundo joined the workers' struggle in the Banana strike and the fact that the Banana plantations were owned by White Americans.
But I suppose that Col. Aureliano was an embodiment of a romantic revolutionary, fighting, writing poetry and shagging around anywhere there's a battle. I found the ending a little strange, but [BEWARE PLOT SPOILER] I like the way Macondo starts as a tiny settlement and grows to a huge city; yet at the start the Buendias' house is open, friendly and bright until Fernanda comes in, brining with her all the hallmarks of ruling-class prudery, propriety and isolation, the family goes from huge at the time of Col Aureliano and shrinks once the Segundo twins die. I think it would be easy to say that Fernanda is the most hateful character, esp. as she has her daughter's bf killed and sends her, heartbroken, to a convent.

And was Lorca leftist? Neruda was amazing. Fully Empowered is a great collection.

[Rawthentic]

Yeah, he's great friends with Fidel.

[Angry Young Man]

He's alive?

And why do all the starry old post-menopausal babootchkas read Love in the Time of Cholera?
Anyway someone said about socialist lit. I didn't realise that Socialist Realism extended into lit. Anyway, realism's a bit crap. It may sound un-marxist but I like a bit of escapism into dystopia. Hence previous obsessions with 1984 and A Clockwork Orange.
Anyone know owt about Toni Morrison's politics? She's also very good at evoking powerful surreal imagery.

[Rawthentic]

You mean Fidel?

Yeah, he's hangin' in there.

[bcbm]

Originally posted by Romantic [email protected] 13, 2007 11:27 am
I didn't know that Marquez was leftist.
Oh yeah. Check out "Clandestine in Chile."


Isn't it a story about the ruling class in Macondo (the Buendias).

I wouldn't really describe them as the "ruling class" in town. At the beginning, there was no rulers at all, the town simply worked together as a unit until the government sent an official, and they just told him to fuck off. Later the government assumed greater control and occasionally the Buendias were in positions of power, but not much of rulers. You also have to keep in mind that their house and status are meant to parallel Colombia as a whole, so during periods of economic boom, the house expands, and so on.


The only class struggle themes I noticed was when Jose Arcadio Segundo joined the workers' struggle in the Banana strike and the fact that the Banana plantations were owned by White Americans.

While Marquez is a leftist, I think he has the marvelous trait of using his work, first and foremost, as art, with any political themes being entirely secondary. So, yes, there are not many "class struggle" themes in the book, but the slant is certainly not reactionary. Most of the major characters are fierce libertines, expressed through their actions if nothing else. Beyond that, though, the book is a more of a history than anything, and its themes deal with time and psychology.


But I suppose that Col. Aureliano was an embodiment of a romantic revolutionary, fighting, writing poetry and shagging around anywhere there's a battle.

Somewhat. Keep in mind that he was only fighting (or not fighting) out of pride, not idealism or anything of the sort. The other military figure, his friend, was more of a political character and Jose Arcadio Segundo (as you mentioned) the only real truly revolutionary character.


And was Lorca leftist?

Yep. :wub:

[Angry Young Man]

Wow I wish I could read and speak Spanish now! They have an awesome canon of progressive literature and all I know is Orwell (amazing as he is)!
But yea, A Los Barricadas!

[luxemburg89]

You mean Fidel?

Meant Marquez i think - yeah Marquez is still alive - in his 80s now. Fucking good author.

[Angry Young Man]

Originally posted by black coffee black [email protected] 13, 2007 07:42 pm

And was Lorca leftist?

Yep. :wub:
Wow. A left-wing gay Spanish playwright. :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: If he were born in the late 80's I'd be on the next flight to Barcelona for some bum-fun. Mind you, that doesn't seem entirely out the question now :D

[bcbm]

Originally posted by Romantic [email protected] 13, 2007 02:00 pm
Wow I wish I could read and speak Spanish now! They have an awesome canon of progressive literature and all I know is Orwell (amazing as he is)!
But yea, A Los Barricadas!
There are very good translations of most of these authors out there.

[Angry Young Man]

But still it's not the same, is it. the translators giving you the English synonym that s/he knows and understands. Why do you think nobody can understand Immanuel Kant except the Germans?
But yea if I were to learn Spanish then I could read 100 yrs unaltered and have in mind my own semantics.

[whoknows]

hey Romantic Revolutionary, so why aren't you learning Spanish? It's not like Chinese or Japnese, Or even Greek or Russian or Arabic. We use the same aphabet and the sounds aren't all that hard for an English Speaker.

And you could get Mr. Lorca's New York poems in the original. He spent a bit of time there pretending to learn English, he never even tried to do that, he just walked on the wild side.

PS Lorca was murdered by Fraco's gang. He's a martyr.

[Herman]

I don't like 'Cien años de soledad', mainly because it's too complicated and many of his ideas are idealistic and abstract (time for example he thought was like a spiral - history repeated itself but not exactly the same way).

Apart from that, it's not like it's some anti-capitalist commentary either. He only mentioned the incident with the Banana company due to his anti-americanism and his love for the traditional rural communities.

[Mariam]

Ones of the best books i've ever read..amazing!


But still it's not the same, is it. the translators giving you the English synonym that s/he knows and understands. Why do you think nobody can understand Immanuel Kant except the Germans?
But yea if I were to learn Spanish then I could read 100 yrs unaltered and have in mind my own semantics.

Yeah i had the same idea too, and that's way i've always wanted to learn spanish. Anyways there are some good translations out there that are done under the directions of the author himself as i have one of Sap\bato's novels (On Graves and Heros- and that guy is a real commie!) translated in that way.

[Angry Young Man]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19, 2007 10:07 am
I don't like 'Cien años de soledad', mainly because it's too complicated and many of his ideas are idealistic and abstract (time for example he thought was like a spiral - history repeated itself but not exactly the same way).

Apart from that, it's not like it's some anti-capitalist commentary either. He only mentioned the incident with the Banana company due to his anti-americanism and his love for the traditional rural communities.
The idea of the book is supposed to be fantastical. I thought the imagery to be quite beautiful and the portrayal of the characters vivid.

For example, who who has read the book did not feel:

-Hatred of Fernanda
-Fascination with Melquiades
-Great sorrow when Ursula died
-Anger when Meme was sent to a convent
-Sick at the end with the image of baby Aureliano (the last) was left to be eaten by ants.
-Confused at the enigma of Amaranta
?

The characters are fascinatingly written, you cannot deny that. Also, the almost anthropomorphosis of the town and house expanding and shrinking, until there is nothing left.

What I didn't like was the saga side of it. I always perceived Family Saga being read by alienated middle-class housewives as a masturbatory aid via the insight of some family of lords and ladies shagging eachother like bunnies. But that's the realist British style that Mail scribes wank over.

[black magick hustla]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19, 2007 10:07 am
I don't like 'Cien años de soledad', mainly because it's too complicated and many of his ideas are idealistic and abstract (time for example he thought was like a spiral - history repeated itself but not exactly the same way).

Apart from that, it's not like it's some anti-capitalist commentary either. He only mentioned the incident with the Banana company due to his anti-americanism and his love for the traditional rural communities.
ugh

so every literature piece needs to follow marxism?

[che's long lost daughter]

Originally posted by Marmot+May 20, 2007 08:36 pm--> (Marmot @ May 20, 2007 08:36 pm)
[email protected] 19, 2007 10:07 am
I don't like 'Cien años de soledad', mainly because it's too complicated and many of his ideas are idealistic and abstract (time for example he thought was like a spiral - history repeated itself but not exactly the same way).

Apart from that, it's not like it's some anti-capitalist commentary either. He only mentioned the incident with the Banana company due to his anti-americanism and his love for the traditional rural communities.
[/b]
When you really love reading, you don't have to necessarily like a book because of it's leftist tendencies knowing you are a leftist yourself but you love reading for the main purpose of deriving pleasure from the activity (getting information from a certain book i think is only secondary).

And besides, the complexities of the book is what makes it a great book and the abstract things about it like time being spiral as you mentioned is all part of magical realism which is a common theme of books written by Latin American writers.

One Hundred Years of Solitude can easily be considered one of the best books ever written. I definitely loved it although I had to go through the family tree from time time to make sure which character is which because they all have the same names.

[Mariam]

Well a good book is a good book regardless of whatever ideology its writer believes in.

[Herman]

so every literature piece needs to follow marxism?

Did I say that every literature 'piece' needs to follow marxism?

No. There are other books which aren't leftist at all and are much more entertaining and interesting.

Take for example 'The house of spirits'. Very similar to '100 years of solitude', but it's far better. Or Neruda's 'Veinte poemas de amor y una cancion desesperada'.. those are beautiful.

[R_P_A_S]

I just picked up the spanish version.
what do you guys think of this book?

[Mujer Libre]

It went a bit off-topic, but there's a thread about it here (http://www.revleft.com/index.php?showtopic=66382).

[R_P_A_S]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19, 2007 10:07 am
I don't like 'Cien años de soledad', mainly because it's too complicated and many of his ideas are idealistic and abstract (time for example he thought was like a spiral - history repeated itself but not exactly the same way).

Apart from that, it's not like it's some anti-capitalist commentary either. He only mentioned the incident with the Banana company due to his anti-americanism and his love for the traditional rural communities.
oh yeah fuck that book it sucks is not communist enough. :rolleyes:

[Luís Henrique]

Originally posted by [email protected] 27, 2007 02:54 am
what do you guys think of this book?
Wonderful.

Luís Henrique

[Luís Henrique]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19, 2007 08:15 pm
one of Sábato's novels (On Graves and Heros-
Absolutely awesome, but not for the faint of heart.

Luís Henrique

[Janus]

Merged.

[black magick hustla]

i recently finished the spanish version.

just great.

[Pawn Power]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2007 05:38 pm
i recently finished the spanish version.

just great.
It was originally writen in spanish, right?

[black magick hustla]

Originally posted by Pawn Power+June 28, 2007 11:55 pm--> (Pawn Power @ June 28, 2007 11:55 pm)
[email protected] 28, 2007 05:38 pm
i recently finished the spanish version.

just great.
It was originally writen in spanish, right? [/b]
yes

[Random Precision]

Originally posted by Romantic [email protected] 14, 2007 11:21 am
But still it's not the same, is it. the translators giving you the English synonym that s/he knows and understands. Why do you think nobody can understand Immanuel Kant except the Germans?
But yea if I were to learn Spanish then I could read 100 yrs unaltered and have in mind my own semantics.
As far as this particular work goes, I wouldn't be too worried. Marquez himself said that Gregory Rabassa's English translation was better than his Spanish original.