Job Discussion Forums

[Mrguay84]

Bookworms that is.

As I'm planning to move to Spain, as well as the language I'm also trying to read books about or based in Spain or Spanish culture (past or present, fact or fiction). So was wondering if any of you well read (or otherwise) posters here could recommend some more stuff I should read; be they guide books travelogues, literature etc. etc.

Just to give you an indication of what I mean. So far this year I've read a couple of books by Ernest Hemingway


For Whom the Bells Tolls

Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises

Now I'm thinking about starting Don Quioxte

Gracias.

[mozzar]

Everytime I've mentioned Don Quioxte to my students they've warned me not to bother. Bit boring apparently.

[Moore]

John Hooper: "The New Spaniards" - superb book, can get it off Amazon.

"Le cool changed my life: a weird and wonderful guide to Barcelona" - sounds pretentious, but a nice "alternative" guide to Barcelona, they also just released one for Madrid too.

Mark and Peter Besas: "Hidden Madrid: a walking guide" - sounds dull, but is genuinely interesting



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[SirKirby]

Don't bother with Don Quijote, it's among the most deadly boring books I've ever read in my life.

I would have thought reading online Spanish newspapers would be a lot more relevant to life in Spain today (though you might note that they are extremely biased, either toward one football team or another or, worse, towards a particular political party).

If you really want to read Spanish literature, Delibes or Cela will give you a much better idea of Spain than Hemingway.

[strictly_nicky]

If your Spanish is up to par, let me recommend the following (actually I'm sure at least some of their titles are available in translation, too):

Juan Mars�
Manuel V�zquez Montalban

These two are perhaps a bit Barcelona-centric perhaps, but maybe that's what you want? Anyhow, should give a fairly decent window on recent history, culture, etc., and definitely way more entertaining than the Quijote I imagine.

As SirKirby said, Delibes is also a good bet.

[Moore]

Forgot one: "Ghosts of Spain" by Giles Tremlett - highly recommended




________________________________________________________________________
...Jobs and language exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com

...send your c.v. around ALL the schools in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com/cvsender/

[Mrguay84]

Que hay tios?

Thanks for the replies, I'll try and get hold of some of the recommendations.

With regards to Don Q. Which translations did people read? I read somewhere that this can make a difference. Needless to say if I do decide to pick it up I'll be looking for a modern version.

[o_maeliosa]

I enjoyed Ghosts of Spain also

Los Santos Inocentes by Miguel Delibes. It's a novel about the social relations in rural Extremadura between the land owners and tenant farmers in 1960s Spain.