Mario Vargas Llosa is, hands down, my favorite Latin American author, and I'm not just saying that because he won this year's Nobel Prize for Literature. We here at TLM roundly praised his work earlier this year in a review of
Pantaleon y Las Visitadoras--a tale of the efficient introduction of prostitution services into the Peruvian army. He tells a good story, so I'm certain that his books may be appreciated in translation, but there is something about the rhythm and beautiful formalism of the language that makes him an especially enjoyable read in the original Spanish. Both
La Ciudad y Los Perros 
and
La Fiesta del Chivo 
stand out in my memory as fantastic reads. Congratulations to a true master and to all our Peruvian friends. Pisco para todos!
Hey, I'm thrilled to see a post about the Nobel that isn't some form of "can you believe another obscure no-name won!?". I fell into that trap, too, and probably should've endeavored to move the discussion beyond the disappointment that it wasn't an American. Man, we Americans really are American-centric aren't we?! ;) Definitely going to pick up a novel or two of his (in translation - mi espanol no esta bueno) based on this post and your comment on my post. Thanks, and cheers!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I would love to read this.The cover is very beautiful as well. Good for you for reading in the original language - so much can be lost in translation. Unfortunately I don't speak Spanish.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read Gabriel Garcia Marquez? He's the only Latin American author I can claim to be familiar with, and I enjoyed him. It's sort of a larger-than-life style of writing in a way. I'll have to check out Llosa!
ReplyDelete@Greg - Thanks for the comment. It sin't muc of a post, but the best I could do on short notice. I think everyone was at least mildly surprised by the pick, given that Vergas Llosa hasn't really been making waves even in Latin Americna literature for years. Still his body of work is impressive, and I haven't even read Conversations in the Cathedral, which is supposed to be his master work.
ReplyDelete@ Ingrid - Thanks for the comment. I'm with you - the cover is great. I really wish I could read in more languages, especially French, but we're all so pressed with time. It's one of the mixed blessings of living in Miami that I'm forced to keep up a reasonable fluency in Spanish.
@ Amy - Thanks for your comment. I have read both One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera. They were definitely enjoyable, though I have to take the magical realism in small doses as it grates on me as overly dramatic after a while. Which have you read and which is your favorite?