eBooks in Spanish

I took a break in 2013 from reading and vowed to get back to it in 2014. The only difference is the book I am reading now is the first eBook that I have decided to try since I was given an eReader as a gift. I wanted to download a (Spanish) novel I don't already have and that was difficult because of my extensive collection so I just randomly looked up some names on the Kobo website and one of Wendy Guerra's novels came up.

After reading the editorial summary, I decided to download it and give it I try. I am familiar with this Cuban author in fact I have one of her novels (still yet to read) titled Todos se van. However, I have read excerpts of her work and felt that this is an author I would like to get to know. The eBook I am reading is titled Negra. When I am done, I will post my feedback on the book and the eReading experience.




Some links of the Novel:

Negra - Ed. Anagrama.

Negra - Wendy Guerra - Sinopsis del libro, reseas, comentarios - Lecturalia


-MP.

Enjoyable read!

This was totally an enjoyable read from many perspectives. Not only did I enjoy sampling this author's writing (for the first time) but this book touches on the reality of Cuba which many who do not live there do not see. Being a tourist is not enough to grasp the complexity of life in Cuba. The government's policies have oppressed the population for decades and it's interesting to learn about some of the issues that surround Cubans on the island via the viewpoint of a Cuban who is not afraid to address some of these realities through literature.

In short, the three main themes of this novel are:

-racismo

-negritud

-cultura y religión afrocubana (entre otros temas)

The social oppression ranges but one obvious element is racism (ironically) in a country with a strong Afro-Cuban culture which is reflected in the day to day life of Cubans through language (the Cuban vernacular) and religious beliefs.

Negra, is the author's most recent work. Therefore, the book is not a reflection of the past; it's an example of modern day strife in Cuba. I think anyone who has read good literature by a Cuban author would consider this an interesting novel. I am looking forward to reading her first one now, Todos se van which I have mentioned in my post above.

One chapter towards the end that I found particularly striking was –La memoria del esclavo- which puts everything in perspective from my point of view.

As for the eBook experience, it was positive and I look forward to ascertaining some more good Spanish literature as I slowly build my eBook library.

Coincidentally, I found an eBook by another Cuban author that seemed quite intriguing after reading the synopsis which I already downloaded. It's titled- Los ojos del huracán by Berta Serra Manzanares.

I don’t normally re-read books but I would consider reading this novel again at some point because it’s full of many interesting nuances from a cultural perspective that are worth revisiting as well as the linguistic aspect. The book is well written from a language perspective but unmistakably Cuban.


-MP.

Wendy Guerra...

Here is a short article about the novel.

La cubana Wendy Guerra aborda el racismo sin t?picos en 'Negra' - 20minutos.es


Not only does she write well, I absolutely love the way she speaks.


-MP.

Kobo readers have multi language dictionaries...

anarquista said:

Does your ereader have a Spanish-English dictionary built-in? I read books using various apps on my phone or tablet but looking up definitions is so cumbersome and requires me to have an active Internet connection.

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Yes, I have a Kobo reader and it comes with a built in English-Spanish dictionary. I tested it out just to see how good the definitions are and it's a good dictionary. For the odd really colloquial Cuban word that I was not familiar with I looked it up in Kobo but it was not found. However, I expected that due to the word being really regional.


-MP.

Africaida said:

Would love to know as well

Many thanks to the OP, I want to read it now.:bunny: You had me interested and I do need to get back to reading in Spanish.

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Yes, reading is such a great past time and you can learn so much from it not only from a language perspective but just general knowledge about culture, history, world events etc. In my experience, there are many good Cuban authors who made great contributions to Spanish literature. Wendy Guerra to me was refreshing. She wrote an honest piece of literature about her country and the key part is she lives there. She is not a Cuban in exile recounting events from fifty years ago. She is giving her readers -la Cuba actual. You might want to read an excerpt before actually reading the book just to see if you like her style.


-MP.

anarquista

Marvelous! Good for you for being an engaged reader and in Spanish too. In my experience here on DR1 not many people read in Spanish. I am the opposite. I am an avid reader of Spanish literature. It's the language the vast majority of my reading is done in including newspapers. I am finishing a book right now and as soon as I do, I am looking at the possibility of reading a book written by an author who is considered to be one of the great ones. The book I think I will read is Rayuela by Julio Cortázar. This will be the hard copy since I already have it and not an eBook.

As mentioned, I received the Kobo reader as a gift otherwise, I am quite sure I would have opted for a Kindle reader.


Julio Cort�zar. Departamento de Bibliotecas y Documentaci�n del Instituto Cervantes

I just found Rayuela in a PDF version. The wonders of the internet!

http://red.ilce.edu.mx/sitios/micrositios/cortazar_aniv/pdf/8_Cielo_Rayuela_libro.pdf


After you finish reading En el tiempo de las Mariposas, if you feel like sharing your thoughts, I would love to hear what you thought about the book the second time around.


Cheers,

-MP.

Not contemporary literature....

345 said:

Browse By Language: Spanish - Project Gutenberg
That link is to Project Gutenberg, an electronic library.

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It's a good link with plenty of reading options in Spanish but not anywhere near contemporary which I think people will be selective about. As well, there is a lot of translated literature on that site. I read a lot of Spanish material both past and present and the only authors or renowned stories I recognize are:

Aesop
Pedro Antonio de Alarcón
Gustavo Adolfo Domínguez Bécquer
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Rubén Darío
José Martí
Miguel de Unamuno


-University students would like it because they would not have to buy the hard copy for their literature courses.


-MP.

Ana Mar?a Machado- Sol tropical de la libertad




I decided to switch gears a bit and discover a new author. I am currently reading Sol tropical de la libertad by a Brazilian author, Ana María Machado. I discovered her by searching for Spanish novels on Kobo’s website. After reading the synopsis of the book and a little bit about the author, I decided to take a chance on it and I must say I am pleasantly surprised.

Although I try not to read translated literature, in this case I have no choice since her writing is in Portuguese. I am reading the Spanish version, and without a doubt the translation is wonderful in my opinion. Excellent sentence structure and grammar is evident throughout the book. The translator is definitely skilled.

I am half way through and have already had a history lesson. Unaware of Brazil’s history, the novel is a reflection of Brazil under a military dictatorship as we relive the childhood and life in exile of the protagonist.

I will continue to read and report back when I done. I already have my next book lined up. Reading, such a rewarding pastime!

Sol tropical de la libertad de Ana María Machado - Sinopsis, descargas y comentarios | Alfaguara España


-MP.

I finished Sol tropical de la libertad a while ago but was waiting until I had something to post before commenting in brief.

Other than Paolo Coelho, this is the only other literature of a Brazilian author that I have read and I was quite pleased with it. I would definitely consider reading other novels by this writer. The book gave insight into a troubled period in Brazilian history, one which I would have probably not have tapped into had I not read her book.


I am currently in the process of reading a novel, not an ebook though. I realize I can't eread a 100%. For me ereading provides a nice a balance between the electronic format and the traditional paperback.

For those of you who read Isabel Allende in Spanish, her new book is out which I already purchased for future reading. It has quite good reviews. The title is El amante japonés, the ebook is also an option.





Junot Díaz participated in the Feria del Libro in Bogotá, Colombia in May of this year and before visiting he did an interview with El Tiempo in Montreal. I found this article while looking for other information about literature.

I am not sure I would call him la pluma latina in the USA. To me that's a stretch and he does not write in Spanish. I think that is a huge factor to get such a title. I have read many articles and excerpts of his work but not any of his books. However, I plan to read at least one just to see where I would rank him among Spanish authors that I have read.

Interesting article:

http://www.eltiempo.com/entretenimi...not-diaz-en-entrevista-con-el-tiempo/15671480


-MP.

Eleutheria said:

Great thread! I read in Spanish whenever I can; it takes a bit longer but it is so helpful in terms of increasing vocabulary and assisting with spelling.
I also try to read the news here in Spanish; not just to know what is going on, but to see the topics and stories that concern local people.
It gives a lot of insight into the culture here.

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Thanks. Threads about reading and language usually are interesting in my opinion just by the nature of the topic.

If you are learning a foreign language, reading is an essential component although I have met many people who believe that they can learn a language (not just Spanish) without tapping into literature and reading the newspaper. By reading you are mastering the syntax indirectly and getting a flow for the grammar, verb forms and where words are placed in a sentence. Can language be learned without reading? Absolutely but look at the quality and the difference between those who read and those who believe that all they need to learn can be done without some form of reading.

The key to successful reading in a foreign language is to read at your level and your own pace. Improvements in comprehension, grammar and fluency will come gradually.

Keep doing what you are doing and remember that the quality of the newspaper is important as well to acquire good language skills. Have a look at the sticky in the forum- Recommended Spanish newspapers. There are plenty of good Spanish newspapers and with the web, the sky is the limit. I read various newspapers but for quality I specifically like:

1) http://elpais.com/elpais/portada_america.html

(Spain)

2) http://www.eltiempo.com/

(Colombia)

3) http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/

(Venezuela)

4) http://www.elobservador.com.uy/

(Uruguay)


-MP.

4*4*4 said:

My wife has a Kindle and happily reads two or three books a week. I've read books on my tablet, but my problem is taking it to the beach, near a pool or worrying about leaving it on the plane. I am much more comfortable with a paperback and giving it to whoever is nearby when I complete it, assuming they share my fascination with Smothers Brothers autobiographies.

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I hear you. For me, I am not sure what it is with it. I have enjoyed the ereading that I have done so far but I am not ready to give up my paperback novels. I have a mini library at home of not only novels but grammatical resources and language material which I don't plan on substituting for electronic reading. However, for travelling the convenience is incomparable. It's definitely the way to go.


-MP.

Marianopolita said:

Here is a short article about the novel.

La cubana Wendy Guerra aborda el racismo sin t�picos en 'Negra' - 20minutos.es

Not only does she write well, I absolutely love the way she speaks.


-MP.

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Well, I will be reading this book again sooner than I thought. I discovered a really interesting blog/ article last night and after doing some thorough browsing there was an article in it about Wendy Guerra and her book Negra.

For people like me who enjoy focusing on the cultural aspects of literature this book touches on some themes that are delicate and delicate in Cuba especially for many reasons. It is a book written by a Cuban author who is not negra but dares to go there meaning talk about issues like racism, la negritud, el afrocubano because it’s part of her world and what she saw and witnessed. As well, afrocuban culture has an influence on many in Cuba.

I just watched an interview on You Tube done recently -Jaime Bayly interviewed the writer Wendy Guerra and he also follows her avidly since she does presentations. Coincidentally, I also bought her most recent book two months ago in Miami- Domingo de Revoluciόn which according to Jaime Bayly ‘es un libro fantástico’ that is a depiction of Cuba today and the many issues Cubans face. I don’t think I will eread Negra again. I will by the book and add it to the collection I have of her novels.

I will be starting a new book this weekend but the question is which one? I have a mini library and really too many books. Choosing one is difficult. It will most likely come down to a recent book by Isabel Allende, Mario Benedetti, Jaime Bayly or an author whose work I will read for the first time.


Anyone reading any interesting Spanish literature?


-MP.