Hi there! I would also add one of the most important things about the book: the English translation. It is considered one of the greatest of all time, made by Gregory Rabassa, may he rest in Peace. Even García Márquez said the English version it's the best way to read his novel. Greetings from Colombia 🇨🇴
@@alfredoarango8849Gabriel Garcia Marquez himself called Rabassa's English translation of One Hundred Years of Solitude better than the Spanish original. I'm not saying it is because I don't know, I'm just saying that's what the author said.
I finished this book yesterday and I honestly may re read it again soon and annotate it. There’s so much wisdom in this book. I truly feel like changed by reading this!
Venezuelan watcher here who enjoys your reviews here, just came to check you liked it haha. Growing up in Latin America this is held as the beacon of Spanish literature, the best since Don Quixote, etc. Indeed this book got me into reading and was the first time I binge read something.
My absolute favorite book and most reread. I first read it as a teenager and keep coming back to it decades later. I'm glad you loved it as well ! I hope your edition came with a family tree as it was necessary for me to keep up with the names.
I would recommend two really short ones: "Pedro Paramo" by Juan Rulfo and "The Kingdom of this World" by Alejo Carpentier. Rulfo is very accessible. Carpentier has a very baroque style, so I don't know how it would translate into English, but it's amazing. I love it, even though it was a high school assignment.
I read it a ziljen times, first in Dutch, also in English. Thought it would be time to do the Spanish version. Helas, that was too much asked of my imagination. Thanks to the Dutch translator - who really did a terrific job - I gave up after a 100 pages, and went on in Dutch and again I am enjoying every page, every sentence, as if I read it for the first time!!!
Keeping straight the same family names has probably been the biggest complaint about this book. Some reviewers on GoodReads gave 1-2 star reviews or even DNFed the book due to significant confusion over that very issue. Perhaps I should keep notes if I'm to get through this? I have had this book on my TBR list for over a year, but I'm intimidated before I even start!
A lot of versions have a family tree with both names and some characteristics. I honestly don't think it is that hard to keep them straight in context too so don't be discouraged!
Personally i find having to check notes or turn to a family tree, brings me out of the story. Though having never studied spanish, this meant i often confused characters with eachother. I dont think getting lost in the names is an entirely bad thing for this novel, as the names are supposed to carry their ancestors will and wishes. Meaning that the characters sort of span multiple people and times, if that makes sense.
Well the reviewers didn't understand the essence of this story then because it was a typcial thing of the culture and of the time to name your sons and daughters repeatedly after their ancestors. And as you progress in the book you're moving towards the next generations and you must move in time with them, while noting the characters of the past, as you would with your own family. Why not keep notes if it helps you? But don't get lost in them, remember to stay focused on the story and as @christianhetling3793 points out, the characters span multiple people and times.
Great review. I was going to pounce on you if you didn't like this novel. It is quite simply one of the best novels ever written. I am at ease with Spanish as I speak it quite well (my wife is Cuban), though apart from pronunciations, you don't need to know Spanish very well to enjoy this book. Actually, Spanish is of more help when reading some of Cormac McCarthy's novels. Gregory Rabassa did a fabulous job of translating this novel; he even made Garcia Marquez appreciative of the English language! A must if you wish to discover the precursor of magic realism is Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo. This novella was a big influence on GGM: he claimed he could recite great chunks of it from memory. Also try less obvious (and more modern) examples such as Louis de Bernieres' The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts. There are other obvious choices such as, Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits (almost a homage to GGM), Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children, Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, Jose Donoso's The Obscene Bird of Night.
I tried One Hundred Years when I was about twenty-but the use of the same names across generations was too confusing for me. I was young and stupid though and now I am older (and probably less stupid..I think) so I will try it again,
I'm about to pick this one up entirely based on the fact that it seems from reviews (and from the first few pages sample on Amazon) to remind me of Little, Big by John Crowley, which I read last summer and is easily in my top five favourite books I've ever read. it was SUCH a joy, and had so much in common with this (from what I'm hearing), that I suspect you might like it as well, and should give it a go. It follows multiple generations of a family who all live in this big weird mansion which is actually lots of different mansions smushed together, and this is for a good, grounded, sensible reason, and simultaneously it is because it makes for a wonderful allegorical bit of magic, and everything in the book works that way. This family get on with their ordinary business over those three generations, but it is also true that they live right on the very edge of reality. it's the sort of book where someone can walk around a tree, never be seen again, and nobody finds this especially unlikely. You might find a house and spend a night there, and that house might not exist, and now that's just something that happened to you. Lots of characters coming and going, interacting with each other's lives across history... If this book has any flavour of that sort of thing, I suspect I'm going to love it.
I'm no huge book reader, i recently started reading the classics. I'm half way through this book and i'm still struggling to keep up (i'm not a native English speaker either 😂)... The magical realism caught me by surprise, it is the first time i read something it and it is so delicately infused within the events and I LOVE IT. It makes me chuckle everytime. The story is out of this world, but i understand why people would stop reading it simply because it takes a lot of effort.. i'm still pushing through
I don't remember much from seventh grade Spanish (1962) but pronunciation has stuck with me pretty well. Pronunciation is much simpler in the Spanish language and anyone unfamiliar with it would benefit in the area of names considerably if, before reading this they dug up some kind of guide. It would take only a few minutes to get a handle on it, and one would probably have it mastered before reading the first 20 pages of Solitude. This was my favorite book for decades until I read Nelson Algren's Chicago: City on the Make, which, at 50 pages long, I'm not sure qualifies as a book, but it's full of similarly packed and poetic prose. It took me about 75 pages to get caught up in Solitude, but from there on out, I was transfixed and have been again and again through probably a dozen readings. And I seldom read a book more than once. Happy reading.
I was daydreaming about the TV series Netflix will release 100 Years of Solitude and your video came up. This book has been my favourite (after the Lord of the Rings) since my teens. The same potency of writing is present in his other works (I'd recommend Chronicles of a Death Foretold). Since you're enjoying magical realism, you might enjoy Isabel Allende's The House of Spirits 😊
I did absolutely love this book. Another good classic. Even tho not magical realism but to me has a sort it similar feel is “East of Eden” Give it a try!
Excellent review. My next read. Interested in your review/opinion of House of Sprits, especially it prose & it's "magical realism. Warning - don't watch the film!!😬
If you loved this novel, you should read The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić. Life of a small bosnian town described from perspective of a magnificent bridge.
My favorite of magical realism so far: Leo Perutz - By Night Under the Stone Bridge Perhaps it might be a good idea to assign numbers to the characters in 'One hundred years of sollitude' to keep track of them.
I’m 50 pages into the book, I really want to like it but I’m struggling with the lack of overall plot and direction. I think I do better with Meandering in a book when it’s first person narration.
@betsysolon4852 put it aside and come back to it in the future. I tried reading it a couple of times throughout my life but couldn't get into it. One day I started reading it again and it completely sucked me in, and it continues to be one of my favourite books. Just thinking about the last page gives me goosebumps!
Hi there! I would also add one of the most important things about the book: the English translation. It is considered one of the greatest of all time, made by Gregory Rabassa, may he rest in Peace. Even García Márquez said the English version it's the best way to read his novel. Greetings from Colombia 🇨🇴
Lo dudo
❤ it is a brilliant translation
So true. I said this above before reading your comment.
@@estebanrestrepohenao.9486 Se refiere a la mejor traducción, obvio la version original en español es mejor
@@alfredoarango8849Gabriel Garcia Marquez himself called Rabassa's English translation of One Hundred Years of Solitude better than the Spanish original. I'm not saying it is because I don't know, I'm just saying that's what the author said.
Favorite character-Aureliano Buendia😏
I LOVE HIM SM🥺
I finished this book yesterday and I honestly may re read it again soon and annotate it. There’s so much wisdom in this book. I truly feel like changed by reading this!
I’m reading it on kindle. First time I cross into magic realism. I got inspired to read it after my trip to Colombia 🇨🇴
Venezuelan watcher here who enjoys your reviews here, just came to check you liked it haha. Growing up in Latin America this is held as the beacon of Spanish literature, the best since Don Quixote, etc. Indeed this book got me into reading and was the first time I binge read something.
My absolute favorite book and most reread. I first read it as a teenager and keep coming back to it decades later. I'm glad you loved it as well ! I hope your edition came with a family tree as it was necessary for me to keep up with the names.
I would recommend two really short ones: "Pedro Paramo" by Juan Rulfo and "The Kingdom of this World" by Alejo Carpentier. Rulfo is very accessible. Carpentier has a very baroque style, so I don't know how it would translate into English, but it's amazing. I love it, even though it was a high school assignment.
Pedro Paramo is crazy, like WHUTTT?!! 🤯
I read it a ziljen times, first in Dutch, also in English. Thought it would be time to do the Spanish version. Helas, that was too much asked of my imagination. Thanks to the Dutch translator - who really did a terrific job - I gave up after a 100 pages, and went on in Dutch and again I am enjoying every page, every sentence, as if I read it for the first time!!!
My most reread book. I love "Love in the Time of Cholera" too.
Keeping straight the same family names has probably been the biggest complaint about this book. Some reviewers on GoodReads gave 1-2 star reviews or even DNFed the book due to significant confusion over that very issue. Perhaps I should keep notes if I'm to get through this? I have had this book on my TBR list for over a year, but I'm intimidated before I even start!
A lot of versions have a family tree with both names and some characteristics. I honestly don't think it is that hard to keep them straight in context too so don't be discouraged!
Personally i find having to check notes or turn to a family tree, brings me out of the story. Though having never studied spanish, this meant i often confused characters with eachother. I dont think getting lost in the names is an entirely bad thing for this novel, as the names are supposed to carry their ancestors will and wishes.
Meaning that the characters sort of span multiple people and times, if that makes sense.
Well the reviewers didn't understand the essence of this story then because it was a typcial thing of the culture and of the time to name your sons and daughters repeatedly after their ancestors. And as you progress in the book you're moving towards the next generations and you must move in time with them, while noting the characters of the past, as you would with your own family. Why not keep notes if it helps you? But don't get lost in them, remember to stay focused on the story and as @christianhetling3793 points out, the characters span multiple people and times.
Great review. I was going to pounce on you if you didn't like this novel. It is quite simply one of the best novels ever written. I am at ease with Spanish as I speak it quite well (my wife is Cuban), though apart from pronunciations, you don't need to know Spanish very well to enjoy this book. Actually, Spanish is of more help when reading some of Cormac McCarthy's novels. Gregory Rabassa did a fabulous job of translating this novel; he even made Garcia Marquez appreciative of the English language! A must if you wish to discover the precursor of magic realism is Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo. This novella was a big influence on GGM: he claimed he could recite great chunks of it from memory. Also try less obvious (and more modern) examples such as Louis de Bernieres' The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts. There are other obvious choices such as, Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits (almost a homage to GGM), Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children, Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, Jose Donoso's The Obscene Bird of Night.
I tried One Hundred Years when I was about twenty-but the use of the same names across generations was too confusing for me. I was young and stupid though and now I am older (and probably less stupid..I think) so I will try it again,
That the spirit! Magically realistic 👍
I'm about to pick this one up entirely based on the fact that it seems from reviews (and from the first few pages sample on Amazon) to remind me of Little, Big by John Crowley, which I read last summer and is easily in my top five favourite books I've ever read. it was SUCH a joy, and had so much in common with this (from what I'm hearing), that I suspect you might like it as well, and should give it a go. It follows multiple generations of a family who all live in this big weird mansion which is actually lots of different mansions smushed together, and this is for a good, grounded, sensible reason, and simultaneously it is because it makes for a wonderful allegorical bit of magic, and everything in the book works that way. This family get on with their ordinary business over those three generations, but it is also true that they live right on the very edge of reality. it's the sort of book where someone can walk around a tree, never be seen again, and nobody finds this especially unlikely. You might find a house and spend a night there, and that house might not exist, and now that's just something that happened to you. Lots of characters coming and going, interacting with each other's lives across history... If this book has any flavour of that sort of thing, I suspect I'm going to love it.
@@DemonTomatoDave ooo! You’ve sold it to me. I’ll add it to the list
Great book,Love in the Time of Cholera is IMO his best.
I'm no huge book reader, i recently started reading the classics. I'm half way through this book and i'm still struggling to keep up (i'm not a native English speaker either 😂)... The magical realism caught me by surprise, it is the first time i read something it and it is so delicately infused within the events and I LOVE IT. It makes me chuckle everytime.
The story is out of this world, but i understand why people would stop reading it simply because it takes a lot of effort.. i'm still pushing through
Hi! This book is a treasure. It rewards you in ways I can't describe.
I don't remember much from seventh grade Spanish (1962) but pronunciation has stuck with me pretty well. Pronunciation is much simpler in the Spanish language and anyone unfamiliar with it would benefit in the area of names considerably if, before reading this they dug up some kind of guide. It would take only a few minutes to get a handle on it, and one would probably have it mastered before reading the first 20 pages of Solitude. This was my favorite book for decades until I read Nelson Algren's Chicago: City on the Make, which, at 50 pages long, I'm not sure qualifies as a book, but it's full of similarly packed and poetic prose. It took me about 75 pages to get caught up in Solitude, but from there on out, I was transfixed and have been again and again through probably a dozen readings. And I seldom read a book more than once. Happy reading.
I was daydreaming about the TV series Netflix will release 100 Years of Solitude and your video came up. This book has been my favourite (after the Lord of the Rings) since my teens. The same potency of writing is present in his other works (I'd recommend Chronicles of a Death Foretold). Since you're enjoying magical realism, you might enjoy Isabel Allende's The House of Spirits 😊
I did absolutely love this book. Another good classic. Even tho not magical realism but to me has a sort it similar feel is “East of Eden” Give it a try!
It is an astonishingly great book!
Excellent review. My next read. Interested in your review/opinion of House of Sprits, especially it prose & it's "magical realism. Warning - don't watch the film!!😬
It's a masterpiece ❤
When I think of magical realism I think of “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel
Ooo! I’ll check it out
@@rororeads Put your cooking apron on as well!
If you loved this novel, you should read The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić. Life of a small bosnian town described from perspective of a magnificent bridge.
Sounds amazing! It’s going on the list.
Slična tematika, you're right
My favorite of magical realism so far: Leo Perutz - By Night Under the Stone Bridge
Perhaps it might be a good idea to assign numbers to the characters in 'One hundred years of sollitude' to keep track of them.
Just watched your review and I decided to continue this book....lolsss
I’m 50 pages into the book, I really want to like it but I’m struggling with the lack of overall plot and direction. I think I do better with Meandering in a book when it’s first person narration.
@betsysolon4852 put it aside and come back to it in the future. I tried reading it a couple of times throughout my life but couldn't get into it. One day I started reading it again and it completely sucked me in, and it continues to be one of my favourite books. Just thinking about the last page gives me goosebumps!
I Just cant continue. I tought l was the only one who doesnt like it. Please someone help motivate me!
Im surprised so many people like it. I wasnt really to impressed and i read it completely. Yes its wild and poetic, but also really weird at times.
It's weird if you don't get the linkages to the past and present, and if you're stuck in your ways.
Should add excellent review … and even better hat ☘️👍
Nice win over the Pistons tonight.
Use Wadsworth constant
Amazing book!