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Another challenge for 2017.

I'm beginning it today, with the book I started reading. I though I should begin with a portuguese author.

P - Ana Teresa Pereira, A Coisa Que Eu Sou

Some more:

B - Jorge Luis Borges, ¹ó¾±³¦Ã§Ãµ±ð²õ
L - Ilse Losa, O Mundo Em Que Vivi
M - Thomas Mann, Morte em Veneza
S - José Saramago, O Conto da Ilha Desconhecida

Well done Andreia! How did you find Ficciones and Death in Venice? They are both on my reading least!

Francesca M wrote: "Well done Andreia! How did you find Ficciones and Death in Venice? They are both on my reading least!"

Ciao Francesca!

Let me see if I can put my thoughts into words� This is contradictory! I’ll try to put my feelings, specially my absolute astonishment, about Fictions, into words� ;)

First, 'Death in Venice' is very easy to read, it has beautiful descriptions (I love detailed descriptions), and Aschenbach’s (main character) reflections are very fluent, at least, I felt this while I was reading this translation. In this book, we kind of witness (I felt I was watching a movie; and then my father told me that after seeing the movie based on this book � I didn’t know there was one � he never wanted to go to Venice! I didn’t feel the same, but I’ve already been there, anyway) the imaginary relationship between Aschenbach � a writer � and a teenager he sees in Venice. Along with his obsession about the boy, he reflects about Art, Beauty as an art concept and something to achieve, in the Art (writing or other). His descriptions and thoughts about the boy are not about the person, sometimes he seems to be appreciating a statue, even if it is a live-statue� He starts questioning his life and his choices, because since he was very young he had a very restrict perception about his duties, he worked a lot, and lived little...

‘Fictions� is a collection of writings, fictions, I think we can’t call (all of) them short stories. Some are brilliant, completely “out of the box�, difficult to imagine, as we are reading them. I mean, we understand the words, but we can’t conceptualize what Borges is describing/explaining� At least I couldn't!* These fictions are surrealistic, fantastic, really imaginative, some are detective stories, some are cyclic or like mazes, where the characters (and we), can’t find their (our) way out of the labyrinth. It’s a Must Read! I think I’ll have to re-read it someday�

*I felt this mainly when reading "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius"

Thank you Andreia, really a great feedback :)!

After reading your comments I am even more curious to read both of the them. They sound completely different, but definitely two books worth reading! I will let you know my thoughts on them...

Francesca M wrote: "Thank you Andreia, really a great feedback :)!

After reading your comments I am even more curious to read both of the them. They sound completely different, but definitely two books worth reading!..."

I'll read your comments with pleasure :)

More readings:

G - Enric González, Histórias de Nova Iorque