Isabel Allendes The House of the Spirits (1982): Why Is It So Popular? | Book Review & Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-09-18 | A reflection on Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits (La casa de los espíritus), the story of a family in twentieth-century Latin America. English translation by Magda Bogin published by Simon & Schuster in 1985. Film adaptation by Bille August, starring Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Winona Ryder, Glenn Close, Vanessa Redgrave, and Antonio Banderas, released in 1993.Contents:00:00 – Why hadn't I read it before?01:43 – Context: publication, genre, structure04:01 – Setting05:24 – Plot: quick synopsis09:24 – Narrator(s)10:45 – Style, and a little more on structure12:47 – Samples: on attraction, carnality, and women17:30 – Magical realism19:31 – Why is this novel so popular?22:08 – The film adaptation25:23 – Bottom line, and a couple of "complaints"
Perumal Murugans The Story of a Goat [Poonachi] (2016) 🐐 Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-09-11 | A reflection on Perumal Murugan's The Story of a Goat, also known as Poonachi (Poonachi Allathu Oru Vellattin Katai). English translation from the Tamil by N. Kalyan Raman published by Black Cat in 2018. Big thank you to my friend @HABYKOSHYMATHEW for recommending this book to me!My thoughts on Juan Ramón Jiménez's Platero and I:youtu.be/dM2zpCO6UpAMy thoughts on Natsume Soseki's I Am a Cat:youtu.be/U8zEH9UgYPoContents:00:00 – How I found out about this novel00:42 – Content02:10 – Structure and subgenre03:13 – Style04:05 – Portrayal of animals06:14 – Exploration of oppression09:07 – My impressions10:26 – Bottom line
Penelope Fitzgeralds The Bookshop (1978) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-09-04 | A reflection on Penelope Fitzgerald's The Bookshop (1978), the story of a widow who opens a bookstore in a small English town. Film adaptation by Isabel Coixet, starring Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, and Bill Nighy, released in 2017.Contents:00:00 – An exceptional author01:02 – About The Bookshop: story and main theme02:13 – Structure and genre03:18 – Characters05:09 – Conflict07:13 – Why do I love The Bookshop (and Penelope Fitzgerald)?09:00 – About the film adaptation13:15 – Bottom line
Horacio Quirogas The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories 🐔 Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-08-28 | A reflection on the short stories of Horacio Quiroga (1878-1937), the great Uruguayan storyteller who revolutionized the genre in Latin America. Quiroga was my first favorite author, after I read some stories from his famous collection Cuentos de la selva (Tales of the Jungle) in the fourth grade. In the video I discuss the main themes and style of Quiroga's fiction, with a focus on the stories included in the collection The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories (La gallina degollada y otros cuentos), selected and translated by Margaret Sayers Peden and published by the University of Texas Press in 1976. I also show the collections Cuentos de amor, de locura y de muerte (Tales of Love, Madness, and Death, originally published in 1917), published by Penguin in 1997, and Cuentos escogidos (Selected Tales), published by Alfaguara in 2008, with a prologue by Liliana Heker.Contents:00:00 – Horacio Quiroga: an author who changed my life01:38 – A tough life02:55 – Quiroga's place in Latin American literature04:29 – Themes, main setting, and influences (and a Borges Connection)08:52 – Approach10:25 – The Feather Pillow (El almohadón de plumas)13:08 – Sunstroke (La insolación)14:25 – The Pursued (Los perseguidos)15:58 – The Decapitated Chicken (La gallina degollada)18:33 – Drifting (A la deriva)19:32 – A Slap in the Face (Una bofetada)20:35 – In the Middle of the Night (En la noche)21:13 – Juan Darién22:23 – The Dead Man (El hombre muerto)23:09 – Anaconda24:31 – The Incense Tree Roof (El techo de incienso)25:50 – The Son (El hijo)27:21 – Bottom line
Mikhail Lermontovs A Hero of Our Time (1840) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-08-21 | A reflection on Mikhail Lermontov's A Hero of Our Time (Герой нашего времени), which some critics have called the first great Russian novel. I read the English translation by Paul Foote published by Penguin in 1966 (revised edition published in 2001). I also mention the Nicolas Pasternak Slater translation, published by Oxford in 2013, which I read some years ago. There is a newer translation, by Natasha Randall, published by Penguin in 2009. Thank you so much, 6K+ subscribers!!! ❤️Want to see how I put this video together? Here's a behind-the-scenes look at Jorge's Corner:youtu.be/eEpfRLL7XIQContents:00:00 – Epigraph00:15 – The significance of A Hero of Our Time02:12 – Context03:44 – Structure and content05:00 – Protagonist06:27 – First Tale: "Bela"08:08 – Second Tale: "Maxim Maximych"09:31 – Third Tale: "Taman"10:55 – Fourth Tale: "Princess Mary"14:17 – Fifth Tale: "The Fatalist"15:32 – Assessment and criticism of the novel20:56 – Bottom line22:16 – A message in my edition of the book!Works CitedGarrard, John. Mikhail Lermontov. Boston: Twayne, 1982.Gregorich, Luis. "Pushkin y el nacimiento de la literatura rusa." Historia de la literatura mundial. Buenos Aires: Centro Editor de América Latina, 1969.Lo Gatto, Ettore. La literatura rusa moderna. Buenos Aires: Losada, 1972.
How I Make My Videos 🎥 BTS with Jorges Corner Jorges Corner 2025-08-18 | A behind-the-scenes look at how I make my videos. I guide you through the entire process, from choosing the topic to uploading the video. Enjoy! 😃Check out the actual video I made:youtu.be/ugW0dixZ5ZA
Una rosa para Emily (1930), de William Faulkner (Análisis) | Cuentos memorables #5 Jorges Corner 2025-08-07 | Una reflexión sobre el cuento "Una rosa para Emily," también conocido como "Una rosa para Emilia" ("A Rose for Emily"), de William Faulkner. Este video es parte de la serie "Cuentos memorables". Se recomienda leer el cuento antes de ver el video. ¿Tienen algún cuento favorito de Faulkner? ¿Qué cuentos han resultado memorables para ustedes?Una traducción (no muy buena) del cuento:ciudadseva.com/texto/una-rosa-para-emiliaEscuchen la canción de los Zombies, "A Rose for Emily:"youtube.com/watch?v=gs-bVMs1LKUContenidos:00:00 – Introducción01:17 – Acercamiento01:49 – Parte I [La complejidad de Emily]04:59 – Parte II [Un personaje colectivo]06:56 – Parte III [El pretendiente]08:28 – Parte IV [Desapariciones]11:24 – Parte V [La revelación]13:44 – El enigma15:14 – El título17:55 – El pasaje omitido20:16 – ConclusionesObra citadaVolpe, Edmond L. A Reader's Guide to William Faulkner: The Short Stories. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2004.
The Cloud of Unknowing (XIV c.) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-07-24 | A reflection on The Cloud of Unknowing, a XIV century classic on meditation written by a priest and Carthusian monk. English translation by A. C. Spearing published by Penguin in 2001, in an edition that also includes The Book of Privy Counseling, "The Mystical Theology of St. Denis," and "An Epistle on Prayer," attributed to the same author. I also show the translation by William Johnston, published by Image in 1996. The Image edition also includes The Book of Privy Counseling.On Meister Eckhart's Selected Writings:youtu.be/ehMLr1-iUaUContents:00:00 – Intro01:25 – The Cloud of Unknowing and Other Works02:33 – The key question: can we know God?03:47 – The lesson of the book, and its central image04:57 – The other cloud05:38 – Approach to prayer, and a definition07:55 – The limitations of language10:16 – Affinity with Meister Eckhart and with Buddhism12:49 – The author's approach to Christ's natures (divine and human)14:07 – Bottom line
Stephen Cranes The Red Badge of Courage (1895) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-07-10 | A reflection on Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage (1895), a novel of the US Civil War. I read the paperback edition published by the Modern Library in 2000, which includes Crane's short story "The Veteran," an introduction by Shelby Foote, and commentary by Ernest Hemingway, H. G. Wells, Theodore Dreiser, Joseph Conrad, Stephen Crane, and George Wyndham.Contents:00:00 – Intro01:50 – Publication context, the Civil War, and my edition05:34 – The Borges Connection07:22 – Plot09:06 – The first chapter11:56 – A crucial theme14:10 – Style17:05 – Crane and Hemingway on The Red Badge of Courage19:43 – Genre: novel or novella?21:32 – The John Huston film adaptation (1951)23:55 – Bottom line, and a reading project recommendation
Book Haul! 😎 Summer 2025 Jorges Corner 2025-06-26 | Some of the books, films, and albums I have acquired in the past few months. As usual, most of these come from used bookstores, library sales, and thrift stores. This is video #200. The release date also marks the 4th anniversary of Jorge's Corner. A million thanks to you for being a part of this community and making this possible. Enjoy, my friends! 😃
La naranja mecánica (1962), de Anthony Burgess (Análisis) | Novelas indispensables #3 Jorges Corner 2025-06-19 | Una reflexión sobre la novela La naranja mecánica (A Clockwork Orange), de Anthony Burgess. Episodio #3 de la serie "Novelas indispensables". ¿Qué les parece Burgess?Contenidos:00:00 – Intro01:30 – Contexto02:53 – Contenido y estructura04:23 – El relato07:03 – El nombre del protagonista08:55 – Filosofía11:14 – Lingüística14:36 – El último capítulo18:15 – Un párrafo, en el original y en nadsat-español, la traducción y el epígrafe21:10 – El título: su significado y su traducción23:12 – Conclusiones
Manuel Puigs Kiss of the Spider Woman (1976) 💋 Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-06-12 | A reflection on Manuel Puig's Kiss of the Spider Woman (El beso de la mujer araña). English translation by Thomas Colchie published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1979. Film adaptation by Héctor Babenco starring Raúl Juliá, William Hurt, and Sonia Braga released in 1985. Musical with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb released in 1992. The musical was made into a film directed by Bill Condon, starring Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh Elizarraraz, released in 2025.Interview with Manuel Puig for the Spanish TV program A fondo:youtu.be/fe3JABlz6MU?si=e2J2F2LYIEEpSx3lPart 1 of my vlog on the 1,001 Nights, just in case you're interested:youtu.be/nN5hTu5yi60Contents:00:00 – Intro01:48 – About the novel: characters, setting, etc.03:45 – Content05:43 – The characters: Molina and Valentín07:39 – Storytelling10:16 – Masculinity12:09 – "Low culture"13:59 – Style: dialogue17:09 – An interesting connection19:04 – Bottom line
Q&A: Coda | Challenging Books, Borges/Cortázar, My Top 5 Videos, The Meaning of Life, Adaptations &c Jorges Corner 2025-06-05 | Some of my friends did not get a chance to ask questions for my first Q&A video, so here's a coda! Thank you so much to my friends @fc1984fc , @Dan-z4i , @somanytulips , @NotesWithDrLing , @burhananak605 , @the3rdpill , @emilysanders5020 , @richardburt1679 , @gracehammond7129 , @kurtfox4944 for participating. Enjoy! 😃One of the questions is about my top 5 videos. Here are the links:#1 - youtu.be/xypeLbhzlL8#2 - youtu.be/27wvv0lRdXs#3 - youtu.be/pglZv5n7BrU#4 - youtu.be/tIO7TD380gU#5 - youtu.be/mwnBnpsy62MContents:00:00 – Intro00:50 – Contemporary Argentinian authors03:06 – My top 5 videos06:29 – A book that challenged me as a person/reader07:45 – Where to start with Borges and Cortázar10:46 – Growing tired of fantasy and speculative fiction?12:13 – How can I get better at chess?12:49 – What is the meaning of life?14:16 – Books that made my cry16:04 – Film and/or TV adaptations21:37 – How to read Cortázar's Rayuela (Hopscotch)23:06 – A book that defeated me? A book I couldn't finish?25:48 – My experience with translation
Günter Grass The Tin Drum (1959) 🥁 Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-05-29 | The Nobel Prize in Literature for 1999 was awarded to Günter Grass. This is a reflection on The Tin Drum (Die Blechtrommel), a masterful novel about life in Danzig (Gdańsk) before, during, and after World War II, seen through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator. English translations by Ralph Manheim (Pantheon, 1962) and Breon Mitchell (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009). I read the first one many years ago, and the second one last year, for this discussion.Contents:00:00 – Intro01:14 – Why a new(er) translation?04:43 – Grass' Nobel Prize citation06:18 – Structure08:15 – Plot, characters, narrator13:15 – The importance of secondary characters14:38 – Genre: 3 possible approaches (family saga, bildungsroman, x-ray novel)18:04 – Criticism: guilt and history21:45 – A few words on the film adaptation (Volker Schlöndorff, 1979)26:02 – My impressions: reading and rereading27:36 – Bottom lineWork CitedO'Neill, Patrick. Günter Grass Revisited. New York: Twayne, 1999.
Q&A! | Reading Habits, Dislikes, Languages, Characters I Identify With, Dostoevsky vs. Tolstoy, etc. Jorges Corner 2025-05-22 | You sent excellent questions; I put together some not-so-excellent answers. 😃 Big thank you to my friends (in order of appearance) @irisilvermisst @gedeon3917 @ursulafroude @natalija865 @innakrol1912 @donaldkelly3983 for participating!Contents:00:00 – Intro, Coca-Cola, structure00:00 – Reading in Spanish or English? Other languages?00:00 – Who should be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature?00:00 – Mood or methodical reading? Advantages and setbacks00:00 – Have your reading tastes change over time?00:00 – What characters do you relate to the most?00:00 – Are there any books/authors you dislike or can't get into?00:00 – Is there any literary tradition that is not your cup of tea at all?00:00 – Tolstoy or Dostoevsky?00:00 – Penguin? Oxford? NYRB?
Dante Alighieris Vita Nuova (1294) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-05-15 | A reflection on Dante Alighieri's Vita Nuova (New Life). English translation by Virginia Jewiss published by Penguin in 2022 as a dual-language edition with parallel text. I also mention briefly the Mark Musa (Oxford, 1992) and David Slavitt (Harvard, 2010) translations. Below the "Contents" section, you may find the original Spanish and Italian texts of the poems I recite in the video.My thoughts on Gérard de Nerval's Aurélia, a text that is closely related:youtu.be/eUO6mqGScuMContents:00:00 – Intro01:18 – Some English translations02:28 – Love at first sight? Dante meets Beatrice03:54 – Genre05:37 – Love's effect on Dante08:15 – A poem by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer10:36 – Is this love?12:55 – The cover art13:46 – Dante's promise: "That which has never been written of any lady"15:16 – Three features of Dante's poetics present in the Vita Nuova17:40 – Bottom line18:48 – A movie recommendation19:37 – A reading from Dante, in Italian: "Negli occhi porta..." (sonnet)Poems:"Rima XVII," by Gustavo Adolfo BécquerHoy la tierra y los cielos me sonríen,hoy llega al fondo de mi alma el sol,hoy la he visto..., la he visto y me ha mirado...¡hoy creo en Dios!"Negli occhi porta...," by Dante AlighieriNegli occhi porta la mia donna Amore,per che si fa gentil ciò ch'ella mira;ov'ella passa, ogn'uom ver' lei si gira,e cui saluta fa tremar lo core,sí che, bassando il viso, tutto ismore,e d'ogni su' difetto allor sospira:fugge dinanzi a lei superbia e ira.Aiutatemi, donne, farle onore.Ogne dolcezza, ogne pensero umilenasce nel core a chi parlar la sente,ond'è laudato chi prima la vide.Quel ch'ella par quand'un poco sorride,non si può dire né tenere a mente,sí è novo miracolo e gentile.
Bookshelf Tour 2025! | Call for Q&A Jorges Corner 2025-05-08 | A tour of one of my bookshelves, with brief comments on most of the books. Thank you so much, 5K+ subscribers!!! ❤️ Please drop any questions in the comments section for an upcoming Q&A video. Enjoy! 😃Bookshelf Tour, Part 1:youtu.be/3chUNag4WswBookshelf Tour, Part 2:youtu.be/OWPjauZRFaAOn Jean-Paul Sartre's Nausea:youtu.be/9rDXNU9LzkcJulio Cortázar – Author Spotlight:youtu.be/uZJq4_9uoecAdolfo Bioy Casares – Author Spotlight:youtu.be/EtB3SCfcCCgArgentine Literature – An Introduction:youtu.be/IU4ivpfYi5oOn Patrick Modiano's Scene of the Crime:youtu.be/32V8jzRkb0sOn Henrik Pontoppidan's Lucky Per:youtu.be/u_5wVfzr60kOn Frans Eemil Sillanpää's People in the Summer Night:youtu.be/7ITrfWod1JMAuthors mentioned: Bruce Robinson, John H. Arnold, A. A. Milne & Ernest H. Shepard, Guillermo del Toro, Grigori Kozintsev, Ben Affleck, Johannes V. Jensen, Frans Eemil Sillanpää, Roger Martin du Gard, Ivan Bunin, Carl Spitteler, Henrik Pontopiddan, Verner von Heidenstam, Grazia Deledda, Paul Heyse, Vicente Aleixandre, St. Augustine of Hippo, Werner Herzog, Theodore W. Goossen (ed.), Henryk Sienkiewicz, St.-John Perse, Mario Vargas Llosa, Mikhail Zoshchenko, Donald Cammell & Nicolas Roeg, Patrick Modiano, Yoko Ogawa, Erich Fromm, G. K. Chesterton, Wallace Fowlie (ed.), Stanley Appelbaum (ed.), Sully Prudhomme, Władysław Stanisław Reymont, Erik Axel Karlfeldt, Nelly Sachs, Eduardo Mallea, José Eustasio Rivera, Azorín, Guy de Maupassant, Julio Cortázar, Samuel Beckett, Stephen Adly Guirgis, David Auburn, Lope de Vega, Ernesto Sabato, Claude Simon, José Enrique Rodó, François Mauriac, Roberto Arlt, Alejandro Casona, Jean-Paul Sartre, Eleonore Beck & Miren Sorne, Horacio Quiroga, Adolfo Bioy Casares, Carlos Fuentes, Peter Weiss, John Gardner, Don Juan Manuel, Maurice Maeterlinck, Anton Chekhov, William Golding.
Jorge Icazas Huasipungo [The Villagers] (1934) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-04-17 | A reflection on Jorge Icaza's Huasipungo (The Villagers), a classic of Ecuadorian literature. English translation by Bernard Dulsey published by Southern Illinois University Press in 1964.My thoughts on 4 Latin American avant-garde novellas (Mexico, Ecuador, Perú, Chile):youtu.be/PkscxaCLgwAMy thoughts on Mariano Azuela's Los de abajo (The Underdogs):youtu.be/d_-TCns8KcoContents:00:00 – Intro01:38 – Context03:30 – Title04:54 – Plot and characters12:05 – Style14:52 – Criticism17:33 – My impressions, and a memorable scene19:58 – Bottom line
Kazuo Ishiguros The Unconsoled (1995) 🎹 Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-03-27 | The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2017 was awarded to Kazuo Ishiguro. This is a reflection on The Unconsoled, his longest and most daring novel.My thoughts on Franz Kafka's The Castle:youtu.be/Lo-_EZV3ay0The Ishiguro interview I mention in the video:youtu.be/Tx6An0vHJ6E?si=hopRpogHRgqwODo2Contents:00:00 – Intro01:47 – Context03:28 – Nobel citation04:45 – Structure and premise06:54 – Plot overview and prominent characters10:11 – Absurdism11:42 – An enigmatic, disorienting novel14:36 – Surrealist humor17:21 – My impressions19:06 – The title20:44 – Bottom line
Johann Wolfgang von Goethes Faust, Parts I & II (1808, 1832) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-03-07 | A reflection on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Parts I & II. English translation by David Constantine published by Penguin in 2005 (Part I) and 2009 (Part II). I had previously read the Bayard Taylor translation (1870-1).Are you a Limbus Company fan? Here's my video on Cao Xueqin's The Story of the Stone, aka Dream of the Red Chamber:youtu.be/tIO7TD380gUContents:00:00 – Intro01:28 –The versions I have read03:37 – About Faust05:44 – Problematic structure? "Lack of unity"07:01 – An all-encompassing work10:37 – Context12:11 – Based on a true story?13:56 – Faust, Part I18:39 – Faust, Part II25:00 – Salvation?28:02 – Bottom lineWorks CitedBrown, Jane K. "Faust." In The Cambridge Companion to Goethe. 2002.Dieckmann, Liselotte. "Faust." In Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Twayne, 1974.Jung, Carl G., ed. Man and His Symbols. Dell, 1964.
Erich Segals Love Story (1970) ❤️ Book Review & Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-02-14 | A reflection on Erich Segal's Love Story, with comments on the film adaptation by Arthur Hiller, starring Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal. This is the first video of a series dedicated to one of my favorite topics: love. Happy Valentine's Day, my friends!Contents:00:00 – Intro and podcast announcement01:08 – About the book and the author02:42 – Love Story: not really a novel (genre and structure)05:29 – Plot07:08 – The film adaptation10:01 – Let's talk about love: Love at first sight, bantering, etc.13:20 – The famous quote: "Love means never having to say you're sorry"15:32 – A double story16:19 – Connections with other texts (some spoilers here)18:29 – My impressions20:28 – Bottom line
Mieko Kawakamis Heaven (2009) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-01-23 | A reflection on Mieko Kawakami's Heaven (ヘヴン, Hevun). English translation by Sam Bett and David Boyd published by Europa Editions in 2021.Contents:00:00 – Intro01:04 – About the novel02:19 – Plot03:14 – A living hell04:11 – An explanation for bullying?05:31 – The banality of evil07:51 – Main theme09:10 – Bottom line, and a movie recommendation
Italo Svevos Zenos Conscience (1923) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2025-01-11 | A reflection on Italo Svevo's Zeno's Conscience (La coscienza di Zeno). English translation by William Weaver published by Everyman's Library in 2001. Italo Svevo, a name that combines Italy and Swabia, is the pseudonym of Aron Ettore Schmitz. He was a close friend of James Joyce, and a model for the character of Leopold Bloom in Ulysses.My thoughts on James Joyce's Ulyssesyoutu.be/2Et_0Z5banAMy videos on Adolfo Bioy CasaresAuthor Spotlight: youtu.be/EtB3SCfcCCgOn Diary of the War of the Pig: youtu.be/UlOaFJyKdJMContents:00:00 – Epigraph00:15 – Greetings, thanks, and what I got for Christmas03:23 – Intro: How I discovered Zeno's Conscience04:34 – About the novel05:48 – Structure06:41 – Contents07:59 – Who is Zeno?09:45 – Humor11:53 – My impressions13:11 – Bottom line
Book Haul! 🍁 Fall 2024 Jorges Corner 2024-12-05 | Some of the books, films, and albums I have acquired in the past few months. As usual, most of these come from used bookstores, library sales, and thrift stores. Enjoy! 😃
Gérard de Nervals Aurélia (1855) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-11-14 | A reflection on Gérard de Nerval's Aurélia (Aurélia ou le rêve et la vie), an apocalyptic "memoir of madness" that inspired the surrealists and many others. English translation by Richard Sieburth published by Penguin in the volume Selected Writings in 1999.My in-depth analysis of T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land (1922):youtu.be/2gIGP1aaeacMy thoughts Marcel Schwob's Imaginary Lives (1896), another underrated French classic:youtu.be/2sYkhI514xUContents:00:00 – Intro00:56 – About Gérard de Nerval03:17 – Nerval's name and pseudonym05:05 – About Aurélia: structure, subject, influences06:21 – Part I10:24 – Part II14:00 – "Genius" and "madness"16:30 – Nerval's legacy and influence19:10 – Bottom line
Han Kangs Human Acts (2014) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-10-24 | The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2024 was awarded to Han Kang. This is a reflection on Human Acts (소년이 온다, Sonyeoni onda), a novel that revolves around the Gwangju Uprising. English translation by Deborah Smith published by Hogarth in 2016.Contents:00:00 – Intro01:06 – Nobel Prize citation and notable works by Han Kang03:16 – About Human Acts: title, genre, main theme, historical background, and why I chose it05:31 – Structure and style06:45 – Contents: chapter-by-chapter commentary14:26 – My reaction: an unfortunately universal novel16:07 – Connections with other Nobel laureates17:06 – Bottom line and further reading
Italo Calvinos If on a winters night a traveler (1979) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-08-29 | A reflection on Italo Calvino's If on a winter's night a traveler (Se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore). English translation by William Weaver published by Harcourt Brace in 1981.I mention Gaston Bachelard's The Poetics of Space. Here's my video on it:youtu.be/cp-DlDkGMAIThe first part of my 1001 Nights reading vlog:youtu.be/nN5hTu5yi60My video on Cao Xueqin's The Store of the Stone (also known as Dream of the Red Chamber):youtu.be/tIO7TD380gUMy video on Jan Potocki's The Manuscript Found in Saragossa:youtu.be/sRvC7X_r5fwContents:00:00 – Intro01:10 – Premise, characters and approach01:43 – What is the novel about?02:05 – The protagonist02:34 – Content: the novels within the novel04:32 – Genres: a literary pastiche05:14 – Samples: thoughts on books and reading08:27 – Other important characters10:17 – Mise en abîme11:19 – A rather messy novel, and some thoughts on David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas13:30 – Some thoughts on "spoilers"15:05 – Bottom line?15:49 – The most amazing, mind-blowing thing about this novel
José Saramagos All the Names (1997) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-08-22 | The Nobel Prize in Literature for 1998 was awarded to José Saramago. This is a reflection on All the Names (Todos os nomes). English translation by Maragaret Jull Costa published by Harcourt in 1999.Contents:00:00 – Intro and Nobel Prize citation00:55 – My experience with Saramago01:55 – Premise and protagonist03:11 – Solitude04:16 – The sense of a quest05:26 – Style07:16 – The narrator08:38 – Connections with other texts10:57 – My impressions12:40 – Bottom line
Nobuhiko Obayashis His Motorbike, Her Island (1986) | Film Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-08-15 | A reflection on Nobuhiko Obayashi's His Motorbike, Her Island (彼のオートバイ、彼女の島, Kare no ōtobai, kanojo no shima), which instantly became one of my favorite films ever. Vielen Dank to my friend Ralph for recommending this film! We put together a list of "100 Essential Films," and this one is included. Please see below for links. Enjoy!My 100 Essential Films video:youtu.be/0qrvA2MdL5cThe list on Letterboxd:letterboxd.com/thethirdpill/list/100-essential-films-joint-project-with-jorge2046Follow me on Letterboxd!letterboxd.com/jorge204610 Movies That Changed My Life:youtu.be/_UiLVFhEkpEMy Criterion Collection:youtu.be/XYWyQevUVy0Contents:00:00 – Intro: my previous experience with Obayashi01:16 – Context02:29 – Genre03:02 – Plot and characters05:07 – Black and white and color05:54 – Music06:32 – Acting07:32 – Apparent simplicity and name symbolism09:04 – Postmodernism10:39 – Bottom line
Luigi Pirandellos Six Characters in Search of an Author (1921) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-08-08 | The Nobel Prize in Literature for 1934 was awarded to Luigi Pirandello. This is a reflection on Six Characters in Search of an Author (Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore), his most influential play and a landmark of 20th-century theatre. English translation by Eric Bentley published by Signet in 1998. In the spirit of Pirandello, this review/analysis is presented as a discussion or plan for a review/analysis.I mention my videos on Thomas Pychon's V.:youtu.be/B93TlBxHskY (English)youtu.be/ElP37mAr8hQ (Spanish)My video on Juan Carlos Onetti's A Brief Life is also mentioned:youtu.be/ripWbF_tziMContents:00:00 – Thank you, 3K subscribers!!! ❤️😃00:29 – Intro00:57 – Context02:34 – Premise06:34 – Life and art08:38 – Pirandello's inspiration for the play (the 1925 preface)09:35 – Alienation from others10:47 – Alienation from self12:34 – Connections: a novel and a movie13:15 – Bottom line14:00 – Pirandello's Nobel Prize citation14:29 – Conclusion
V. (1963), de Thomas Pynchon | Reseña, análisis y guía de lectura Jorges Corner 2024-08-03 | Una reflexión sobre la novela V., de Thomas Pynchon. ¿Qué les parece este autor?Mil gracias a mi amigo Ralph por sugerir la conexión con Ella, de H. Rider Haggard, y con Carl Jung.Contenidos:00:00 – Mis primeros pasos con Pynchon01:14 – Contexto02:32 – Estructura: dos tramas entrelazadas 03:33 – Temas06:07 – Adentrémonos en el texto06:18 – La trama de Benny Profane y La Dotación Enferma07:31 – La trama de Herbert Stencil y "V."09:12 – Las novelas breves dentro de la novela11:37 – Un par de episodios memorables de la trama de Benny Profane12:26 – Conexiones con otros textos16:53 – V. y Don Quijote18:26 – Consejos/observaciones sobre V.21:17 – Conclusiones
Thomas Pynchons V. (1963) | Book Review, Analysis & Readers Guide Jorges Corner 2024-08-01 | A reflection on Thomas Pynchon's V.My thoughts on Felisberto Hernández's The Daisy Dolls (Las Hortensias):youtu.be/Dv7ef9dYaSoI also mention Julio Cortázar's Hopscotch, which was published the same year as V.:youtu.be/pglZv5n7BrUContents:00:00 – Epigraphs00:13 – Intro01:40 – Structure03:46 – Benny Profane, Herbert Stencil, and "V."05:42 – Themes10:10 – The Whole Sick Crew/Benny Profane thread11:47 – The Herbert Stencil/"V." thread13:29 – The novellas within the novel16:41 – Connections with other texts and authors19:33 – The Don Quixote connection21:14 – Recommendations/observations to the reader of V.22:48 – Bottom lineWorks CitedChambers, Judith. Thomas Pynchon. New York: Twayne, 1992.Graves, Robert. The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth. 1948Mendelson, Edward. "The Sacred, the Profane, and The Crying of Lot 49" (1975). In Bloom's Modern Critical Views: Thomas Pynchon. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2003.
Ardiente paciencia [El cartero de Neruda] (1985), de Antonio Skármeta | Reseña y análisis Jorges Corner 2024-07-25 | Una reflexión sobre Ardiente paciencia (también conocida como El cartero de Neruda), de Antonio Skármeta, con comentarios sobre la película de Michael Radford (1994).Contenidos:00:00 – Introducción01:04 – Sobre Ardiente paciencia02:25 – Trama y personajes03:15 – Historia y literatura04:58 – Sobre los personajes y el sentido del humor05:34 – Género y subgéneros06:57 – ¿Una novela breve?08:30 – Estilo11:59 – Sobre la adaptación cinematográfica de Michael Radford (1994)15:26 – Mis impresiones generales15:58 – El libro como objeto17:07 – Conclusiones
António Lobo Antunes The Land at the End of the World (1979) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-07-22 | A reflection on António Lobo Antunes' The Land at the End of the World (Os Cus de Judas). English translation by Margaret Jull Costa published by Norton in 2011. Many thanks to my friend Henrique for recommending this great novel! 😃Contents:00:00 – Intro 00:37 – About the novel01:44 – Connections with other authors03:19 – Premise04:27 – Mood: abjection06:28 – A couple of quotes08:30 – Why is the novel presented as a monologue? 09:31 – Main theme10:06 – A curiosity about the chapters11:29 – Bottom line and thoughts on the translationWork CitedKristeva, Julia. Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection. 1980.
Jorge Luis Borges A Universal History of Iniquity (1935) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-07-18 | A reflection on Jorge Luis Borges' A Universal History of Iniquity, also known as A Universal History of Infamy (Historia universal de la infamia). English translation by Andrew Hurley published by Penguin in 1998 in the volume titled Collected Fictions. It was also published as a separate volume in 2004. This is Episode 2 of the podcast The Borges Connection.The Borges Connection, Episode 1: Borges' Best Poemsyoutu.be/QoJUzoWF8cYMy thoughts on Marcel Schwob's Imaginary Lives:youtu.be/2sYkhI514xUMy reading of "The Story of the Two Dreamers," from the 1,001 Nights:youtu.be/TIogmnkjGmIContents:00:00 – Intro01:08 – Borges' prefaces to the book, and its influences and sources03:52 – Structure04:46 – "A Universal History of Iniquity"10:09 – "Man on Pink Corner"13:30 – "Etcetera"16:30 – Genre17:58 – Borges on A Universal History of Iniquity19:49 – Bottom line
Marcel Schwobs Imaginary Lives (1896) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-07-15 | A reflection on Marcel Schwob's Imaginary Lives (Vies imaginaires), a fantastic work in its own right that also happened to inspire Borges' A Universal History of Iniquity (Historia universal de la infamia) and many other authors. English translation by Chris Clarke published by Wakefield Press in 2018. Spanish translation by Antonio Álvarez de la Rosa published by Alianza Editorial in 2017.Contents:00:00 – Epigraph00:11 – Intro, and the Borges connection02:56 – About the author04:01 – About the book05:12 – Schwob's preface: a poetics of biography and history06:46 – Characters08:17 – Highlights from the book10:37 – The translations: from French to English and Spanish13:53 – A random quote15:08 – Bottom line
Pedro Calderón de la Barcas Life Is a Dream (1636) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-07-11 | A reflection on Pedro Calderón de la Barca's Life Is a Dream (La vida es sueño), a masterpiece of the Golden Age of Spanish theatre. English translation by Gregary Racz published by Penguin in 2006.My thoughts on The Song of the Cid (Cantar de mio Cid):youtu.be/Tid4PetGFFEContents:00:00 – Intro00:54 – About the author01:52 – About the play: publication, structure, meter, rhyme02:49 – Plot and characters04:29 – General themes06:59 – Reality vs. fantasy08:04 – Memory10:11 – The English translation12:40 – A couple of quotes15:03 – Bottom line, and Percy Bysshe Shelley on Calderón
Juan Rulfos Pedro Páramo (1955) | Book & Film Review Jorges Corner 2024-07-04 | A reflection on Juan Rulfo's Pedro Páramo and its adaptation to film (Carlos Velo, 1967). My analysis of the text is based on the new translation by Douglas J. Weatherford, published by Grove Press in 2023.Contents:00:00 – Intro01:14 – Quick overview of the story and characters02:24 – Name symbolism04:00 – Structure05:34 – Pedro Páramo as a novella07:37 – Pedro Páramo as a dictator story10:57 – Rereading Pedro Páramo12:50 – The new translation15:53 – The film adaptation15:59 – A couple of challenges and an advantage16:52 – About the film (release, director, screenwriter, etc.)17:21 – The film's epigraph18:19 – Mood and setting19:06 –Acting20:09 – A connection with Hitchcock's Psycho20:40 – Differences between the film and the novella23:53 – Bottom line, and the Borges connection
Book Haul: Summer 2024 Jorges Corner 2024-06-26 | Thank you, thank you, thank you for 3 years of Jorge's Corner, my friends!!! 😃 To celebrate, I went on a little road trip and visited two bookstores... and then decided to visit a third one. Books, films, albums, and other random stuff. Have a wonderful summer!Music: "Happy Rock," by Top-Flowpixabay.com/music/indie-pop-happy-rock-165132I promised to talk about Juan Rulfo. Here's my video on Pedro Páramo:youtu.be/2_Kh2qewKn8I mention my friend Marianne's video on Howl's Moving Castle, the novel and the movie. Check it out @marianneguevara8279 !youtube.com/watch?v=4U5MqEN6-_k&t=44sAuthors mentioned: Octavio Paz, Juan Rulfo, Di Giovanni et al. [eds.], The Who, Sam Fell & Rob Stevenhagen, Osip Mandelstam, Joaquín Marco [ed.], Cheap Trick, The Clash, Virginia Woolf, Gabriel García Márquez, Karin Boye, E. M. Forster, Thomas C. Foster, Philippe Soupault, Jean Baudrillard, Al Stewart, Michaël Dudok de Wit, Carlos Velo, Rafael Baledón, Marc Lawrence, Alan J. Pakula, Richard Kelly, Andrew Niccol, Phillip Noyce, Steven Spielberg, Miguel de Cervantes, Mario Vargas Llosa, Antonio Skármeta, Swami Prabhavananda & Frederick Manchester, Erich Segal, Madeleine L’Engle, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jon Fosse, Aerosmith, Bryan Adams, Blondie, Madonna, Danny DeVito, Ron Clements & John Musker, Derek Walcott, Charles Bukowski, Ray Bradbury, Joe Dante, Marc Webb, Bernardo Bertolucci, Marc Forster, J. A. Bayona, Michael Bay, Terrence Malick, Diana Wynne Jones, Junichiro Tanizaki, Susan Sontag, André Breton, Kazuo Ishiguro, Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, Rabindranath Tagore, Sigrid Undset, William Butler Yeats, Jorge Luis Borges.
Juan Carlos Onettis A Brief Life (1950) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-06-23 | A reflection on Juan Carlos Onetti's A Brief Life (La vida breve), considered by many to be his most important novel. English translation by Hortense Carpentier published by Grossman in 1976. When sampling the English version, I consulted the edition published by Serpent's Tail in 1993.An overview of Onetti's works:youtu.be/wH9G1z6OrbUMy thoughts on Onetti's short stories (with a "Top 5"):youtu.be/uQB24-RQ5F8An analysis of Onetti's short story "Un sueño realizado" (in Spanish):youtu.be/FuZhqmQF12sContents:00:00 – Epigraph00:20 – Intro01:11 – About the novel02:23 – Why is A Brief Life so important?03:25 – Plot05:21 – Multiple narrative levels06:56 – Style09:40 – Potential issues11:40 – Bottom line, and Mario Vargas Llosa on A Brief LifeWorks Cited:Millington, Mark. "No Woman's Land: The Representation of Woman in Onetti." Modern Language Notes 102 (March, 1987): 358-377.Vargas Llosa, Mario. El viaje a la ficción: el mundo de Juan Carlos Onetti. 2008.
Sei Shonagons The Pillow Book (1002) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-06-20 | A reflection on Sei Shonagon's The Pillow Book (枕草子, makura no soshi). English translation by Meredith McKinney published by Penguin in 2006.On keeping a journal (I promised to talk about The Pillow Book here):youtu.be/VSxqt0GIvXcMy thoughts on Tales of Ise:youtu.be/X1ghYk3XFaMWant more on Japanese literature written by women?The Stories of Ichiyo Higuchi: youtu.be/IeJVBsTKk1wFumiko Hayashi's Floating Clouds: youtu.be/V92iZgCOeGwYuko Tsushima's Woman Running in the Mountains: youtu.be/9REPTLCq4ZUAnd a few other classics:Junichiro Tanizaki's The Makioka Sisters: youtu.be/SwLAGxGdA4cNatsume Soseki's I Am a Cat: youtu.be/U8zEH9UgYPoYasunari Kawabata's The Old Capital: youtu.be/gm_D3QVUEQcYukio Mishima's Short Stories: youtu.be/YZL2vdB2iXQMichio Takeyama's Harp of Burma: youtu.be/3J2Fw2ARFqgKatsuhiro Otomo's Akira: youtu.be/rXUsQ7B_Ta4Contents:00:00 – Epigraph00:20 – Three classics of Heian literature01:19 – Sei Shonagon and the origin and purpose of The Pillow Book02:21 – Title02:39 – Content03:16 – The Pillow Book and social media03:52 – Some themes and a few quotations05:12 – Sei Shonagon's persona05:35 – Writing for oneself06:20 – Conclusion and a piece of advice
Karin Boyes Kallocain (1940): An Underrated Dystopian Novel | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-06-17 | A reflection on Karin Boye's Kallocain, an underrated dystopian novel. English translation by David McDuff published by Penguin in 2019.I mention T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land, which Boye translated into Swedish. Here's my in-depth analysis of that great poem:youtu.be/2gIGP1aaeacContents:00:00 – Intro01:11 – About the author03:01 – About the novel04:31 – The protagonist/narrator and other characters06:00 – Plot07:30 – The end of privacy08:44 – The destruction of the individual10:55 – The role of women (cf. Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale)11:40 – The purpose of the family12:20 – Conditioning and propaganda12:37 – Style13:47 – Comparison with Brave New World, 1984, and We15:18 – Further reading: a recommendation16:39 – Bottom line
The Works of Adolfo Bioy Casares: Novels, Novellas and Short Stories | Author Spotlight Jorges Corner 2024-06-13 | A journey through the works of Adolfo Bioy Casares. I went by chronological order, focusing on the works of fiction he wrote as a single author. What's your favorite Bioy Casares book?Can't get enough of Bioy? Here is my video on Diary of the War of the Pig (Diario de la guerra del cerdo):youtu.be/UlOaFJyKdJMContents:[I have provided between parentheses the titles for those books that are available in English translation. An asterisk (*) indicates the collection of short stories is represented in Selected Stories (New Directions, 1994).]00:00 – Introduction01:47 – La invención de Morel (The Invention of Morel)02:57 – Plan de evasión (A Plan for Escape)03:56 – La trama celeste (The Celestial Plot)05:01 – El sueño de los héroes (The Dream of Heroes)06:14 – Historia prodigiosa07:17 – Guirnalda con amores *08:51 – El lado de la sombra10:09 – El gran serafín *12:00 – La otra aventura13:06 – Diario de la guerra del cerdo (Diary of the War of the Pig)14:00 – Historias fantásticas14:51 – Dormir al sol (Asleep in the Sun)16:13 – El héroe de las mujeres *17:35 – La aventura de un fotógrafo en La Plata (The Adventure of a Photographer in La Plata)18:54 – Historias desaforadas *20:14 – Una muñeca rusa (A Russian Doll and Other Stories)21:40 – Un campeón desparejo22:41 – Una magia modesta23:54 – De un mundo a otro24:50 – ¿?25:18 – Conclusion
Michio Takeyamas Harp of Burma (1946) & Kon Ichikawas The Burmese Harp (1956) | Book & Film Review Jorges Corner 2024-06-06 | A reflection on Michio Takeyama's Harp of Burma (ビルマの竪琴, Biruma no tategoto) and its adaptation to film (Kon Ichikawa, 1956). I also comment on Noboru Ishiguro's anime adaptation (1986) for the Animated Classic of Japanese Literature series. Ichikawa remade his film in color in 1985; unfortunately, I have not been able to watch it yet. English translation of Takeyama's novel by Howard Hibbett published by Tuttle in 1966. Ichikawa's film was released by the Criterion Collection (spine #379) in 2007. Ishiguro's anime film was released by Central Park Media in 1994. This video is part of the podcast "From the Page to the Screen," which focuses on cinematic adaptations of literary works. Kon Ichikawa's film is on the Vatican's list of great films, under the "values" category.Contents:00:00 – Intro01:15 – About the author02:20 – About the novel: publication, structure, style03:30 – Plot and characters06:51 – Themes08:22 – A couple of quotes09:59 – Conclusions about the novel10:35 – Kon Ichikawa's film14:24 – Noboru Ishiguro's anime film17:16 – Bottom line
The Works of Juan Carlos Onetti: Novels, Novellas, and Short Stories | Author Spotlight Jorges Corner 2024-06-03 | A journey through the works of Juan Carlos Onetti. I went by chronological order. What's your favorite Onetti book?Can't get enough of Onetti? Here is my video on his short stories:youtu.be/uQB24-RQ5F8And a video I did in Spanish on his short story "Un sueño realizado" ("A Dream Come True"):youtu.be/FuZhqmQF12sI also mention Ernesto Sabato's The Tunnel (El túnel):youtu.be/GZebWojSk_kJean-Paul Sartre's Nausea (La Nausée):youtu.be/9rDXNU9LzkcAnd Camilo José Cela's The Hive (La colmena):youtu.be/-4RwkMsy7YYContents:[I have provided between parentheses the titles for those books that are available in English translation.]00:00 – Introduction01:16 – El pozo (The Pit)02:48 – Tierra de nadie (No Man's Land)03:50 – Para esta noche (Tonight)05:05 – La vida breve (A Brief Life) [video coming up!]06:20 – Los adioses (Goodbyes/Farewells)07:42 – Para una tumba sin nombre (A Grave with No Name)08:31 – El astillero (The Shipyard) [video coming up!]10:11 – Juntacadáveres (Body Snatcher)11:16 – Dejemos hablar al viento (Let the Wind Speak)12:21 – Cuando entonces13:21 – Cuando ya no importe (Past Caring)14:15 – Cuentos completos (A Dream Come True: The Collected Stories)15:43 – Mario Vargas Llosa's book on Onetti: El viaje a la ficción17:01 – ConclusionA couple of errors, because to err is human:* Camilo José Cela's The Hive (La colmena) was not published in 1949, but in 1951.* The events of Juntacadáveres take place before (not after) those of Para una tumba sin nombre. After all these years, the similarity between the words "after" and "antes" ("before" in Spanish) still gets me.
Top 10 Jorge Luis Borges Poems | Introducing The Borges Connection! Jorges Corner 2024-05-30 | Welcome to The Borges Connection, a podcast dedicated to all things Jorge Luis Borges! In episode #1, we look at Borges' best poems. All of the poems selected are available in English translation. Looking for a place to start with Borges' poetry? I recommend Selected Poems, a bilingual book edited by Alexander Coleman, with translations by W. S. Merwin, John Updike, Alastair Reid, Mark Strand, Robert Fitzgerald, and others, and published by Penguin in 1999. For Borges' own personal selection in Spanish, please see Antología poética 1923-1977, published by Alianza in 1981. What's your favorite Borges poem?The picture in the thumbnail shows Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires.Contents:00:00 – Introducing The Borges Connection00:34 – Top 10 Borges poems: criteria02:10 – #103:02 – #204:36 – #305:48 – #406:56 – #508:09 – #6 (Borges' personal favorite!)09:26 – #710:07 – #811:27 – #912:30 – #1013:56 – Conclusions, and a question for you
Dar la cara (José Martínez Suárez, 1962) | Análisis Jorges Corner 2024-05-26 | Análisis de la película argentina Dar la cara (José Martínez Suárez, 1962), con Leonardo Favio, Luis Medina Castro, Pablo Moret, Nuria Torray, Ubaldo Martínez y Lautaro Murúa. Se recomienda ver la película primero.Contenidos:00:20 – El cine argentino de los 6001:33 – La obra de José Martínez Suárez02:53 – Conexiones con otras películas04:46 – Dar la cara: información general05:47 – La novela de David Viñas08:22 – Personajes08:35 – Análisis de algunas tomas y escenas08:46 – La calle09:17 – El cuartel09:49 – Beto10:11 – Mariano11:38 – Bernardo12:42 – Una toma difícil y un cineasta generoso13:31 – Montaje13:59 – Ángulos y profundidad14:31 – La violencia sugerida15:13 – Cine comercial y cine comprometido16:11 – Los tres finales18:43 – Conclusión
Adolfo Bioy Casares Diary of the War of the Pig (1969) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-05-23 | A reflection on Adolfo Bioy Casares' Diary of the War of the Pig (Diario de la guerra del cerdo). English translation by Gregory Woodruff and Donald A. Yates published by McGraw-Hill in 1972.Contents:00:00 – Intro01:28 – My experience with Adolfo Bioy Casares03:25 – About Diary of the War of the Pig04:57 – Characters05:59 – Genre08:11 – Style and structure09:17 – Plot10:44 – Symbolism and allegory13:45 – Depiction of the elderly15:52 – Depiction of youth17:47 – Humor, and some thoughts on the translation21:20 – The ending22:36 – The film adaptation (Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, 1975)24:52 – Bottom line
Buddhist Meditation: Classic Teachings from Tibet | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-05-20 | A reflection on Buddhist Meditation: Classic Teachings from Tibet. English translation by Kurtis R. Schaeffer published by Penguin in 2024.Contents:00:00 – Intro00:59 – Structure02:01 – Approach03:19 – Level04:03 – Sources05:19 – Overview of the content and topics15:37 – Bottom line
Gabriel García Márquezs The Autumn of the Patriarch (1975) | Book Review and Analysis Jorges Corner 2024-05-16 | The Nobel Prize in Literature for 1982 was awarded to Gabriel García Márquez. This is a reflection on The Autumn of the Patriarch (El otoño del patriarca), which took 17 years to write and was finished in Barcelona in 1975 as Francisco Franco lay dying. English translation by Gregory Rabassa published by Harper & Row in 1976.My thoughts on Miguel Angel Asturias' Mr. President (El Señor Presidente):youtu.be/Yl8uZWJuHxMMy thoughts on Carlos Fuentes' The Death of Artemio Cruz (La muerte de Artemio Cruz):youtu.be/rO7affMhCbYMy thoughts on J. M. Coetzee's Waiting for the Barbarians:youtu.be/QAQnBTM_aVUContents:00:00 – Intro00:58 – Context02:47 – "Story" and structure04:17 – Style and mode06:38 – Themes07:55 – Content10:14 – Violence and pathos12:17 – Psychology (comparison with Asturias' El Señor Presidente)14:01 – Power, and a quote from Erich Fromm16:42 – A note on dictator novels19:49 – Connection with another Latin American novel21:18 – Bottom lineWorks cited:Bazin & Seymour, eds. Conversations with Nadine Gordimer. Fromm, Erich. Escape from Freedom.García Márquez, Gabriel. El olor de la guayaba.
