Gabriel García Márquez: One Hundred Years of Solitude

[oldboy]

Just started this 50odd pages>>havent really got a clue what's going on
It's not the most fun book I've ever begun. Evryone seems to have the same name

Thinking about packing it in>>or shall i persevere

 

[Yobmod]

Definately persevere
It's not the easiest of books, and the repetative names are annoying, but the cumulative effect of all the chapters is brilliant. When you finally finish it'sa like waking up from a dream that made sense while you were dreaming it

 

[Wabbit]

Yes, keep going! It's worth it! It's a very difficult book to read but it's well worth the effort

 

[Ashlea]

Just remember to frequently consult the family tree in the front. But yes, a very worthwhile endeavour.

 

[RaVeN]

That's one of the hardbacks that I plan on treating myself to this week. (happy b-day to me)


Do you all realize how bloody expensive it is to track down some of the recommendations I've seen around here in hardback? If they would just re-release some of them I'd save a flippin mint.

RaVeN

 

[novella]

I think Marquez isn't difficult, but perhaps read differently from some other types of books. I give myself over to him, rather than fight the text or overanalyze. His work is something that you can submerge yourself in, as opposed to someone like Arthur Conan Doyle (just picked randomly), who I as a reader remain outside of, looking in.

 

[RaVeN]

That's cool. Some times I like both apples AND oranges to go along with my nuts.


RaVeN

 

[Ou Be Low hoo]

Some times I like both apples AND oranges to go along with my nuts.

UGH! That's both weird AND sick! Who wants to know what you do with your nuts!?!?

oldboy...My advice to you comes via the words of another:

If you have (or don't have) a desire to read it, then read it (or don't read it) without (or with) feeling pressured (or not pressured) by someone elses opinion.

If you want me to be brutally honest...I shall pose a question to be pondered...If you are not enjoying a book, is there any reason to continue reading it? To add a further qualification to this question...There is only a reason to this question when you consider ego...If a book is deemed 'worthy', do you want to read it mainly so you can say you've read it to your friends? A lot of people here would seem to answer yes to that...

 

[Maya]

UGH! If you are not enjoying a book, is there any reason to continue reading it?

The reason I keep on reading a book, is because I believe that the book might actually get better.

 

[oldboy]

The reason I keep on reading a book, is because I believe that the book might actually get better.

same as that
tend to give it 100 pages or so
if im not in it by then its over

solitude seems to developing into one of those books where im never gonna realy get it but im quite happy to just keep reading

glad i dont have to study it tho

 

[Ell]

The reason I keep on reading a book, is because I believe that the book might actually get better.

My feelings, exactly.

However, if I keep falling asleep mid-sentence - even in daytime - I know it's time to give it up!

ell

 

[WoundedThorns]

sparknotes never fails =P even if i'm not reading a book for school, i may still skim through sparknotes if i was confused with something

 

[nomadic myth]

I finished this book last week, and it was the most beautiful book I have ever read. True, sometimes it kind of lulled me into not paying attention, and I would make it a few pages before I snapped back from day dreaming, but still. It was like reading a painting. It was colorful, and the prose, if not the story itself, was stunning. But the story was stunning. And the characters were stunning. There were so many clever little gems of truth buried throughout the text. So many funny happenings of fate. So many absurdly funny situations. So many levels. I felt I hadn't even started it when I finished it.

 

[Samerron]

Interesting to hear that. I also heard a good recommendation from a friend of mine and for that reason it's in my TBR list, plus with this recommendation it's going to be read in this month .

 

[blueboatdriver]

I finished this one a month or so ago. Totally agree with you. I felt like I was being told an old family story handed down by generations. Needs to be read at least once more though.

 

[xBasx]

I've heard about it from Oprah's bookclub. it's on my list also. =)

 

[jaybe]

I read it a few years ago, I failed to be stunned. I can only remember it rained a lot and something about someone turning into an angel.

'Love in the time of Cholera' was more memorable - but 'A Hundred Years' was fractionally less boring.

 

[Choc]

I just looked it up. Seems as though it was very famous for winning the Nobel prize for literature.
It looks like a good read. I've just added it to my 'to buy' list...

Thanks for the tip nomadic

 

[nomadic myth]

I read it a few years ago, I failed to be stunned.

I would almost agree with you. When describing the book to my friend, I had to say something like "It's not really a good book, but I couldn't stop reading it, and it's just so beautiful." I'm not completely sure why it hit me so hard, but it did.

I'm going to read it again sometime in the not too distant future, because as I said in my first post I felt I hadn't even started it when I finished it.

I think the reason I like it is because it is just art and genius. Why do I like art and genius? That's a little too difficult to explain, I suppose.

I heard it was one of Clinton's favorite books, if that means anything.

 

[curiouswonder]

I would almost agree with you. When describing the book to my friend, I had to say something like "It's not really a good book, but I couldn't stop reading it, and it's just so beautiful." I'm not completely sure why it hit me so hard, but it did.
I think the reason I like it is because it is just art and genius. Why do I like art and genius? That's a little too difficult to explain, I suppose.

I had some the same reactions. The language was beautiful and he seemed to be caught up in his characters. The portrait of each seemed very carefully done. It was as if GGM knew who the character had to be and took great pains to make them "right". That also might be why it felt slow in places because he worked so hard to establish the people in this family and in their world. This led to extra conversations and scenes that didn't always feel necessary, but made sense from this persepctive.
I really liked this book and would highly recommend it.