I watched the movie, Il Postino, a few days ago. Curious about the movie's inspiration, I read Burning Patience and found myself intrigued by the several departures from the movie. Of course, the book is fuller and more complete, as the politics of the Allende years and the beliefs of Pablo Neruda take an equal footing with Neruda's wonderful poetry. The dignity of the simple person in the face of uncontrollable events is an inspiration.

I highly recommend the book!

Me puedo imaginar esta islita en el Adriático y sus habitantes que tantas horas de placer de lectura me han proporcionado. Es un libro muy bonito del autor de "El cartero de Neruda" que está a la misma altura. Los personajes son muy variados, el lugar donde tiene lugar la historia es mágico y la trama sobre inmigrantes europeos que al final llegan a Chile también me captó el interés. Lo recomiendo con todo mi corazón.

You can read the other reviews for comments about the book, but I feel compelled to correct everyone's misstatement about Neruda living on an "island." I have been to Isla Negra and to Neruda's home turned museum there, and it is a costal town in Chile, not an island (despite the name!) Neruda was a Chilean poet who appealed to the "common person," making the story entirely believable.

My first reaction on opening this book was one of surprise: the book, unlike the movie, is completely Chilean, with no Italian connection whatsoever. As such, the book, in my view, fits better into its context than the movie did.

This is the story of one Mario, who becomes a postman once Isla Negra, an island off the coast of Chile, gets a literate resident, Pablo Neruda. Mario is an admirer of Neruda's works, and is determined to form a personal bond with the poet, with a veiw to getting a coveted autograph. When Mario falls in love with the local beauty Beatriz, however, his bond with Neruda becomes much more than that of an autograph-seeker: the poet recognises a fellow dreamer in Mario, and helps him in his quest of love.

The story is presented in a ceremonial language sometimes verging on the pompous, as in "He was bathed in the light of the incommensurable moon and felt certain, as he stroked her neck, that he knew about infinity." Skármeta's choice of words only adds to the charm of the novella, though. As the author shows in his prologue to "The Postman", he does not take his own verbosity seriously, using it, rather, to add an ironic touch to an otherwise idyllic tale.

I don't much like the poetry of Pablo Neruda. I loathe communists in general. And I think General Pinochet did the right thing when he overthrew Salvador Allende. But somehow, I love this story of a young postman on Isla Negra, Chile and the relationship that he develops with his sole customer, the great communist poet Neruda.

Mario Jimenez has no desire to follow in the footsteps of his father and most of the other men of the island and become a fisherman. So he leaps at the chance to take over a postal route that requires only that he deliver the voluminous correspondence that comes for the island's most famous resident. Timidly at first and then more insistently, Mario calls upon Neruda to teach him about poetry and language. Then, after meeting a luminous young bar maid named Beatrice, he demands that Neruda help him to woo her. Eventually Mario wins her love, in large part through his own poetical devices, including an amusing string of metaphors.

When Salvador Allende assumes the Chilean presidency, Neruda is sent to France as ambassador and Mario becomes sort of a surrogate set of eyes and ears for the poet, sending him observations and recordings of daily life. Initially, life is good in the new Chile, but things gradually deteriorate in an onslaught of shortages, work stoppages and violence. Neruda, who in the intervening years has won the Nobel Prize for Literature, returns home to the island to die and Mario is whisked away "for questioning."

Despite the down beat ending, this short novel is filled with memorable, if overly idealized, characters, for whom the author clearly has great affection, and scenes of thrilling erotic passion and it is animated by a sense of the beauty of language and poetry. I recommend both the book and the Oscar winning movie adaptation of several years ago.

GRADE: A

Arriving a few days after the brutal coup of September 11, 1973 which claimed the life of democratically-elected Marxist-communist Salvador Allende (along with nearly 25% of the Chilean population within the first year of the takeover), 14-year old Lucho and his family relocate to West Berlin where he must adapt to a new culture and language.

Along the way, he manages to go through the adolescent pangs of girlfriends, fights, soccer (the title refers to the words Lucho yells at incoming forwards after quelling would-be attacks from his defensive position) and friends.

Written through the eyes of a 14-year old, the story is replete with german misspellings and teenage "chileanismos." No Paso Nada demonstrates how adaptation to a new culture doesn't necessarily require forsaking mother-country roots. Thoroughly entertaining and politically astute.

¡Bravo! to Antonio Skarmeta, the J.D. Salinger of Chile and his great work on "No pasó nada." It's a story of a family forcefully exiled to West Berlin from their native Chile in the 70's after the coup d'état of the military on Sept. 11, 1973 forces Allende to leave. Read about the struggles this chilean family goes through and the difficulty for the parents to adapt to the customs and language of Germany. Follow Lucho through his adventures of first loves, first fights, best friends and growing up in a new place and most of all, drowning his sorrows, happiness, pain in a game of soccer with his ethnically diverse friends!

I loved this book very much because it brought back memories of reading the renowned book by Salinger. It made me want to dig out my copy of Catcher in the Rye and read it all over again. Hail to all youth who struggle through adolescence!!!

Arriving a few days after the brutal coup of September 11, 1973 which claimed the life of democratically-elected Marxist-communist Salvador Allende (along with nearly 25% of the Chilean population within the first year of the takeover), 14-year old Lucho and his family relocate in West Berlin where he must adapt to a new culture and language.

The story takes us through an entire year during the formative stages of his adolescence. Along the way, he manages to go through teenage angst of girlfriends, fights, soccer (the title refers to the words Lucho yells at incoming forwards after quelling would-be attacks from his defensive position) and friends. He finally "wins" his first German friend in a very peculiar and symbolic manner.

Written through the eyes of a 14-year old, the story is replete with german misspellings and teenage "chileanismos." No Paso Nada demonstrates how adaptation to a new culture doesn't require forsaking mother-country roots. Thoroughly entertaining and politically astute.

Skarmeta has grown into an excellent author; unfortunately this stories precede his maturity as a writer. They are solid short stories but of the same quality as many solid writers. Put another way, chose any book from a well-edited imprint and you'll get stories of similar value.

Many of these stories read as if they were autobiographical - a Chilean college student or world vagabond about the author's age etc. This allows the author to skip creating individual, realistic characters. The one exception to this is the title story.

The writing has excellent detail, often with a poet's eye. Unlike his later work, however, there is frequently too much detail; it smothers the characters and their actions.

My favorites in this collection are: "The Composition" the story of a young boy's political awakening; "Watch Where the Wolf Is Going" a conquistador's story of theft and "Fish" a sad, comic story of an elderly couple's attempt to retain their dignity while living in their son's house.

If you are already a Skarmeta fan, this book gives perspective on his grown as an artist. If you've not yet read any Skarmeta, start with a more recent volume.