Bennedetti es un autor que nos tiene acostumbrados a lo cotidiano, a lo urbano, al sentir de seres normales ante situaciones que se le dan a cualquiera. Su poesia, a diferencia de lo tradicional, es abierta, amplia, sutil en su forma de hacer llegar el mensaje, pero sin tabues ni complicaciones. Este libro viene en dos ediciones, una de ellas incluye un disco compacto con todas las poesias leidas por el autor mismo. En todo caso, es la mejor recoleccion de poesia de Bennedetti. Disfrutela

This is a wonderful selection of Benedetti love poems made by the author. Very enjoyable even to those for whom poetry is not a favorite genre, as the language is easy, most poems short, and we can all relate with the feelings described. A good start to get acquainted with the wonderful work of this man... the book also makes a great gift to give a girlfriend.

No itroduction is necesary when we are talking about Mario Benedetti. His capacity to comunicate with the reader, the simplicity, and the humanity of his works is what makes him famous all through latin america. "My estrategy is deeper and more simple My estrategy is that same day I don't know how or with what pretext you finally need me" Benedetti. Beautiful indeed

I have read this book twice in my early childhood in Switzerland. Lieven's adventures fascinated me and his skill for cooking turned me almost a chef. Thirty years later, ..., I'm working on a study, how the combination of cooking, food, family can have a crucial function in our society of today.
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I read this book a few years ago in Swedish ("Inte bara kaviar") or "not only caviar". Here, we follow Thomas Lieven, a banker, around Eurpe during WWII. He constantly gets dragged into a war he finds ridiculous. All sides keep recruiting him against his will and he gets into hilarious and dangerous situations all the time.

Often, to get out of tight places, he cooks the most extraordinary meals and the recipes are given to the reader in detail. The onion soup is remarkable, I can guarantee you.

This is one of my favorite books with an enormous amount of humour, lots of action and numerous detailed recipes in one.

Our hero Thomas Liven is intelligent and easy to admire. In fact the entire book keeps you happy for a long time.

I have tried some time now to buy my own copy, either in Swedish or in English but to no avail. Anyone knows where to get a copy?

This is an eccentric, outstanding novel, an excellent mixture of comedy and tragedy, full of humor and wit, written by a German writer. One of the book I love best. I read it many years ago and I read it again now.

The story is mainly in World War II. Thomas Lieven is a young German banker. Intelligence agencies of several countries trap him and force him to work for them. Thomas obeys them superficially, but at heart he never does. He brilliantly makes a fool out of them. He is an indomitable pacifist, but not a theoretical, fanatic idealist. I particularly love his practical attitude; he racks his brain and even risks his own life to save people from bloodshed regardless their nationalities. That's very brave and nice of him. I love him so much!

What makes this story outstandingly eccentric is that Thomas loves cooking. He cooks many times to make friends, to dazzle enemies, to find a good idea and so on. Even the detailed recipes are inserted in the novel. That's so funny! Oh, who says Germans have no sense of humor?

The title "Es muss nicht immer Kaviar sein" means "It need not always be caviar". Not smooth but meaningful. In Japan, the title is "Shiroi Kokuseki no Supai", that means "The Spy of White Nationality". I don't know the English title.

It's hard to believe that it's been almost 10 years since this book was written and it Changed my life then and re-reading along with the Bible drives me closer and closer to Jesus. I find it interesting that on the tenth anniversary of this book, Christian America has repented of many of the malodious deeds described in this book while becoming worse off in other areas. I am finding it interesting that America is heading back into the same political (Regan/Bush) and spiritual (confessions of shortcomings of popular televangelists) climate as in 1991. I feel like it's time again to re-read this book again and use the author's revelations and the Scriptures and fall on our knees and repent for the Corporate Church, War-Games, and Charismatic pep rallies we called Christianity instead of the local church Great Commission center the Church was commanded by Jesus to be.

As a charismatic this is a book you're tempted to buy by the case for distribution to fellow charismatic Christians. The accuracy of the book was almost eerie beginning with examples of "malministry" that played out before my eyes. In the congregation I was in we actually had a Jewish-convert paraded before the congregation and thrown into the spotlight well before they were able to handle it resulting in the inevitable disillionment and disappearance. Murillo writes about these incidents and a similar one--gay converts being shown off as trophies--that again, is eerie. At the same time the book doesn't throw "the baby out with the bath water." He merely presents the abuses of "name it and claim it" and the woeful teaching that nothing bad will happen to you if your confessions are correct and your faith is high. For anyone who has had the charismatic experience and definitely for those who have recently had it, this is the second book you want to read after your Bible.

Fresh Fire is an explosive review of the Charasmatic Church in America in the 90's. Mr. Murillo skillfully reveals the 80's "wierdness" and how it has entered the Church. He explains our preoccupation with material things, empires, and public opinion. Many have employed "hyperfaith formulas", "quick fix snake oil", and "hollow entertainment" which tickle the uncommitted ears of most christians. Speakers are selling to naive listeners the error that they can have it all for nothing (but an offering to the speaker). There is a systematic unveiling of the false motives of leaders who are trapped in a maze of theological lies and misconceptions. As each lie is unmasked, an earnest plea is made to return to our Lord Jesus Christ and ask Him for a fresh holy fire to burn away the chaff of the past and lead us to a new revival. Much attention is given to bringing salvation and restoration to "Generation X". There is an urgent call going to the modern Charasmatic Church to repent or get out of the way. The message of this book is sure to set you ablaze with renewed committment to give your all to the Lord.

Es una novela exlente, de esas que le encantan a Benedetti y le salen tan bien. Tiene elementos de critica social pero tambien de amor, de ruitna y de desesperanza. Creo que ese es el gran logro de Benedetti lograr manejar la vida rutinara de los hombres y lograr contar una historia a partir de ahi. Muy recomendable.

Gracias por el Fuego es una obra narrativa que nos presenta una forma de retrato del Uruguay de después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. La obra está casi en su totalidad escrita en primera persona; de forma que el protagonista, Ramón Budiño, quien es dueño de su propia agencia de viajes, va relatando todo lo que siente, ve, escucha y piensa, durante el tiempo relatado. Mario Benedetti logra, de esta manera, censurar fuertemente el ambiente socio político del Uruguay, y en particular la posición y actividades de su padre en la época. Ramón Budiño retrata con palabras las acciones, sentimientos, frustraciones, y decepciones de cada uno de los personajes que forman parte del drama y la sociedad; donde él, al final, concluye que la solución final es matar a su padre.

Su lectura es amena, como casi toda las obras de Benedetti; cargada de sentimientos de autocensura, de encuentros sexuales muy descriptivos y, del recuento de frustraciones personales. Y, sobre todo, de aquella capacidad de hacerle sentir al lector de que está inmerso en la obra.

Este es sin duda uno de los titulos mas aclamados en los ambitos subterraneos. Con su natural narrativa, Mario Benedetti, nos transporta a un escenario donde el conflicto generacional, llega a su colapso mas profundo, con lo cual el autor pone de manifiesto la situacion que se dio en la politica en los años 70, en la que fue muy comun que los dirigentes populares fueran asesinados por sus mismos camaradas al no poder controlar el complejo de Edipo. La genialidad de Benedetti trastoca al eterno antiheroe Edipo, con el eterno heroe Prometeo, y de esa amalgama surge Ramon Budiño, personaje central, que trae la inspiracion a una sociedad decadente.

This is a case of Dialectic Materialism approached through a Nietzsche perspective, a woman as an idealist scholar with an extraordinary Jewish background whose brother suffers the loss of his life at the hands of Nazis! Simone Petrement, Simone Weil's biographer and classmate [Ecole Normale et al], clearly presents the defeating struggles with which Ms. Weil must but stealthily reveal! To say she deplored her Jewish background would be to deny her devotion to her parents which could not completely be. Her struggle is not her with Jewism itself but with the affliction of her father, Dr. Bernard Weil (1872-1955) and her mother, the daughter of Mme. Reinherz. Try the perils of the afflicted Russian Jew who no longer finds palatable the mere potatoes which she herself chose. She subtly [quietly]pleaded for her parents' assistance and then rejected their offers through her inner anxiety, a struggle to preserve Humanity amongst those who spoke Omniscient Salvation in other languages but offered moral support to Russian Jews who didn't appreciate the blasphemy of stating "Jesus Christ" over and over again! Thus is the subtle and controversial attitude.

Simone Weil's writings were impenetrable for me in the fifties. Now I have most of her works and I am frequently amazed at how penetrating are her ideas and thoughts, and how contrary to most thinking today. That in itself recommends her. She understands people, life, and suffering, and sees its purpose. She sees through all falseness to the goodness. Simone Weil is the most honest person I know or have heard of. Yet while her classmate, Simone de Beauvoir is famous Simone Weil is relatively unknown. She loves Plato, Buddhism, Geometry, Jesus, working people, her homeland, France, but she rejected the Catholic Church, baptism, and Judaism (her background). She is a saint if there ever was one. I am profoundly grateful for having known something of her, her diamond mind, and her beautiful soul.

This young lady's writings and personal story blow away most other 20th Century thinkers. These are mainly short blasts. Provocative. Accessible. Yet push you further than you've likely been. Lots of ancient Christian desert hermit influence (St. Theresa, St. John of the Cross, Philokalia) on this revolutionary, radical mind. Timeless. Challenging. Simple. Confounds modernism.

En "La Casa Verde" Mario Vargas Llosa va dando muestras de su progreso a un estilo totalitario que quedaría demostrado finalmente en "La Guerra del Fin del Mundo". De allí en adelante el totalitarismo aparecería de manera desenfadada en todas las novelas que ha escrito hasta el momento.

Sería fácil pensar que el nombre de la novela debería otorgarle el tema central a un personaje, a un lugar o simplemente a un hecho cualquiera. Sin embargo, "La Casa Verde" es una excepción porque son varias historias contadas al mismo tiempo sin un tema central, excepto que el Perú es el lugar común en donde se desarrollan. Lo maravilloso es que con una habilidad innata, MVLL nos pinta al Perú de una manera integral, recorriendo costa, sierra y selva (las tres regiones naturales que presenta este país) a través de tres historias que se desenvuelven paralelamente y sin una relación aparente al inicio pero cuyo desenlase las unificaría. El totalitarismo de MVLL podría parecernos atrevido pero nos demuestra una vez más que esa palabra no existe para este escritor peruano.

Por un lado Fushia, mientras escapaba por el Río Amazonas, narra a Aquilino los embrollos en los cuales se encuentra involucrado tras haber intentado estafar a otro estafador más poderoso que él. El motivo sería el robo de caucho, cuya explotación se encontraba en boga en el departamento selvático de Iquitos en ese momento.

Por otro lado, Don Anselmo construye La Casa Verde, llamada así por el color del cual fue pintada su fachada, y se convertiría en el primer prostíbulo que rebolotaría la pasiva vida de Piura (una ciudad al norte de Perú). Con el transcurrir del tiempo y a pesar del progreso favorable del negocio, Don Anselmo seguiría sintiéndose solitario. Pero su soledad se vería aplacada al enamorarse; el único inconveniente, para la sociedad, era que Don Anselmo le triplicaba en edad y además ella era invidente. Debido a esto decide ocultar su relación que saldría a la luz de manera trágica cuando los pobladores deciden incendiar aquel antro de perdición sin saber que en ella habitaba la niña amada de Don Anselmo y que además estaba embarazada. El final de la historia es excepcional ya que une, como lo dije anteriormente, las tres historias alrededor de una mesa de un restaurant barato, simbolizando la pobreza humana, la cual suele actuar sin pensar en las consecuencias que podría conllevar sus actitudes cucufatas y salvajes.

Considero a esta novela como una de las mejores de la producción literaria de MVLL y se la recomiendo sólo a los que gustan de la verdadera literatura, los demás desistirán en las primeras páginas.

This complex novel evolves during many years, through the memories and experiences of the characters, within the characteristic arbitrary timing of Vargas Llosa: flashbacks, voices from different ages speaking simultaneously, sudden jumps in time. The action takes place in two basic locations: the high and dry city of Piura, and the Amazonic region of Peru. There are several stories which interact and cross at several points: Fushia, the smuggler who dominates the Indians, whose story is told during his trip with the old Aquilino, down a river; the love story of Lalita and Nieves the soldier; the soldiers of Santa María of Nieva; Sargent Lituma and the Woman from the Jungle; Don Anselmo, the mythical founder of Piura's nightlife, and thereafter a harp-player at brothels; The Unconquerables and the nuns from the convent.

The novel is an epic of life in Peru, a solid and vast book. Characters from the past and the present speak their minds and tell their deeds. The tone is varied, from the sordid to the epic, from city to jungle. A great novel by an accomplished author, in which the different stories slowly converge to paint a broad landscape. In a less dark way, from time to time Faulkner seems to be in the background, Latinamericanized.

este libro es tremendo, puedes sentirte dentro de el con una facilidad increible, puedes sentir la lluvia que no cesa por semanas y la vida en las zonas de la selva. es muy buen libro para comenzar a leer a vargas llosa, aunque tambien se puede comenzar con algo como la ciudad y los perros. magnifica lectura

This books journals the injustices that exist in the human experience in a Latin American optic. Mike's ability to rise up to the challenges which were presented to him in his life and trimuph are a message to us all. Inspiring!

An unforgetable episode in Mike's life describing certain parties and their creative use of a Martini, in the chapter intitled "the sexy martini", will never cease to amaze me. In this wonderful book you can find all the elements of nature interwoven to a delicate story of accomplishment and success. It will always inspire me and make me want to be a better person. Thank you Mike!

r. In the first chapter Mike's family is persecuted by the murdering forces of Pancho Villa and is forced to seek refuge in a small town in Texas. He discovers, then, that he has a natural talent for an American passtime: Baseball. He goes on to earn the first athletic scolarship for a Mexican student in the history of the NCAA. At the University of Texas, he pitches his way to consecutive championships and goes on to graduate in the top of his class... all of this is just the beginning of an incredible journey of a passionate man who brought two countries together like no other man of his time could. Mike's writing style is as fast-paced and vibrant as his lifestyle and drive for excellence. An inspirational tale of passion, determination, and hard-work.

I couldn't stop reading it eventhough they were too many names I really found it interesting,fast to read and with a lot of humor.What I need is that I have to talk about this book at school and I'm not very good at doing this.Can some one help me?I've got to get the best grade because I'm a little low in grades right now.Thank you very much.
I hope someone understand my English because it has been a long time since I've spoken it.Bye.

Although this novel has been termed "Flaubertian" by more than one writer (and not only as a compliment, at least in some cases), my opinion is that Gustave Flaubert was never even close to portrait the untangible spirit of everyday love, hate, lust, greed, gossip, fanatism and passion the way Vargas Llosa does in this novel. Perhaps people from more temperate societies could have a difficult time understanding how all the forementioned characters interact to form everyday life in Latin America, but if anybody could show it to them, it is Vargas Llosa. In this novel a demented,compulsive chauvinist, racist(anti-Riverplateans) and diminutive radio soapopera scriptwriter is nevertheless redeemed by an unconquerable zeal to portray what are just small exagerations of what really happens aroud him; and even serves as an inspiration for a budding writer and his forbidden love. How all this twists and turns is fascinatingly complex, and beyond any possible synopsis.

I never thought I could get so much reading pleasure out of a Latin American writer. I am hooked and will try to read all of Mario's books. This book took me to a fascinating culture in Lima, and the life and tribulations of a young and aspiring , latin writer and lover and the characters of a decade long gone in the world

Reading Mario Vargas Llosa's works of literature is one of the best experiences a reader can have. In "Letters to a Young Novelist" Vargas Llosa shares the name of authors that have shaped his life as a writer, along with his personal insight on narrative techniques, and an unconditional love for the written word. Each chapter presents valuable information for anyone interested in the art of writing or for anyone who enjoys reading a well-written book.

This book is written as a series of letters to an anonymous, aspiring novelist. Obviously it is fashioned after Rilke's "Letters to a Young Poet", and although somewhat cheeky, the style and tone of these pseudo-letters fit Mario Vargas Llosa's objectives in writing.

Unlike some of the mainstream writing tutorials that are around, this volume, although slight in page length, has genuine and truly original insights that will help your writing tremendously. For example, whereas most writing instructors teaach you to stick to one point-of-view, Vargas Llosa says one of the most unbending rules in fiction is that no novel sticks to one kind of point-of-view, that it subtly changes. There are equally startling and persuasive directives regarding spatial and temporal matters in fiction.

The book is fun to read as well; only a novelist of Vargas Llosa's caliber can dismiss many of the so-called 'classics' and not seem vindictive and/or crazy. To fully understand this book (although not totally necessary), a reader should have at least a passing knowledge of the writers and their works that Vargas Llosa invokes as examples. i.e. Proust, Flaubert, Robbes-Grillet, etc.

If you are an aspiring writer, chances are good that this wry book will be an indispensable guide. Highly recommended.

"Letters" is an adroitly written instruction book for beginning writers. Incorporating an imaginary correspondent, Mario Vargas Llosa writes a series of letters to a young protege sharing his years of literary experience and outlining the principles that make a novel. It is an interesting vehicle for an instruction book and it works. Most books of how to write are overloaded with superfluous detail and have the annoying tendency to be academic in the approach to writing. This book is breezy, conversational, loaded with brilliant insight and fun to read. Sighting loads of examples from classic and not so classic novels he brings to life essential topics of style, voice, time, point of view and other narrative tools that the masters of the novel have incorporated for hundreds of years.

Many of the novelists Vargas Llosa sites for his many examples are unknown to me and he has roused my interest in reading their books. Alas, many of them are not translated into English (at least not that I can find on Amazon). But that does not diminish the satisfaction derived from reading this diminutive book. His best advice to any writer is to be a great reader. An example he has clearly followed himself.

Lincoln on Democracy edited and introduced by Mario M. Cuomo and Harold Holzer is an anthology written by Lincoln, in his own words with essays by America's foremost Civil War historians. These include: Gabor S. Boritt, William E. Gienapp, Charles B. Strozier, Richard Nelson Current, James M. McPherson, Mark E. Neely, Jr., and Hans L. Trefousse.

I found this volume to be very valuable in understanding, not only Lincoln's psyche, but that of the country as a whole. Lincoln has been called one of the best writers among the American presidents, even though his delivery was not as dynamic. This unique anthology includes such well-known selections as the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address, but that is only the beginning. As there are equally inspiring speeches, letter, notes and diary entries. Not to mention a revealing dream that Lincoln wrote down for posterity.

"Lincoln on Democracy" documents Lincoln as an extraordinary leader, taking him from a local politician to a national leader in time of crisis. The reaffirmation of Lincoln's commitment to the ideas of liberty and the savior of the union.

This book is dedicated to the people of Poland as this volume was assembled at the request of the Solidarity teachers in a newly democratized Poland. There are seven chapters in this book dividing it into easily followed and logical order.

They are: "The People's Business" Lincoln and the American Dream 1832-1852

"All We Have Ever Held Sacred" Lincoln and Slavery
1854-1857

"Another Explosion Will Come" Lincoln and the House Divided 1858

"Right Makes Might" Lincoln and the Race for President 1859-1860

"Hour of Trial" Lincoln and the Union 1861

"Forever Free" Lincoln and Liberty 1862-1863

"For Us the Living" Lincoln and Democracy 1863- 1865

This is a fully annotated collection also containing an extensive chronology linking Lincoln's life and accomplishments with the world and national events with photograghs from various periods in his career. The essays are written extremely well and set the tone of each chapter making this volume compelling as we reexamine our republic with Lincoln as our guide for the time period of this book.

This is a great book for getting an overview of President Lincolns life in a chronological way. We learn how his thinking process develops as he encounters the diverse situations of his life and times. Through actual letters, speeches and business dealings we see the man. We find it is a man in the making. President Lincoln did not arrive full and complete in terms of philosophy. He developed his thesis of the rights of man as he lived the conflicts of his fellow citizens especially as it related to the slavery of the black man. A great book you must have in your personal library. A true resource for any student of civil rights and demorcacy in the western world. Makes a great gift for any student of history.
Respectfully submitted by;
Mark V. Aarssen
Canada

Mr. Cuomo has put together a rewarding synopsis of several of A. Lincoln's Speeches and Writings. He added his own editorial content to make us better understand Mr. Lincoln's thoughts. This volume is easy to read and the themes are current for the times. Highly Recommended.