where’s my bionic ear?

I had a friend from high school who became a physics major in college because of Quantum Leap.  It’s not unheard of, these shows we were exposed to as children impact our future decisions.  for me, there were two shows that made me want to study physics in college.  Macgyver, obviously.

also The Bionic Woman.  I loved that show as a kid.  I wanted to be Jaime Summers when I grew up.  minus the teaching, that part of the show was always boring.  it was the missions for the OSI, using fancy bionic parts, showing up the chauvinist men who thought a lady couldn’t do anything.  way better than the six million dollar man.

recently I’ve started watching a few episodes again on Hulu.  they’re still totally entertaining, though sad now I know that the work of the CIA is not half so glamorous as they make it seem.  it’s such a good show!  she runs fast and overhears important information and succeeds in never hurting anyone if she can help it.  unfortunately I’m still waiting for the CIA to give ME bionic legs.  I haven’t turned into Jaime Summers or Macgyver yet.  there’s still time.

bilingual?

here is my dilemma.

I now do speak spanish.  I do like to read.  I’d really like to read books that were originally written in spanish, in spanish.  I’d like to read something a bit more difficult than Capitan Calzoncillos (which I read to nixon and saimon at valdivia and completely understood).  unfortunately, while I have progressed in my reading spanish past a third-grade level, it’s still not at the same place as my reading english, obviously.  so I go to the used bookstore and look at the books in spanish and they’re either A.  not originally written in spanish, so what’s the point, B.  thoroughly uninteresting looking, or C.  above my language ability (and quite lengthy).  I do feel that whatever I read will take me a while so I’d prefer to buy than lend, and I suppose that if I bought books new I’d have a larger selection.

so I’m looking for a used copy of a spanish language book, originally written in spanish, at an adult reading level but not ridiculously hard to read, and interesting to me, not necessarily a normal person.

reading: the event

 

the event, by juan jose saer

This book is by an Argentinian author, Juan José Saer, and I bought it for a dollar at my local used bookstore (see earlier post about local used bookstores).  I bought it because it met my criteria for book buying, it’s something I wouldn’t mind paying a dollar to read.  I, in general, like latin american lit.  though I’m sure there are exceptions.

this book was ok.  not as good as some, but not bad.  usually it’s not a problem for me when you’re left at the end of a book with very little resolution to any of the issues that come up, but in this case I was left feeling very much unfinished.  I think perhaps something was lost in translation, or maybe I just didn’t get it (entirely possible).  perhaps I should reread the thing; it’s short, less than 200 pages and can be read quickly by me.

this european magician, driven out of paris and plagued by the fear of positivists, moves to argentina to settle the pampas, meets a friend and a lady, becomes successful in business and tries to get his self in order.  the jacket says that he goes mad, and in many ways he does, jealous and suspicious and self-sabotaging.  outwardly, he’s the picture of south american land owner, but in his head he just can’t get it sorted.  there’s all the things you’d expect, lots of color and violence and sound and heat.

I’m not sure to whom I’d recommend it.  really I did enjoy it, and the end isn’t as bad as I make it sound.  it’s not something I’ll rave about, obviously, but I don’t miss the dollar.