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Books read in 2022 (1/2) - Next, I make a small balance that I have read the first part of the year:

 

1. Escriure. Memòries d’un ofici. Stephen King.*

 

 

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (good)

 

I have the habit of reading, when the year begins, a book on writing techniques. To start in 2022 I have chosen Stephen King. His book on the craft of writing has not disappointed me in the least, it is light, entertaining and instructive.

 

The book mixes brushstrokes of his biography with information about the craft of writing, and he does it with a sense of humor that we don't usually find in his works. The advice he gives is simple but fundamental, which many apprentice writers do not take into account. I will give an example: if you want to write, you must do it because you like it and have fun (that is, to be happy), not to earn money. And read a lot.

 

*King, Stephen. Escriure. Memòries d’un ofici. L’Altra Editorial. Barcelona, 2018. 335 pàg. (TO en anglès: On writing. A memoir of the craft. 2000. Traducció: Martí Sales, 2018). ISBN: 978-84-947829-9-2

 

 

2. The King. Bienvenidos al universo literario de Stephen King. Autores varios.*

 

 

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (fair)

 

This year's second book is also related to Stephen King. It is a compilation of articles dealing with different aspects of his literary work.

 

The book is well edited and its cover catches the eye. Positive point. The content is something else. It is an irregular work, with interesting parts (such as Toni Magistrale's interview or Rodrigo Fresán's article) and others not so much. There is a lot of talk about "Carrie", but nothing is said about a book as important as "It". And some of the highlights are a bit heavy.

 

In any case, it is a work that King's followers will surely like. Of course, it contains numerous spoilers, a fact to take into consideration.

 

*Autores varios. The King. Bienvenidos al universo literario de Stephen King. Errata naturae editores. Madrid, 2019. 285 pp. ISBN: 978-84-17800-09-3

 

 

3. Los corredores del tiempo. Poul Anderson.*

 

 

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (entertaining)

 

The third book this year deals with time travel, a topic that I find exciting. In this case, the trips take place through an underground corridor, which acts as a timeline between each era. The time visited is the Old World, and the geographic area is the Danish coast.

 

Initially I had the feeling that the book was not very well written (perhaps because of the translation) and that I would not like it, but from page eighty it becomes interesting. It is a work that can be read, and that will satisfy lovers of time travel.

 

*Anderson, Poul. Los corredores del tiempo. Editorial Antalbe. Barcelona, 1987. 254 pp. ISBN: 84-7693-060-7

 

 

4. El libro maldito. Kaj Korkea-aho.*

 

 

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (expendable)

 

I started reading this work at the end of 2021, and before finishing it I have read three or four books that I found more interesting. The book begins well: it is about a literature teacher and his relationship with the work of a supposedly cursed author, unknown to the general public. The point of conflict arises when one of his students wants to do a job on this author, which leads to the destruction of everyone who crosses his path.

 

The novel lacks rhythm, and the ending left me indifferent. "Is that why I've spent so much time reading?" I thought. But they are my evaluations. Of course, the book is well written, we are facing a creator with a trade.

 

*Korlea-aho, Kaj. El libro maldito. Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial SAU. Barcelona, 2016. 319 pp. (TO en sueco: Onda boken. Traducción: Carlos del Valle Hernández). ISBN: 978-84-01-01686-8

 

 

5. Las máscaras del tiempo. Robert Silverberg.*

 

 

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (not for everyone)

 

This book tells the story of Vornan-19, a supposed traveler from the future who arrives from the sky. The narrator of the story is Leo Garfield, one of the scientists in charge of verifying if he really is a man from another time or a fraud. To do this, he will accompany him on a tour of the planet.

 

The work can be strange, it has an unusual approach and development. But it is extraordinarily written, and its style seems simple but hides a great complexity, both technical and content. Robert Silverberg is an author to be reckoned with, his works are usually quite good.

 

*Silverberg, Robert. Las máscaras del tiempo. Ultramar Editores, S.A. Barcelona, 1989. 303 pp. (TO en inglés: The Masks of Time. Traducción: Alberto Solé). ISBN: 84-7386-563-4

 

 

6. Barcelona Freal Show. Enric H. March.*

 

 

Rating: ★★★★☆ (a remarkable work)

 

It is an exhaustive study of the presence of the circus and traveling shows in Barcelona, well documented and that provides a different point of view to the history of the city. Recommended for anyone looking for information on the parades of monsters, bearded women, fakirs, siamese brothers... and not only within the Barcelona area, but also in a more general context. Hard to find books on this topic and well done too.

 

*March,, Enric H. Barcelona Freak Show. Història de les barraques de fira i els espectacles ambulants, del segle XVIII al 1939. Viena Edicions i Ajuntament de Barcelona. Barcelona, 2021 (1a edició: novembre). 615 pàgs.. ISBN: 978-84-18908-06-04

 

 

7. El libro Pussy Riot. Nadya Tolokonnikova.*

 

 

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (different, funny, erratic)

 

The book can be read. Sometimes he digresses, it does not have a well-defined trajectory, but it’s light and brings some interesting ideas, although his vindictive speech is not shared. It also gives some insights into life in Russia under Putin's government, highlighting its absolutist character and the persecution of political opponents. The author herself, a member of the Pussy Riot, was jailed with a sentence of seven years in prison for putting on a musical show in a church. Nonsense. It is clear that we are not free from sin either: there are countries where puppeteers are arrested, the covers of satirical magazines are prohibited, political opponents are spied on... etc, etc.

 

This work, with what is happening in Ukraine, is current.

 

*Tolokonnikova, Nadya. El libro Pussy Riot. De la alegría subversiva a la acción directa. Roca Editorial de Libros, S.L.. Barcelona, 2018. 267 pp. Ilustraciones de Roman Durov. (TO en inglés: Red & Riot. A Pussy Riot Guide to Activism. Traducción: Rosa Sanz), ISBN: 978-84-17092-86-3

 

 

8. Tres noches. Austin Wright.*

 

 

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (evocative book, but doesn't live up to expectations)

 

I first saw the movie, “Nocturnal Animals”. It's strange and captivating, and it has a differential quality: it makes you think in ti from time to time, somehow you can't get it out of your head. That's why I looked up the book it's based on, thinking it must be a unique book. And I must say that I have found myself in one of those cases, quite atypical, in which the film improves the book. And this makes it not live up to expectations. The author could have gotten a lot out of the story, but it falls short.

 

I recommend the movie. I don’t say nothing more.

 

*Wright, Austin. Tres noches. Círculo de Lectores, S.A.. Barcelona, 2013. 397 pp. (TO en inglés: Tony and Susan. Traducción: Héxtor Silva). ISBN: 978-84-672-5523-2

 

 

9. El último deseo. Andrzej Sapkowski.*

 

 

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (disconnects you from reality)

 

This is a book for fans of the Netflix series “The Witcher”. And since I'm a fan, I can't be impartial. The play is about the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a sorcerer who acts as a mercenary to kill the monsters that roam the world. This is a fantasy genre work, the first in a saga of international success, which has been masterfully brought to the small screen.

 

Recommendable. And do not miss the series, it will hook you.

 

* Sapkowski, Andrzej. El último deseo. Saga de Geralt de Rivia. Alamut Bibliópolis SLU. Madrid, 2021. 255 pp. (TO en polaco: Ostatnie zyczenie. Traducción: José María Faraldo). ISBN: 978-84-9889-037-2

 

 

10. Successimultani. Manuel de Pedrolo.*

 

 

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (good)

 

The book revolves around one of my favorite themes: time travels. It begins when Ricard unexpectedly meets Jordina, who seems to know him. But he doesn't remember her, and then the girl confesses that she can travel in time and that in a forgotten past they were lovers. A good starting point.

 

As is typical in Pedrolo's works, the story has a strong emotional charge, which goes far beyond science fiction. Human relations have a preponderant role, and tragedy is also present. All this makes this reading interesting.

 

* Pedrolo, Manuel de. Successimultani. Edicions Pleniluni, SA. Alella, 1991. 177 pàg. ISBN: 84-85752-59-7