As some of you already know, I'll be hosting a year-long niche reading event under the unfortunately unwieldy moniker of the 2014 Caravana de recuerdos Ibero-American Readalong, which was designed to begin with Bolaño and end with Cervantes--two of my favorite authors, both practically begging for long overdue rereads. While the original introductory post and sign-up details can be found here, the general idea is to tempt you into reading a quality Ibero-American work of literature with me via one of two user-friendly methods: 1) a series of structured monthly group reads with other readers, where you can drop in and out as often or as little as you like; or 2) for more interactive types, the proposal of an interesting work of your choice (i.e. novel, poem, short story, whatever) that you'll challenge me to read together with you at some point in time. For the purposes of the event, "Ibero-American" will be defined as having to do with any/all literature ever produced on the Iberian Peninsula (i.e. originally composed in Arabic, Basque, Hebrew, Latin or any of the Romance languages) as well as any/all literature from the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in the Americas. The fine print: since I don't expect to have many takers for this second "challenge" option, I've decided to open this up to works from France and Italy if any of you would care to read a work from either of those countries with me. But back to Bolaño and the 2666 group read. I first read 2666 (Spain/Chile, 2004) as part of a really rewarding group read hosted by Claire of kiss a cloud and Steph of Steph & Tony Investigate! that was held over the course of five months way back in 2009. While I don't imagine I'll have the fortune to be surrounded by as many special readers as I was that last time, I'd love to reread the book with you should you be interested in reading it--or rereading it--with me. To help whet your appetite, here's a page of 2666 and other Bolaño reviews that Rise of Bifurcaria bifurcata put together during his 2011 Roberto Bolaño Reading Challenge--another good time. The plan here is to read and post on parts 1-3 of 2666 (up through "La parte de Fate" or "The Part About Fate") during the last three days in January and parts 4-5 of the novel (starting with "La parte de los crímenes" or "The Part About the Crimes") during the last three days in February. I'll list other group read participants below if there are any (right now there's only one "maybe"), but by all means feel free to get in touch if you have any questions. Before I go, here's a rundown of the other Ibero-American Readalong choices for the rest of the year: Ibn Hazm de Córdoba's Tawq al-Hamamah [Spanish: El collar de la paloma; English: The Ring of the Dove] (Al-Andalus, February); José Saramago's O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis [The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis] (Portugal, March); the Edith Grossman-translated The Golden Age: Poems of the Spanish Renaissance (Spain and New Spain, April); Augusto Roa Bastos' Yo el Supremo [I, the Supreme] (Paraguay, May); Tirso de Molina's El burlador de Sevilla [The Trickster of Seville] (Spain, June); Guillermo Cabrera Infante's Tres tristes tigres [Three Trapped Tigers] (Cuba, July--held in conjunction with the the Kingdom of Redonda Read-along hosted by Richard of Shea's Zibaldone); José Hernández's Martín Fierro [The Gaucho Martín Fierro] (Argentina, August); Macedonio Fernández's Museo de la novela de la Eterna [The Museum of Eterna's Novel (The First Good Novel)] (Argentina, September); Nicanor Parra's Poemas y antipoemas [Poems and Antipoems] (Chile, October); Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quijote de la Mancha [Don Quixote] (Spain, November & December); and Juan Rulfo's El Llano en llamas [The Plain in Flames and/or The Burning Plain and Other Stories] (Mexico, December).
Other 2666 Readers
Entradas
I miss the special reader embodied in Claire as well, and while I don't propose to be able to take her place, I will read 2666 with you.
ResponderBorrarBellezza, delighted to move you from a "maybe" to "confirmed" status--hope you enjoy the novel! Claire was indeed a key member whose blogging presence is sorely missed, but that 2009 readalong group also included Emily from Evening All Afternoon and Frances from Nonsuch Book--in other words, a handful of my favorite bloggers ever all in one spot. Anyway, I look forward to reading with you again, friend!
BorrarI'm sure it was through Claire and Frances that I "met" you. I remember them doing Virginia Woolf and then there was a group named "the wolves." Well, you knew them better than I, but I also miss their commentary and posts.
BorrarAt any rate I look forward to reading with you, as well, convinced that our horizons will be broadened because of it. xo
Claire and Frances probably introduced me to a lot of cool peeps--I just hope they don't regret it! The Wolves was a lot of fun while it lasted.
Borrar2666 is so tempting, and I even have a copy, but with a lot of other planned reading for the next few months, I don't know that I will get to it. I look forward to all your read along posts, however, as I'm sure I'll find plenty of other temptations in them. Happy New Year and happy reading!
ResponderBorrarThanks for your enthusiasm, Amanda, and Happy New Year to you as well! 2666 is certainly a big book to undertake when you have plenty of other things going on, but I hope you get a chance to get to it someday since you enjoyed Bolaño's The Savage Detectives previously. Anyway, best wishes on your own reading plans in 2014!
BorrarIt is tempting, and I am curious to read Bolaño. I'll see if I can find the time in my busy schedule.
ResponderBorrarMiguel, I realize it might be difficult to find time for a 900-page novel not written by Torrente Ballester! However, it'd be great if you could join us should you have the chance. If you're looking for a shorter Bolaño option, why not give Nazi Literature in the Americas a close look? A very, very different book but similarly impressive. Cheers!
BorrarHa ha, fortunately not all GTBs are that big. I have room for one door-stopper every year, I may as well make 2666 my choice for the new year. Besides, the premise seems more interesting than Nazi Lit.
BorrarGlad to have 2666 become your first doorstopper of choice for 2014. I hope you enjoy it!
BorrarJust ordered it, should arrive day 9.
BorrarGood to hear, Miguel, and the book reads pretty quickly for its size (as does all of Bolaño in my experience).
BorrarAnd it's just arrived!
BorrarIT IS TIME! I bought the book tonight and should have it by next Tuesday, so I'm officially in. Woot!
ResponderBorrarSarah, wonderful! Really looking forward to seeing how this compares to The Savage Detectives for you. Thanks for making the group read part of your comeback tour. :D Talk to you soon!
BorrarHey look who's back. How;ve you been, Sarah?
ResponderBorrarBest of luck to everyone. I will enjoy the posts. I hope one of you breaks the secret code embedded in Part IV.
A secret code, Tom? Would that be a real cipher or just an amateur reader's idea of a prank? Anyway, thanks for the support and I hope the posts prove as entertaining as The Savage Detectives ones you and Nicole were part of. Cheers!
BorrarI am just assuming that Bolaño the trickster was not yet out of tricks.
BorrarThat's a relief. I thought you'd caught wind of a Nabokovian (or on the other end of the spectrum, Orhan Pamuk) style puzzle or riddle that I'd never heard about!
BorrarThis sounds like a fun event. I really like these group reads as they seem to get some great ideas conversations going.
ResponderBorrarI will likely join you for one of the group reads later in the year. While I want to read 2666 I am currently working my way through three books chosen by others for various other online events. I really look forward to reading everyones commentary on this one.
I might join a reading challenge or two for a change this year, Brian, but the group reads are so much better for sparking the conversations you mention. Glad you're interested in potentially joining another one from the Ibero-American series later in the year + I appreciate the fact that you'll at least tune in for the discussions of 2666. It was my favorite book of the year the year I read it, but I'm interested in seeing how it will hold up over time.
BorrarI'm looking forward to the posts and conversations, of course. I would've joined If only I've not already reread it... The book is really a special one.
ResponderBorrarP.S. If I remember correctly it's the book that made me discover this blog and the others during the pre-Wolves group read.
BorrarRise, I appreciate that you're not too Bolaño'd out to follow the conversations again. You the man! How nice to be reminded that the old 2666 group read is where you discovered the blog. I believe it was your Bolaño Challenge where I in turn met Scott and Séamus and maybe Jeremy. For such a divisive figure in his lifetime, Bolaño has been quite the uniter even after his passing!
BorrarRichard - I wasn't planning to join up given the size of the pile of books I'm reading, but I unexpectedly found myself spending three days on the border last week, including a drive past Cuidad Juarez, so now I'm curious to take up 2666 again. Count me in.
ResponderBorrarScott, excellent news--please thank your travel agent (or your kidnappers) for me for making this all possible! P.S. Hope to hear more about your trip if/when you have the chance (it's unfortunately been about 15 years since the last time I visited México Lindo. Cheers!
BorrarGreat group. Excited to get started. Even more excited to see if I can get your blog to accept my comment. :)
ResponderBorrarFrances, agreed about the group and glad to see that your comments were finally not blocked by the blog's unsought after Internet Swiss Guard that have gone above and beyond the call of duty ever since I switched to threaded comments a couple of years ago. Anyway, thanks for letting me know about the problem and for recruiting Victoria to come read with us. You really are a and/or the Book Temptress!
Borrar