tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post3672631081455842221..comments2024-01-02T15:37:04.858-05:00Comments on Caravana de recuerdos: El bautismoRichardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-85320557481880505592015-07-28T14:57:14.508-04:002015-07-28T14:57:14.508-04:00I believe you have one really good Aira and one ov...I believe you have one really good Aira and one overrated/semi-dud Aira left in that three-pack of yours. <em>El bautismo</em> is way wilder/more satisfying than the cloning of Carlos Fuentes story, so it's a shame it hasn't been translated into English yet. Oh, well--what's a brother gonna do?Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-61979471350660034422015-07-27T18:17:20.505-04:002015-07-27T18:17:20.505-04:00More ghosts, on screen this time. I must essay ano...More ghosts, on screen this time. I must essay another Aira soon. Still have two left in the three-parter I bought. Séamus Dugganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00574186409184247059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-84499698282607746322015-07-26T12:02:43.909-04:002015-07-26T12:02:43.909-04:00Scott, I think you're probably on to something...Scott, I think you're probably on to something with the Gómez de la Serna thing esp. as there's an extended gag/critique having to do with the superiority of film over theater which also involves a provincial theater mover and shaker being taken to Buenos Aires and being introduced to Victoria Ocampo and friends. The in jokes would seem to come fast and furious here, and it's too bad I don't get them all because at least a few of them have to do with Aira's home city of Pringles! Otherwise, "a barrel of literary fun" = yes, indeed. :DRichardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-39901336641995979642015-07-26T11:56:02.365-04:002015-07-26T11:56:02.365-04:00Grant, relieved to hear that as I sometimes worry ...Grant, relieved to hear that as I sometimes worry that many of my readers must chafe at the idea of reading reviews of books that aren't even available in English. Still, I can relate to that "fear" you mention at the end of your comment as well!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-67786337488968925552015-07-25T13:33:58.472-04:002015-07-25T13:33:58.472-04:00150 pages! That is just way too long for an Aira n...150 pages! That is just way too long for an Aira novel. Well, if I <i>must</i>...<br /><br />Sounds - as usual with Aira - like a barrel of literary fun. I wonder if that "joke" about the movie producer is a reference to Gomez de la Serna's observation that the difference between theatre and cinema is that in cinema the dead don't get up after the show. The Henry James comment is priceless.seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-82319513286010509932015-07-23T15:33:22.586-04:002015-07-23T15:33:22.586-04:00Always great to get a review of a book (particular...Always great to get a review of a book (particularly one by Aira) not yet available in English - and especially one as entertaining as this. of course there is then the fear that it won't be translated!1streadinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17546473277895842785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-31545343999850426922015-07-22T13:30:31.733-04:002015-07-22T13:30:31.733-04:00Touché! I have to say that I thought this particu...Touché! I have to say that I thought this particular Aira could have used a little pruning in places, Rise, although I sure hope it gets translated into English at some point b/c I'm sure you and other Aira connoisseurs would find plenty to enjoy in it. It's pretty wild.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-45557883739652481572015-07-22T13:26:12.026-04:002015-07-22T13:26:12.026-04:00"It wouldn't be Spanish (language) lit mo..."It wouldn't be Spanish (language) lit month without some César Aira!" My sentiments exactly, Jacqui, although if you didn't appreciate the more tightly-focused <em>Ghosts</em> all that much, I'm not sure what you'd make of this novel being all over the place and then some! <em>El bautismo</em> does have a lot of funny moments all the same, though. Cheers!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-25950432091612296012015-07-22T13:01:12.284-04:002015-07-22T13:01:12.284-04:00Thanks for your kind words, Brian! Although I cho...Thanks for your kind words, Brian! Although I chose not to go into it in the post for the sake of brevity, I'm really glad you brought up the connection between readers of books and film critics because I think that equivalency was clearly one of Aira's aims: it's the reader as much as the writer who ultimately invests a work with meaning. Of course, the funny thing about Aira's novels is that this sort of conceptual reader response talk is often accompanied by the most outlandish storytelling embellishments so one never really knows for sure. Anyway, thanks for the great point!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-35964562458305919982015-07-22T10:02:44.271-04:002015-07-22T10:02:44.271-04:00This hodgepodge on zombie filmmaking and baptism o...This hodgepodge on zombie filmmaking and baptism only a César Aira can concoct. Risehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17446964640160585194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-2420214008344219912015-07-22T03:36:00.352-04:002015-07-22T03:36:00.352-04:00Well, it wouldn't be Spanish (language) lit mo...Well, it wouldn't be Spanish (language) lit month without some César Aira! The set-up sounds great, plenty of scope there as your review suggests. As you may recall, I struggled with Ghosts last year but will give him another try in a few months. :) JacquiWinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16220597283351925721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1911087927983597831.post-17779619937401700952015-07-22T03:30:59.137-04:002015-07-22T03:30:59.137-04:00Extremely entertaining and lively commentary on th...Extremely entertaining and lively commentary on this book as usual Richard. <br /><br />I tend to like this type of unconventional book that seems to go everywhere. <br /><br />I am thinking that the idea that the value in film derives from the fact that the art form creates critics, might get even more traction when applied to books.Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.com