My favourite books: insights and recommendations

Index

• Don Quixote (Miguel de Cervantes).
• The Count of Monte-Cristo (Alejandro Dumas).
• Lazarillo de Tormes (Anonymous).
• The house of Bernarda Alba (Federico García Lorca).
• I will continue to add books periodically.

Don Quixote

The novel was written in two parts. The first was titled “The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha” and the second was titled “Second Part of the Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha.”

This novel is considered the first modern novel and the most outstanding work of Spanish literature. It is also regarded as one of the most important works of world literature.
In fact, the entire world has read “Don Quixote.” This spread started in 1612 when it was translated into English. The reach continued until the beginning of the 20th century, when it was translated into Chinese.

It can be somewhat difficult to read at times due to the vocabulary of the time. Nevertheless, this is a work that, once read, is remembered for a lifetime.

The work is a satire on the society of the time and on the novels of chivalry. It is written with humor and irony. It invites reflection on antagonistic aspects such as madness and sanity, reality and illusion, and friendship and the human condition.

As the work is long, it should be read patiently. Read it little by little. Do not aim to finish it by a specific date. It is possible to read it in sections, stopping occasionally and returning to it later. This will not make it any less enjoyable.

I recommend reading it with some contextual aid or commentary. This will help you understand it better as it is necessary to have a broad knowledge of that period and its vocabulary. This will lead to a thorough understanding and enjoyment.

In the next link, you can read the work for free with annotations: Don Quijote de la Mancha.

“who reads much and travels much, sees much and knows much” (Miguel de Cervantes, 1605, “Don Quixote,” Chapter XXV).

The Count of Monte-Cristo

It was serialized in the “Journal des Débats” in eighteen parts from August 28, 1844, to January 15, 1846. The first book edition was published in Paris by Pétion in 18 volumes; the first two were published in 1844 and the remaining sixteen in 1845.

It is one of his most popular works, along with “The three musketeers” (1844) and “The man in the iron mask” (1850).

As in his other novels, he had the collaboration of the ghostwriter Auguste Maquet. 

It is considered a classic of French and world literature and has been translated worldwide and adapted to film (movies and series).

The historical context is fundamental to the narrative. The novel is set in France, Italy, and the Mediterranean islands during the historical events of 1815 to 1839, from the Bourbon Restoration to the reign of Louis-Philippe I. It begins on the day Napoleon left his first island of exile, Elba, marking the beginning of his return to power.

It tells the story of Edmond Dantès, a young man who, betrayed and unfairlyj arrested on his wedding day, before he was married, under unjust accusations stemming from envy and self-interest, is imprisoned in a forgotten prison from which, after many years, he manages to escape and acquire a treasure. Then, he decides to return to his homeland, transformed into the Count, to take revenge on those who ruined his life.

The play addresses a wide range of themes, including honor, betrayal, justice, revenge, mercy, forgiveness, personal growth and transformation, and vital values.

The novel, having been written for serial publication, should be read in the same way, that is, pausing at certain times, since otherwise the descriptions and reminders used to keep the reader immersed in the story can become tiresome and repetitive.

It is admirable the linguistic ability to describe the material and immaterial elements (places, clothing, belongings, personal items, people and feelings) throughout the entire plot, which reminds us of the capacity and beauty of language and the need to exercise its use and our minds in that sense to adorn our words and our lives.

Lazarillo de Tormes

Lazarillo de Tormes is an anonymous 16th-century work. Written in the first person, the narrator, Lázaro, addresses “Your Grace” as if writing a letter, recounting his life story.

It consists of a prologue and seven treatises, each corresponding to his life under different masters, about whom he shares his opinions in a picaresque style.

It is a social critique that ironically and ruthlessly depicts the society of its time, revealing its vices and hypocritical attitudes, especially those of the clergy and religious figures.

The work prompts reflection on social values ​​and how these have, or have not, changed over time.

The house of Bernarda Alba

Lorca’s plays are characterized by the struggle between the freedom of his characters and the social order of the time. The restriction of women’s freedom is central to his works, which reflect women’s survival in a patriarchal world. In contrast, he also portrays matriarchal structures and class differences within households.

The play begins after the death of Bernarda’s second husband, forcing her daughters to wear mourning clothes and live in confinement for eight years. Angustias, the eldest daughter, attracts Pepe “el Romano” as a suitor because of the inheritance from Bernarda’s first husband. Bernarda accepts the match, and Pepe “el Romano” begins to organize the wedding but ends up falling in love with her sister Adela, who readily becomes his lover.

The play’s pivotal moment.appears when her sister Martirio, who also succumbs to Pepe “el Romano’s” charms, betrays Adela. Bernarda, enraged by the situation and the dishonour inflicted upon Angustias, unsuccessfully shoots at Pepe “el Romano” and leads her daughter Adela to believe he is dead. Adela then commits suicide, and Bernarda reacts by maintaining her composure to avoid social criticism and uphold honour and tradition above the desires and concerns of the women of the time. Thus, Bernarda asserts that her daughter died a virgin and demands her daughters remain silent about what has transpired in the house.

In this way, Lorca, in this work devoid of highbrow language and therefore accessible to all of society, supports feminism by exposing the difficulties of motherhood, sacrifice, honour, and the physical and intellectual confinement of women of that era.

In the next link, you can read the play for free in Spanish: The house of Bernarda Alba.