Life in hidding

Ever so often we come across little pieces of history that have gone unseen for ages, until they're brought to light. Such is the case of this little video, the only filmed footage known to date to show Anna Frank.

We may read thousands of books in our lifetime, but only a few dozen remain in our minds forever. This is the case for me with Anna Frank's Diary. Perhaps it's because I kept a diary (or several, really) myself, or maybe it's because I read it when I was her exact same age, but this book or rather, her memoirs, have always haunted me. And this year I finally got to see it with my very own, teary eyes.

It was the first time ever I cried at a museum, but it was a very powerful sight, getting to see her open diary right there in it's acrylic box. A sight I waited for 10 years and then, this year, I finally got to see it.

The museum is a bit disappointing if you're expecting to see their hidden house intact, the only remains are the book case that hid the secret door and Anna's posters and artists' photos on the walls. But getting to put yourself in her shoes if only for 30 minutes, it was experience I'll never forget.

Image credits: here and here. 
Thnx Mary Loneliness for reminding me to post about this!!

I did it!! I FINALLY finished it!!

I finally finished The name of the rose by Umberto Eco!! Bid deal, right? Well... it is! It's the longest book I've ever read, and I don't mean long as in many pages, I've read longer... but the plot just takes forever to reveal!! I started it in February and just finished it this weekend. I suppose it's a great book for Filosophy and Theology lovers, and I could deffinitely hear, waaaay back in my head, my professor from Senior year in High School mentioning and explaining a whole lot about this book. In those days I had decided that Filosophy wasn't one of the "important" classes and I pretty much ignored it and studied enough for exams... now I kind of regreat not even trying to follow that class.

Anyway, you might think I'm crazy posting about being happy for finishing a book, but I think I'm one of the only people I know who has actually finished it! How about you? Did you even try?? What did you think: masterpiece or stuck-up, presumptuous literature?


Photo from here.

Just finished reading... {Divisadero}

Hello!! I'm so sorry I've been missing lately... a lot's been going on and I'm trying to adjust back to my regular schedule!

Hola!! Perdón que estuve tan desaparecida estos días... pasaron mil cosas y recién ahora me estoy ajustando a mi rutina!

I just finished reading Divisadero, a book by Michael Ondaatje (author of The English patient). The story is really interesting... It'd be a bit hard to explain over one post, as the narration begins in the '70s in California and ends at the beggining of the XXth century (or almost) in France. I was a bit shocked by the ending. If you're looking for a story that ends all wrapped up in the end with a bow: avoid Divisadero. I guess I took it as a novel to challenge yourself and go beyond what's "stablished". Ondaatje has a way of going forward and back, crossing stories and characters, scenography and time in a way that's mesmerizing and it won't let you put it down. I thoght this book would be completely different and it blew my mind away. It is written and narrated in a completely different way than we're used to, and I loved it for that.

You're probably reading all of this and thinking I'm saying a lot without actually saying a thing... and perhaps I should re-read it to try to make the most of the end. But, what I can say is that if you feel like reading something challenging, analizing a bit of techique and literature you're going to love this book. Right now I'm thinking it's a love or hate situation, and I'm loving it!


Acabo de terminar de leer Divisadero, un libro escrito por Michael Ondaatje (autor de El paciente inglés). La historia es muy interesante... es un poco dificil de explicar en un post, ya que comienza en California en los '70 y termina más o menos a principios del siglo XX en el sur de Francia. El final me shoqueó un poco. Si estás buscando una historia que termine super resuelta con un moño al final, no leas Divisadero. Yo me la tomé como una novela para desafiarse a uno mismo y ver más allá de lo establecido y conocido. Ondaatje tiene una manera de ir para adelante y para atrás, cruzando historias y personajes, escenografías y tiempo que es hipnotizante y no te permite dejar de leer. Pensé que este libro iba a ser completamente diferente y me sorprendió. Está narrado en una forma completamente distinta a la que estamos acostumbrados y me encantó. 

Probablemente estén leyendo esto y piensen que estoy diciendo mucho sin en verdad decir algo... y tal vez tenga que volver a leer el libro para sacar algo más del final. Lo que les puedo decir es que si tienen ganas de leer algo que las desafíe, analizar un poco de técnica y de literatura les va a encantar este libro. Para mí es una situación de amor-odio, y a mí me encantó!


Book cover by Anthea Lingeman for Vintage International.

Modern women of yesterday

Is it THIINKING time already?? I don't know... but perhaps you'll love this little paragraph I found in my old copy of Chatlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. Why did I pick this 643 pages-long book when I was barely eleven years-old and just starting to get English beats me. Even more amazing is the fact that I stumbled upon the paragraph I transcript below because I have marked it back in '96. Sometimes I am awed by the eleven-year-old me.

It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquillity: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. Millions are condemned to a stiller doom than mine, and millions are in silent revolt against their lot. Nobody knows how many rebellions besides political rebellions ferment in the masses of life which people earth. Women are supposed to be very calmed generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrowminded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.

And to think that this book was first published in 1847!!


Ya es la hora de PENSAR denuevo?? Espero que les guste este párrafo que encontré en mi copia de Jane Eyre de Charlotte Brontë. Por qué elegí este libro en inglés de 643 páginas cuando apenas tenía once años y recién empezaba a entender inglés? no sé. Y más me llamó la atención cuando enconté este párrafo (que les transcribo abajo) marcado por mí en el '96. Aveces me sigue sorprendiendo mi versión de once años. .

“Es en vano decir que los seres humanos deben estar satisfechos con la tranquilidad: las personas deben tener actividades y las inventarán si no las encuentran. Millones están condenadas a una inmovilidad aún más silenciosa que la mía, y millones están en rebeldía silenciosa contra su suerte. Nadie conoce cuántas rebeliones, además de las políticas, fermentan en las numerosísimas vidas que las gentes entierran. Se supone que las mujeres generalmente son muy calmadas, pero las mujeres sienten tanto como los hombres, necesitan ejercicio para sus facultades y un terreno para encaminar sus esfuerzos tanto como sus hermanos; sufren las restricciones rígidas, el estancamiento absoluto con la misma intensidad como las sufrirían los hombres, y es estrechez mental que sus compañeros privilegiados afirmen que ellas deberían dedicarse exclusivamente a hacer pasteles y a tejer calcetines, a tocar el piano y a bordar. Es insensato condenarlas o reírse de ellas si buscan hacer más cosas o aprender más de lo que la costumbre ha señalado que es necesario para su sexo."

Y pensar que este libro se publicó por primera vez en 1847!!!

Traducción al castellano de acá.
Book cover by Richard Clifton-Dey for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Puffin Classics, 1994

Evita me ama

Dear readers, I do not wish to make any political statements on this blog, as I truly believe everyone is entitled to their opinion and I don't want to inforce any of my own political ideas [at least not through here :)], but I just stumbled upon this Argentine book for first graders and thought you would like to see some pages and make your own personal appreciation, 'cause I know you love to think! So on this Tuesday morning I'm just going to make you THINK from your own perspective. Enjoy!! :D Click on images to see larger (If you need the translation into English just e-mail me and you'll hae it in a heart bit!)

Queridas, no quiero emitir ningún tipo de opinión política en este blog ya que creo que cada uno tiene derecho a sus propias opiniones y no quiero meterles mis propias ideas [al menos no en este blog :)], pero encontré este libro argentino de lectura de primer grado y me pareció que les gustaría ver algunas páginas y poder hacer su propia apreciación, porque sé que les encanta pensar! Así que en esta mañana de martes sólo las voy a hacer PENSAR desde sus propias perspectivas. Disfruten!! :D - Click en las imagenes para ver más grande.