tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post3960190578242691751..comments2024-03-27T16:48:21.039-05:00Comments on Wuthering <br>Expectations: Portugal, Europe's Best Kept Secret - a first try at Ballad of Dogs' Beach by José Cardoso PiresAmateur Reader (Tom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-16375048168433313102012-05-08T16:32:33.615-05:002012-05-08T16:32:33.615-05:00Ah, I meant I was postponing Part II of my writing...Ah, I meant I was postponing Part II of my writing on Cardoso Pires, mixing in the Lobo Antunes novel to make my posts as incomprehensible as possible. I had definitely finished <i>Ballad of Dogs' Beach</i> before I started writing. I <i>assume</i> I had finished it before etc.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-22782523396052223192012-05-08T16:26:48.164-05:002012-05-08T16:26:48.164-05:00No, no, I mean Cardoso Pires' novel; you wrote...No, no, I mean Cardoso Pires' novel; you wrote you were going to postpone it, in the comment above.LMRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08538873868140070018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-21446550596448876282012-05-07T16:48:34.895-05:002012-05-07T16:48:34.895-05:00The Lobo Antunes? Yes, I think just a couple days ...The Lobo Antunes? Yes, I think just a couple days later. I think I was done <a href="http://wutheringexpectations.blogspot.com/2011/12/glassy-glitter-of-cheap-metaphors-i.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.<br /><br />This was all the way back in December? It seems more recent for some reason.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-49640802995856861232012-05-07T16:39:52.108-05:002012-05-07T16:39:52.108-05:00So did you ever finish this novel?So did you ever finish this novel?LMRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08538873868140070018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-1601542331750732462012-01-20T13:04:56.238-06:002012-01-20T13:04:56.238-06:00Yes, it's the mystery of the detective that...Yes, it's the mystery of the detective that's the interesting one, and a hard one to solve.<br /><br />I am afraid I will need to learn Portuguese, or maybe French, to read more Cardoso Pires.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-63443642235599468932012-01-20T05:52:59.593-06:002012-01-20T05:52:59.593-06:00A pointless investigation in a country where justi...A pointless investigation in a country where justice and the truth are irrelevant if they're harmful to the state. Makes me think of Costa-Gavras' movie <i>Z.</i> It's as if the novel knows the investigation will yield no consequences, so it focuses instead on Elias' psychology. A hard man to understand - is he pro-Salazar or just another soul trying to make a living? I loved his loneliness, when he calls a stranger just to have phone sex with her.<br /><br />Cardoso Pires was a great writer; it's a pity his short-stories aren't in English.Miguelhttp://storberose.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-40000975254823621432011-12-14T13:23:10.865-06:002011-12-14T13:23:10.865-06:00The "based on a real crime" (20 years ol...The "based on a real crime" (20 years old by the time the book was written) business suggests why the mystery works as it does. Whodunnit is known, whydunnit is known. So the important "why" questions are about all of the little details, which is also what non-mystery novels are about.<br /><br /><i>Alexandra Alpha</i> does not seem to be in English, although that title could've tricked me.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-8596974027745685992011-12-14T11:05:11.830-06:002011-12-14T11:05:11.830-06:00Only read one by him: "Alexandra Alpha",...Only read one by him: "Alexandra Alpha", which he wrote after Ballad. Ballad was actually based on a real crime (of Major Dantas).Alex (The Sleepless Reader)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03083761152675156469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-57500888653347093452011-12-14T09:58:10.797-06:002011-12-14T09:58:10.797-06:00Duly noted--thanks for the update.Duly noted--thanks for the update.Dwighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13688525659034403580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-20355093107266606402011-12-13T20:12:38.914-06:002011-12-13T20:12:38.914-06:00You know, I think I'll postone Cardoso Pires P...You know, I think I'll postone Cardoso Pires Part II and start in on this other novel about Salazar's time, the Lobo Antunes, even though I have not finished it. Whatever foggy argument I am trying to make will be clearer, I hope, clearer to me.<br /><br />Because, seraillon - yes, oh yes! This stream turns out to be deep, and I haven't even gotten to Saramago. Tabucchi's adoption of Portgual and Portuguese literature is a fascinating phenomenon. I definitely want to try him.<br /><br />So glad you liked the Botto.<br /><br />Dwight - I want to amend you comment and remove the "Fortunately". The way Cardoso Pires uses <i>and breaks</i> the mystery formula is brilliant. A relief, even. The novel does what the author wants it to do. No cornball climactic fight with the killer on top of <a href="http://wutheringexpectations.blogspot.com/2011/08/death-in-vienna-pretty-good.html" rel="nofollow">a Ferris wheel</a>.<br /><br />The Mendoza novel certainly sounds good.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-91655819869143934062011-12-13T17:29:10.600-06:002011-12-13T17:29:10.600-06:00This reminds me of another Salazar era novel (well...This reminds me of another Salazar era novel (well, set during the Salazar era), Antonio Tabucchi's "The Missing Head of Damasceno Monteiro." It takes places mostly in Oporto, not Lisbon, but little matter. It's a great Portuguese novel, despite its being written in Italian by an Italian. <br /><br />If you don't stop reviewing these intriguing Portuguese novels I may never get any other reading done (many thanks for the António Botto, by the way, which I've just read and re-read in a day).seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-68482057963507048672011-12-13T17:14:36.169-06:002011-12-13T17:14:36.169-06:00Interesting--reading this reminded me of The Truth...Interesting--reading this reminded me of <a href="http://bookcents.blogspot.com/2010/11/truth-about-savolta-case.html" rel="nofollow"><i>The Truth about the Savolta Case</i></a> by Eduardo Mendoza...set in Barcelona and meant to be a cautionary tale in post-Franco Spain by using the turmoil of the late 1910s/early 1920s. Fortunately the mystery part sounds better developed with Mendoza and the political part is clear without becoming grating. Yeah, I know...another recommendation for the TBR list is exactly what we all need.<br /><br />I'll have to keep an eye out for this...Dwighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13688525659034403580noreply@blogger.com