Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez is a 1967 novel by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez that tells the multi-generational story of the Buendía family, whose patriarch, José Arcadio Buendía, founded the town of Macondo. The novel is often cited as one of the supreme achievements in literature.

Magical Realism: a literary genre or style associated especially with Latin America that incorporates fantastic or mythical elements into otherwise realistic fiction.

One Hundred Years of Solitude is an exemplary piece of magical realism, in which the supernatural is presented as mundane, and the mundane as supernatural or extraordinary.

Real and yet imaginary... a fantastical, yet believable story are you up for something completely different?

Completely different is a great description of the book-mesmerising is another word to describe it.

My husband bought me a beautiful edition of this book several years ago but I still haven’t read it! I also recently bought a book bag with this book on it, maybe in anticipation of loving it. I think once I finish my current library book reads, I will start this one!

I'm hoping to read this.

I started this a couple of years ago and got stuck. Might try to finish it with you guys. Magic realism just really isn't my thing 😅

Welcome back Anne! Glad to have you join in with us.

Piyangie it is on my hope list too!

I plan on reading this book too along with Our Man in Havana and The Hobbit buddy read I want to do:))

Great to have you join us, Nora.

Thanks so much, Rosemarie!

Welcome Nora! will be later in the month for me!

Excited to see how this turns out. I have not read it before but have heard a lot of good things. This will be my first magical realism.

I loved this book! The family tree in the beginning —I think they're included in all editions— will definitely come in handy. There's a lot of characters to keep track of, especially Aurelianos!

I have heard about the Tree and how it is handy to help keep track. The family name repeats too if I remember right Cait?

Lesle wrote: "I have heard about the Tree and how it is handy to help keep track. The family name repeats too if I remember right Cait?"

Yes, during the time that I read it, there would be times where I'd wait a few days before continuing it, and so when I returned to the book, I'd pause and think, "Wait, which generation am I on? What's the relation?"

I will keep that in mind Cait! Thanks :)

I started on this last night and of course fell asleep.

José is an opportunist. Every new invention he sees big dollar signs. Later has to sell it back to the Pan Handler. Úrsula seems to be much more level headed but abides by what José ask of her.

My edition is translated by Gregory Rabassa's, which Marquez thought was superior to his original novel.

I think the tree in front of the book should have been an index card to follow along with. (Which is what I am thinking I will do)
Instead of using the cloth ribbon as the bookmark the index card will suffice and follow with me!

I started it last night but only made it to page 3! I got distracted watching The Sandman. I’ll try again tonight. 😃

I hadn't planned to read this as there were a lot of books to get through in August, but I've decided to give it a try and hope to finish it by the end of the month.

That is great John!
I plan to get back to it when I finish Llano River. It is hard to put this one aside!

I'll try to start this tonight. It's been on my TBR for years now. I got the audio to make things easier for me. :)

That might be a good idea Piyangie.

I mean, adding the audio.

John wrote: "I hadn't planned to read this as there were a lot of books to get through in August, but I've decided to give it a try and hope to finish it by the end of the month."

Another good intention bites the dust! Not one of Glasgow's 33 libraries has a physical copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude, and they have only 1 e-book version - which currently has a 6 week wait. So I've added my name to the list , and hope to get to read it this year rather than this month!

John wrote: "John wrote: "I hadn't planned to read this as there were a lot of books to get through in August, but I've decided to give it a try and hope to finish it by the end of the month."

Another good int..."

Good thing the threads stay open John! We never know what bumps we are in for or what hurdles we have to cross.

I read it in college about 20 yrs ago.

I've started and read a little more than a quarter of the book. I don't know if my present mood is not ready for its intake, or if it's something else, but for whatever reason, I couldn't get into it. So, I've decided to stop for now and try it at a later date. If I read it now, I fear I might not do justice to it.

Joseph wrote: "I read it in college about 20 yrs ago."

I think it is time for a re-read Joseph!

Your are making the right decision Piyangie!

I’m just getting back to this one. I’ll try to not to get distracted by library books and TV shows! I own the book but I put the audiobook on hold. I rarely listen to audio but this might be a good one to help me get through it. I like to do a combination sometimes of reading and audio.

Pam wrote: "I like to do a combination sometimes of reading and audio...."

I think I might do the same thing. I have started this book before with no success in finishing it.

I listened to the audiobook of this and really enjoyed it. I found myself a little lost as to who was who at a couple of points but persevered and it (mostly) became clear. I’m not sure now if someone asked me to explain the plot or what happened I would be able to, but I really enjoyed the writing style and there are certain images that have really stayed with me. I think the audiobook was a good choice for me for this book.

This book is very different than anything I’ve ever read! But, I am enjoying it. I’m thankful that there is a family tree at the front of the book. I keep referring back to it, even in the beginning of the book. I’m on page 50. I found I need to read it without the TV on and have a solid block of uninterrupted time. It’s not the kind of book I can read while watching AGT. I have to really concentrate on what I’m reading. I do like the writing style. This is my first novel by Marquez. I read 1/2 of News of a Kidnapping, which is non-fiction, but for some unknown reason I didn’t finish it.

I started back up on my lunch.
Jose and Ursula and others are in search of a new homeland.

Darn if I didnt leave my book on my desk :(

I’ve gotten to the point of a disturbing relationship. Although, if you look at the family tree, it’s not a surprise. Also, I’ve seen reviews which talked negatively about the inappropriateness.

Both my husband and daughter have asked me what the book is about. At page 71, I’m still not sure how to answer the question! It seems like it’s a family history over 100 years.

Leslie - that’s annoying, I hope you’ve managed to retrieve it today.
Pam - I’ve got to the end and that’s still the best description I could give even now!
I’ve gone on to read A Chronicle of a Death Foretold since I finished and this was much easier to follow, although brutal in its content. I will definitely be looking for more of his works to add to my ever expanding pile :)

Georgina wrote: "Leslie - that’s annoying, I hope you’ve managed to retrieve it today...."

Yes I did thankfully!

Darn if I didnt leave my book on my desk :("
Lol, ever leave a book in the fridge?

Book Nerd wrote: "Darn if I didnt leave my book on my desk :("
Lol, ever leave a book in the fridge?"

I can honestly say not yet Book Nerd! I have opened the fridge door looking for something that does not belong in the fridge. Not placed there. Just looking? I was like what are you doing?

Does that mean you have?

I read the book earlier this year. I guess it's one of those books which you either like or don't like at all.

Here is my review if somebody is interested to read it (spoiler alert):
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have read that somewhere Armin.

I’m really enjoying Marquez’s writing style! I am very interested to read some of his work in Spanish, as a comparison, but will probably wait till next year.

I am curious why he keeps referencing the one individual and the firing squad. It’s been at least 5 times in 90 pages! I’m guessing this will be a significant event (of course) but the reader already knows it’s coming. Also, on the family tree, I see that Aureliano Buendia has 17 sons named Aureliano, but w no mother associated! Wonder what that means - 17 different mothers?! And, why the same name?

Aside: I just finished reading a Spanish picture book about the author. It’s titled Gabriel García Márquez Gabito by Georgina Lázaro. (In Latin America, Marquez is fondly know as Gabo or Gabito.) I absolutely loved it despite having to read much of into Google Translate! (My Spanish vocab didn’t include less common words like zurumbático (stunned/dazed), malabarista (juggler), and cachivache (junk) but… it does now!) The book provides details about Gabito’s life experiences that led him to writing and influenced his writing style. And, it’s written in verse (narrative poetry), so it has a beautiful sound, if you read in Spanish.

Pam I had noticed about the repeat story but I did not with the Aureliano Buendia sons of 17 and no mother. I hope it doe not mean 17 mothers!

I love the sound of Latin languages.

I hope next year to start with a duo book! So hopefully you and Luis will find a good one!

Lesle wrote: "Pam I had noticed about the repeat story but I did not with the Aureliano Buendia sons of 17 and no mother. I hope it doe not mean 17 mothers!

I love the sound of Latin languages.

I hope next yea..."

I hope so too.

Once the war starts, things get kinda crazy, especially with relationships! I think I now understand why the firing squad is mentioned so many times!

There is a scene (last paragraph 7th chapter, p.140) that I thought was beautiful (tiny yellow flowers falling from the sky) and a good example of Márquez’s magical realism style. Wonderful imagery!

I don’t like that the chapters aren’t numbered or titled. Usually. I find it helpful if I need to go back to find something. Since it’s a group read, I started taking notes while reading but I found it was slowing me down too much and I was losing interest. I’m going to have to rely more on my memory and maybe add a daily comment to this thread or my GR progress post.

I am in agreement about the blank portion for the new chapter. The first time I ran a crossed it, I was like paging back and forth looking for a number or something.

I was looking through my books getting all my Latin America, Spanish and Portuguese books on one shelf/area in my bookcase this morning.

I found that the audio book helped me immensely to get through. I read along as it went and seemed to keep me on track better. I found myself going back to research my lost characters. I was up till midnight last night and finished off just a moment ago.

I know why the genre is magical realism now. I understand it much better. It is so unbelievable at times that you still think it is possible. The realism you double guess it as probable but...

Ursula was that for me. Real, believable, likeable and I felt the most connected with her. Family is important to me too. she had kept the family somewhat grounded. Taking care of and cleaning like any great Matriarch does. I had wished the magical for Ursula, I wanted her to live forever, which well over one hundred really is, I still, knowing that, grieved for her character when she passed.

The author has some amazingly beautiful words that I found myself going back to.

Congrats Lesle on finishing! It’s really taking me a long time. I am waiting for a library hold for the audiobook but it may be too late by the time it comes in! I like the book but it’s not an easy read.

I think reading with the Audio book helped tremendously for me.

I kept losing focus.
In the beginning I could not tell you how many times I started over completely or just 3 or 4 pages back.

Audio seemed to sink in better as I read.