Of My Real Life I Know Nothing by Ana María Moix
Ana María Moix, one of Spain’s most well-known writers today, gives us a wonderful collection of short stories, translated by Sandra Kingery. Of My Real Life I Know Nothing is a series of shorts, each containing stories of heartfelt meaning that catches the reader by surprise at each and every ending. For me, nothing gives a short story more to remember it by than a great explanation-point finish, something substantial to catch you offguard.
Moix’s latest collection seems to start out in a more serious tone, with scenes of a tragic nature. As the book progresses, the stories take on more humor while still holding onto the introspective look at human failings. By the time the final story is reached, Mere Puppets, the reader will enjoy an outright humorous look at the varying personalities in a tour group in Italy. Mere Puppets, as funny as it is, continues to deliver the deep undercurrents of human nature one learns to expect, and looks forward to finding, in Moix’s work throughout Of My Real Life I Know Nothing.
If you’re as intrigued by the premise of this collection as I was, I have an extra copy to give away to one of you.
3 Ways to Win:
1.) Leave a comment telling me whether or not you’ve read any translated works lately. What would draw you to a translated work? (Be creative - while winners are drawn randomly, if the original winner doesn’t claim their prize, a new winner is chosen by originality of the comment.)
2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Simply place your email address in the little white box at the top of my sidebar on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)
3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.
Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Sunday, July 27, 2008, to enter.
Published by Latin American Literary Review/Press.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I periodically read One Hundred Years of Solitude, one of my favorite books
July 24th, 2008 at 12:29 am
I tend to be attracted to memoirs, my last translated text was back in school, Don Quixote by Cervantes, this sounds great, please enter me!
July 24th, 2008 at 1:10 am
I don’t know if I ever read a work that has been translated. (I guess the exception would be materials I read in college.)
July 24th, 2008 at 1:41 am
I’m not sure if I’ve read any translated work….but I do know that I enjoy writings regarding introspectives on life, philosophy, spirituality etc. I’m all about growth in any positive way!
I’d love to read this book, it sounds wonderful.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:05 am
No, I haven’t but this book sounds wonderful!
July 24th, 2008 at 7:40 am
never, i’d love to expand my horizons
July 24th, 2008 at 9:52 am
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July 24th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Yes. Candide. I loved it.
July 24th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Not yet. I plan to.
July 24th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Madam Bovary. It is a really good book.
July 24th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
no
THANK YOU GOD BLESS
July 24th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
No, I haven’t. Thanks.
July 24th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
The last translated work I read was the Divine Comedy (translated from Italian, of course).
July 24th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Like Desmond, the last book I read in translation is The Divine Comedy - I had one translation for “The Inferno” and a much better one for “Purgatory” and “Paradise”. The translation really does make a difference!
July 24th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I’m not sure if I’ve ever read any translated works, but I love to read so this would be the perfect excuse to try reading one!
July 24th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I’ve read some books by Russian authors - a good translation does make a difference. Thanks for the giveaway!
July 24th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Hi, I like the sketch work on her cover!
Actually, I have never read any translated books. Maybe, in my next lifetime. LOL…..Short stories are usually quite fascinating. I still remember the short stories class I took as a Freshmen in college! That is when I was introduced to Isaac Asimov! My degree is in Psychology and the workings of human nature is a hobby of mine. Please enter me in your book drawing. I really appreciate it. Thanks, Cindi
July 24th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
No, no recent translated works, I’d pay attention to those whose readers gave good reviews to a certain book
July 24th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
I have not read any translated works of late.
July 24th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I love reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s work…Beautiful. It amazes me that it translates as beautiful as it is in it native language.
July 24th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
i don’t think i’ve ever read a translated work…i like surprise ending though- please enter me in the giveaway
July 24th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
i havent read any translated work in quite some time
July 24th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
I haven’t read any in a long time actually! Just been reading novels lately!
July 24th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
no not yet
July 24th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I have read several translated works which I loved. The one I read recently was Codex632. This novel was compelling and took place in Lisbon,Portugal, Israel, N.Y. and was amazing. I also read The Shadow of the Wind.
July 24th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I often read novels in translation, either books from Spanish-speaking authors (Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez come to mind), or even English books translated into my own language, Italian. I was a student of Language and Translation studies and enjoy analyzing translations of literary works.
I also blogged about your giveaway here:
http://alessandrasplace.blogspot.com/2008/07/giveaways.html
July 24th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I have not read any translated works lately. What would draw me to a translated work is if it was a book that got a good review.
July 25th, 2008 at 3:08 am
[...] Ana María Moix’s Of My Real Life I Know Nothing from carp(e) libris reviews, deadline 27 July. [...]
July 25th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I have read many translated works. I find it works best if the translator is as talented as the author.
July 25th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
I would be drawn to a translated book if the story interested me…
July 25th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Yes, I read The Little Prince. I would definitely read another one if it was recommended to me by someone. I actually read this in both French and English and I did prefer the French version.
July 25th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
I have not read any translated works lately. Thanks so much for the opportunity.
I am also a subscriber.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I have read some books that were translated - mostly those in high school and college. I enjoy Japanese and Spanish poetry translated into English. I agree with Greg in his previous post that the translator needs to be as skilled as the author!
July 25th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
No, I haven’t but would love too. Beautiful cover.
gkstratos@ yahoo.com
July 25th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
I recently read The Story of the Root-Children by Sibylle Von Olfers. It’s a sweet story of Mother Nature & the Root-Children through the seasons.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
no
I need to read more
July 25th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I don’t believe I’ve read a translated book. I have watched subtitle films and definately enjoyed them. I do love to read. Sometimes, we become attracted to something quite by accident. Perhaps that is the case here
July 25th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I love Haruki Murakami’s stories - i often wonder if something gets lost in the translation though.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
i love reading new books!
July 26th, 2008 at 12:26 am
I don’t know if I’ve ever read a translated book but I like the idea of it. Great giveaway, thanks!
July 26th, 2008 at 12:43 am
Blogged ya:
http://mommyland512.blogspot.com/2008/07/win-copy-of-of-my-real-life-i-know.html
Thanks again!
July 26th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Haven’t read any translated wors yet,thanks.
July 26th, 2008 at 10:09 am
I haven’t read any translated books, but I’d be interested to do so!
July 26th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
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July 26th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Haven’t read any translated works lately. I’d read any that interests me and can be translated accurately as if the original writer wrote it, since much is lost in translation.
July 26th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
i read candide when i was in college. I’m certain I read others but i just can’t think of them right now. My mind is speaking a langage I don’t understand. i think it’s called sleep
July 26th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I read Camus’ “The Stranger”.
July 26th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I haven’t had time to read lately - what I have read would be more light reading. I am sure I have read a translated book at some time or another but none come to mind.
July 26th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
While I have not read any translated works lately, I can certainly understand the appeal as I have been drawn to works in translation in the past. I have read French (my favourite is Honoré de Balzac’s Old Goriot), and some Russian, and they never failed to delight. I think a work must gain something in translation, but it’s hard to say since I’ve never read the originals.
July 27th, 2008 at 12:37 am
I read a lot of translated works in college lit classes. I read “War and Peace” when I was on bedrest pregnant with my first son and “The Three Musketeers” while pregnant with my second son. “Night Train to Lisbon” is sitting on my dresser waiting to be read this week.
July 27th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I recently read Out by Natsuo Kirino, trnaslated from Japanese to English.
It’s a story about an abused wife who kills her husband in self defense.
Her coworkers help her dispose of his body by putting him into Japanese dumplings at the factory where the women all work.
I like to read Japanese novels translated into English because I haven’t learned how to read kanji yet.
July 27th, 2008 at 6:01 am
i never have.
July 27th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I read a translated book from arabic to english while on holiday, but it lost much in the translation. I want to read more translated works however, so thank you for a great giveaway!
July 27th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
I haven’t read any translated works lately.
July 27th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I haven’t read any translated works lately.
July 27th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I recently reah “Monkey” by
Wu Ch’Eng-En which is a folk novel translated from Chinese. It is just one of the books from ancient China that are roads into their glorious past.
July 27th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
I have not read any translated work. I would be very interested in reading this book as my husband is from Spain.
July 27th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I haven’t read any translated works lately.
July 27th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Haven’t read any translated works in fiction, many thanks love to know. This sounds tatalizing; love the charcoal print.
July 28th, 2008 at 1:46 am
I haven’t read any translated works lately. If the subject matter was something I was interested in then I’d probably take a look at it.
July 29th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Seriously, I don’t know if I have read any “formal” translated works, but I am drawn to characters who are “tortured souls”, and who use (sometimes, seemingly innapropriate) humor to transcend thier pain…. I am a nursing student, and I have the priveledge to witness, firsthand, the ability of laughter, gross humor, and over simplification to help ease peoples’ percieved pain…. this book sounds like it is right up my alley…. thanks!
July 29th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I have not read any translated works lately-I’d be very interested in reading this book