domingo, 26 de abril de 2009

What if my canon is not the same?


Here you have a picture with literary works which weren't canonical at first but have already been included in that list: Yes, Westerners love lists! However, not all people wouldn't agree with me if I gravely confirm that all these authors are fully inserted within the canon. For example, Paul Auster... He's considered a literary genius in Europe (vive la France!) but not in his own country, the U.S.A. I consider him a fantastic writer as many other people, but why don't American literary experts think the same? Do we have a different sensibility? What are the parameters we use?

6 comentarios:

Carol A. dijo...

The Joy Luck Club es el Club de la buena estrella?
Ese me lo leí... Uno de muchos, algo es algo...
Oh oh , te has dejado algún que otro libro de Anne Rice... JAAAAAAJAJJAJAJAJAJJAJA (risa histérica)

David Leal dijo...

Yes, it is. Probably Amy Tan's best novel in my opinion. A wonderful mother-daughter web weaved between different generations with different backgrounds and cultures. It's a must and a pleasure to read (overall in English).
Anne Rice? Yeah, why not? But first, you should read vampire classics (Dracula, The Horla, Carmilla, etc). to know the basis..,and build your reading experience.

Carol A. dijo...

Leí muchos libros vampirícos, y lo intenté con Dracula, pero es que.. No llegamos a congeniar. Muchas cartas dentro de otras cartas, me dió dolor de cabeza y lo dejé en la estantería...

Anónimo dijo...

Auster rules!

Add Kogawa's "Obasan" to Tan's "Joy Luck Club". And, why not, Hong Kingston, eh?

Good job, "monstruo".

Coffeee soon? ;)

David Leal dijo...

I know what you mean. You probably had a preconceived perception of Dracula, vampires, etc. Those preconceptions sometimes make readers not enjoy the written works. I'm not saying this is your case, though. It's like "The Lord of the Rings" case: many people felt dissapointed when they approached the book: it wasn't the same as the film! Yes, it's the novel (hail imagination!). Of course, it happened the other way round: novel lovers felt disappointed with the film. In my case, I love both. I take into account that they are different media using different codes. HOwever, I have to say that I can't forgive Peter Jackson about the original soundtrack: where are Blind Guardian? Or is this my preconception as well?
By the way, going back to Dracula, one professor told me to read it once I had the cover wrapped (without seeing it) in order to avoid a false (or not so truthful) image. Try!

David Leal dijo...

Finally, you've come! I love your enlightening comments. Yes, I love Auster too: imagination and perfec literary and aesthetic basis that don't avoid his spontaneity as a writer!
Kogawa's "Obasan" (lovely novel that even made me cry) and Kingston's "The Woman Warrior" (magic realism!!)... Two masterworks... By the way, just in case,have you read my paper on "The Woman Warrior" (ha, ha, ha!