<p>Yes, The Zahir and Eleven Minutes.</p>
<p>Did you like the books? I have an awful impression of Coelho.</p>
<p>Ehhhh... I read them for their controversial value. I took Modern Arabic Lit at Harvard and we discussed The Zahir b/c it had been banned in Iran (yes, I am well aware that Iran is not an Arab country). I decided to read it and found it interesting. I've also read some short stories, and have mainly been inspired to do so by the Catholic Church's condemnation of Coelho's work, as I am always interested in the complex relationship SA has with the Church and native religions. Generally I have found his work to be somewhat poorly written and not terribly original. This is just a lay-person's opinion, however.</p>
<p>That is a very good reason for reading Coelho. </p>
<p>Considering that I've never been able to finish one of his books, I might be a bit irrational when I say that I dislike him. It's just that one of the persons I respect the most confirmed my initial (and prevalent notion of Brazilian and Latin American writers and critics) that Coelho's books are all awfully similar, and that his books target the Latin American masses, in the same way as Colombian or Mexican telenovelas do. Maybe I should force myself to finish reading one of his books before I criticize him though.</p>
<p>No, I generally agree. Move on.</p>
<p>How about Kafka? I like his short stories and his disturbing relationship with his father... I can sometimes relate.</p>
<p>Kafka's great - i love metamorphosis, but I personally prefer Kundera. They're both Czech which is why I compare them even though they have different styles :D The Unbearable Lightness of Being is my favourite book!</p>
<p>Yeah I think I will continue with Spanish/Spanish lit in college. I do want to throw some Hebrew in there and (hopefully) Arabic too. My dream is know 10 languages by the time I'm 25. I like to keep it realistic. ;)</p>
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<p>Ten, wow. =p Well, good luck to you. Which ones do you want to learn most? If I could I would learn Icelandic, Norwegian and Russian as well, but I don't think any colleges offer the first two and I don't think I'll have time for the third. </p>
<p>Where in NY do you live?</p>
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<p>Ooh, I have polyglot aspirations too! I want to learn:
German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Swahili and Italian...</p>
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<p>I want to learn:</p>
<p>French, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish, Thai and Irish.</p>
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<p>Irish? Do you mean Gaelic?</p>
<p>no.... it's actually called Irish. Some people call it Gaelic, but that's actually incorrect. Linguists call it Irish. It is one of the Gaelic languages, but there is Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic, etc. I actually took a few Irish classes at the university here.</p>
<p>It's SUCH a cool language!!! It's hard to read/write though since the way it's spoken and the way it's spelled are completely different (at least that's what i think, lol).</p>
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<p>
[quote]
Yeah I think I will continue with Spanish/Spanish lit in college. I do want to throw some Hebrew in there and (hopefully) Arabic too. My dream is know 10 languages by the time I'm 25. I like to keep it realistic.
[/quote]
10 by the time your 25 is plenty realistic if you are the type that can pick up languages quickly. One of my friends here is fluent in five already as a freshman.</p>
<p>Gaelic names are beautiful. I remember finding a website once that taught one how to curse in Irish Gaelic: "May you fall and never rise." That's pretty badass.</p>
<p>They are gorgeous...</p>
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<p>i agree :)</p>
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<p>piratemonkey, thanks for the clarification. I did not know about different kinds of Gaelic. And Catfish, thanks for the encouragement, but I was not exactly expecting to reach that goal. Now, however, I just might give it a shot! :)</p>
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<p>go for it!</p>
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<p>haha you guys are all pretty ambitious--i'm still working on just mastering spanish, hehe. I really, really, want to study abroad in spain!</p>
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