Since starting this blog, we tend to give semi-regular updates on how our Spanish skills are progressing. I thought I’d take the opportunity to give another based on a recent achievement – I read my first book in Spanish. A real book bought from a real bookstore; not something you might read as part of your studies (i.e., a book with a particular skill level in mind – these exist, and I did read one a while back). Here’s how it happened.
We read the local paper, the Diario Vasco, about four times a week. Both to keep informed about local and national events and to keep our Spanish skills sharp. Overall, its level of writing is closer to USA Today than the NY Times. We can read it cover to cover but still have issues with articles about politics and the economy – more on a conceptual level than a linguistic one because there are significant differences between various aspects of the systems here and in the US. The editorial pages can be difficult, but we don’t focus on them much other than letters to the editor.
A few months back there was an article about a new book written by a Basque journalist, Mikel Ayestaran, who is a Middle East correspondent living in Jerusalem. I read the article and was intrigued to see if I could read and enjoy the book, Jerusalén, santa y cautiva – Desde el corazón de la Ciudad Vieja a la eternidad (Capitalization in Spanish has odd rules. “Jerusalem, Holy and Captivating – From the Heart of the Old City to Eternity”). Having lived in Jerusalem for a year (1989-1990) and visited many times, the topic is familiar territory, and I thought it would be interesting to get a totally different perspective on the city.
I downloaded a sample of the book on my Kindle to see if the writing was manageable and it was. I then went and bought a copy from a wonderful local bookshop. The book recounts the author’s experiences and focuses on each quarter of the Old City, its holy sites and history. It was broken up into brief chapters and sections. I gave myself two months to finish it. Lo and behold I finished sooner.
I enjoyed the book for many reasons. As expected, a Spanish, non-Jewish writer (who has not been indoctrinated about Israel in the manner that Jewish-American youth are) provided a distinct viewpoint that was edifying and candid. The writing was clean and easy to follow, an obvious benefit of a journalist author. His anecdotes were entertaining and the details intriguing. His experiences were both familiar and foreign. I had to use my dictionary plenty of times, but less often than I might have expected because the subject matter was known to me. I laughed at some of the Spanish vocabulary – he used “sequéles” for shekels, which confused me momentarily because I read it is sequels.
It was such a positive experience that I wanted to get another book; but how to choose? Non-fiction is the easier option due to a more direct writing style, yet I wasn’t sure in what direction I wanted to go. I went back to that charming bookstore to ask for a recommendation. My new friend, Santi, one of the managers, remembered me and was more than happy to help. He recommended Los senderos del mar, Un viaje a pie (Paths by the Sea, a Journey on Foot) by Maria Belmonte, about the author’s experience hiking the Basque coast and I thought it would be perfect. Once again, a familiar and interesting topic. I’m working my way through it now.
We can read certain books, we can watch some television without subtitles, and recently we have navigated some more complex medical appointments. After nearly four years here, our Spanish is getting there!
Hasta pronto,
Shana
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