Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer

Name: Isaac Bashevis Singer

Year Won: 1978

Read: Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories

Original Language: English (although most of his work apparently was in Yiddish)

Reason: "for his impassioned narrative art which, with roots in a Polish-Jewish cultural tradition, brings universal human conditions to life"

About: "Zlateh the Goat" is one of many short stories in a collection for short children by that name. All take place in rural Jewish communities (I'm guessing in Poland?) and cover silly, colorful characters basically going about their daily lives. A man dreams he is wealthy, eats all the treats for Haunakkah, tries (unsucessfully) to poison himself and is scolded by his wife. An elderly goat is sent to the slaughter, but then saves a child and is treated as a hero. Demons threaten, but never too harshly. These are all cute, if fairly prosaic stories.

What I liked: The short stories are cute and show a fun, rural slice of ordinary life. It's a rather refreshing view of the lives of ordinary people doing relatively ordinary things.

What I Disliked: I'm really not the audience for this book, which I think is mostly the 5-8 set.

Should it have won a Nobel: It's hard to tell. Based on this, no. But clearly children's stories weren't why Singer won the Nobel.

I suspect that, had I read his more "serious" work, I might not have liked it as much. Singer seems like the kind of person that the Nobel committee often awards prizes to because they "feel" this particular sort of thing deserves a prize. With that said, I might very much enjoy his other pieces, too. If nothing else, these stories were definitely enjoyable and not in the least pretentious, which if he extends to his adult novels, would be a refreshing change from many of those I've read as part of this project.

Next Up: "Eros, Eros, Eros" by Odysseas Elytis

"Poesia Completa" by Vicente Aleixandre

Name: Vicente Aleixandre

Year Won: 1977

Read: Poesia Completa

Original Language: Spanish

Reason: "for a creative poetic writing, which illuminates man's condition in the cosmos and in present-day society, at the same time representing the great renewal of the traditions of Spanish poetry between the wars"

About: "Poesia Completa" is a poetry anthology (quite long) covering the Aleixandre's poetry. So, as is true for most poetry collections, there is no plot...just poems. They are also all in Spanish, although a simpler, less literary Spanish than a number of the collections I've read.

What I liked: I found the poetry to be beautiful. The metaphors conjured up were often unique and startling. That they often did this simply and readably was a pleasant and enjoyable surprise. Although I haven't finished his anthology (poetry reading is slow...), I suspect I will given time. I really am enjoying his work.

What I Disliked: Nothing, really. I found this to a be a breath of fresh air. Literally.

Should it have won a Nobel: Probably, yes. I get that these are often awarded more because the committee was trying to make a point (I suppose in this case probably thinking that they hadn't properly recognized Spanish literature post civil war or somesuch), but I found these poems to be quite lovely. Of course, I did read them in a language not my own, which may mean that I'm misinterpreting their brilliance (what sounds startling and interesting to a non-native speaker might sound contrived or trite to someone with a better understanding of the language). But I still genuinely liked these, which seems to be an achievement of sorts.

Next Up: "Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories" by Isaac Bashevis Singer