This new business of translating from Spanish into English is getting me into non-stop trouble. “Entre tiempo” is one of those expressions that doesn’t have an easy translation. It looks like something about the weather (el tiempo) or time on the clock (also tiempo), but although it’s related, it’s neither one. It has to do […]
An Echo
It’s hard to believe, but this past winter it was twenty years since Peter’s death. Despite wanting to remember him on his birthday and not on the day he died, this year was different and I was aware of this ominous anniversary. Some people ask me why do I want to remember him at all? […]
The First Snowfall Again *
I guess I am keeping my “non-new year resolution.” I have started the translation of A Night at Home and I finished the opening story, “The First Snowfall,” which I’ll summarize for you here. It happened when my family moved from warm Mediterranean Valencia to much colder Madrid. Much to my family’s dismay, my parents […]
Reading the Room
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions; it’s two weeks into January and this subject seems out of date already. Of course, I have lists all over the place: shopping, answer emails, items for taxes… What I really want to do this year it’s to translate my first collection of short stories, Una noche en casa, […]
Twelve Lucky Grapes
Of all the Spanish traditions I have written about in my blog, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned about eating the twelve grapes on New Year’s Eve, our “Nochevieja.” Spaniards eat each grape as the clock strikes midnight in order to have good luck in the coming year. Depending on whom you ask, the twelve […]
Breathless: Take Two
The 34th Philadelphia Film Festival last month was wonderful. Out of the one hundred plus films I saw fourteen. Junior varsity ranking compared to the badge holders, but I chose well. La Grazia by the Italian visionary Paolo Sorrentino was one of my favorites as well as Calle Málaga with iconic Carmen Maura still beautiful […]