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Twenty Veinte
This is the first bilingual collection from J.D. Estrada. One half is in English while the other is in Spanish. Some people say that variety is the spice of life, so here's to one spicy offering.Esta es la primera colección bilingüe de J.D. Estrada. Tiene dos una escrita en inglés y la otra en español. Si te gustan los platos con variedad, pues muy buen provecho a ti, querido lector.
120 pages, Paperback
First published May 9, 2016
2 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
J.D. Estrada
24 books176 followersAfter years of working in advertising, I figured there were better ways to write fiction. Born on August 13th, I share birthdays with Alfred Hitchcock and Fidel Castro... an interesting coincidence since mom is Cuban and I love a good story.
Truth be told, ever since I was a kid I dreamt about being an inventor, I just didn't know I'd end up doing it using words. Where some people choose to invent new products, I’ve chosen to invent worlds through words.
In college, I studied psychology for 3 years before realizing that if I finished, I'd need a psychologist for myself. Not being too enticed by the whole full circle nature of that trajectory, I switched to Marketing, Advertising... and Psychology. Seems I just couldn't let it go.
A lover of Science Fiction and Fantasy, I’ve always loved writing and connecting with people. Mind you, although I love these genres, my reading tastes are as eclectic as my musical passions. So from rock to salsa to classical music, I also read and write in a variety of genres and am just as satisfied writing a review or a poem as I am working on my next novel. My obsession with the human aspect of who we are is deeply embedded in most of my work and my first book is no exception. Only Human is the first link within the Human Cycle, a three-book exploration of humanity through fiction.
I’m currently working on several projects, consistently put out free material on the blog (jdestradawriter.blogspot.com) and I rant with zest on Twitter via @jdestradawriter. I also have and instagram account (@jdestradawriter) if you want to see what I’m getting up to or what delicious beer I may recommend pairing with the book your reading.
My favorite band is Pearl Jam, I was born in Puerto Rico, I bodyboard and to me, playing a guitar is as therapeutic as a bleeding into a notebook with my pen. So by all means, visit, say hi and connect.
Peace, love and maki rolls.
JD
Truth be told, ever since I was a kid I dreamt about being an inventor, I just didn't know I'd end up doing it using words. Where some people choose to invent new products, I’ve chosen to invent worlds through words.
In college, I studied psychology for 3 years before realizing that if I finished, I'd need a psychologist for myself. Not being too enticed by the whole full circle nature of that trajectory, I switched to Marketing, Advertising... and Psychology. Seems I just couldn't let it go.
A lover of Science Fiction and Fantasy, I’ve always loved writing and connecting with people. Mind you, although I love these genres, my reading tastes are as eclectic as my musical passions. So from rock to salsa to classical music, I also read and write in a variety of genres and am just as satisfied writing a review or a poem as I am working on my next novel. My obsession with the human aspect of who we are is deeply embedded in most of my work and my first book is no exception. Only Human is the first link within the Human Cycle, a three-book exploration of humanity through fiction.
I’m currently working on several projects, consistently put out free material on the blog (jdestradawriter.blogspot.com) and I rant with zest on Twitter via @jdestradawriter. I also have and instagram account (@jdestradawriter) if you want to see what I’m getting up to or what delicious beer I may recommend pairing with the book your reading.
My favorite band is Pearl Jam, I was born in Puerto Rico, I bodyboard and to me, playing a guitar is as therapeutic as a bleeding into a notebook with my pen. So by all means, visit, say hi and connect.
Peace, love and maki rolls.
JD
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 28, 2016
Twenty Veinte is a wonderfully eclectic collection of short stories, essays and poems, funny, tragic and challenging. I've never encountered a bilingual collection before and found the whole concept in keeping with the all encompassing nature of the book. There is literally something for everyone.
The short stories are incredible. I'm not a boxing fan, but The Journeyman moved me deeply and I felt all the anguish and desperation of this richly crafted story.
J.D Estrada has a magician's touch with poetry, conjuring exquisite poems that range from the whimsical to the raw. There's a depth and integrity to his words I have never encountered in another writer and it makes for a uniquely rewarding experience.
The essays are in turn humorous, thought-provoking and at times controversial, but through them all is the philosophy that human beings have the capacity to rise above limitations and be more. If we are only limited by our imaginations then J.D Estrada has nothing to fear, his has jet propulsion! A tour de force!
The short stories are incredible. I'm not a boxing fan, but The Journeyman moved me deeply and I felt all the anguish and desperation of this richly crafted story.
J.D Estrada has a magician's touch with poetry, conjuring exquisite poems that range from the whimsical to the raw. There's a depth and integrity to his words I have never encountered in another writer and it makes for a uniquely rewarding experience.
The essays are in turn humorous, thought-provoking and at times controversial, but through them all is the philosophy that human beings have the capacity to rise above limitations and be more. If we are only limited by our imaginations then J.D Estrada has nothing to fear, his has jet propulsion! A tour de force!
August 8, 2019
Finished this book during my summer vacations. It's a bilingual collection of poems, short stories and essays. The first half is written in English and the second half in Spanish. The topics for each literary genre are varied, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed reading through it.
I have read Estrada's poetry before, but only in English. I must admit his poetry writing in Spanish surprised me in a good way. The poetic voice sounds a bit different from the English one I would say. The poem I liked the most in the English section has to be "Marquis de Sade", which was the reason I bought the book. Estrada mentioned on Facebook he wrote a poem inspired by the movie Quills and me being a fan of the film had to read such poem. I like how the ending words sound:
"My arm for a quill,
My soul for a pen.
With ink as my tool,
And a muse for a friend."
Some of the poems in the Spanish section had a classical hint to them, with some rhyming and traditional imagery, like in "Mi cultivo":
"Cultivo rosas negras
En valles blancos de papel.
La tinta es mi perla, Mi obra es mi taller."
The essays are the author's take on different topics. I enjoyed reading them, in both languages. As usually happens, not all the opinions contained in the essays hit home, but they were well articulated and delivered with a type of humor I can appreciate.
Estrada's short stories in Spanish are fascinating. The narrative voice plays with colloquial phrases, humor and descriptions that place the reader in the precise place and time. If I had to choose a favorite story, it would be "Cambio de carril". It's the story of a person who is stuck in traffic in Puerto Rico's metropolitan area and, while they to try to get on time to work, reflect on how little actual living they have been doing. I find it a very moving existentialist tale.
I really enjoyed this book. Honestly, I was looking forward mostly to the poetry, but ended up highlighting parts from all three genres. I do hope to read more of Estrada in Spanish.
I have read Estrada's poetry before, but only in English. I must admit his poetry writing in Spanish surprised me in a good way. The poetic voice sounds a bit different from the English one I would say. The poem I liked the most in the English section has to be "Marquis de Sade", which was the reason I bought the book. Estrada mentioned on Facebook he wrote a poem inspired by the movie Quills and me being a fan of the film had to read such poem. I like how the ending words sound:
"My arm for a quill,
My soul for a pen.
With ink as my tool,
And a muse for a friend."
Some of the poems in the Spanish section had a classical hint to them, with some rhyming and traditional imagery, like in "Mi cultivo":
"Cultivo rosas negras
En valles blancos de papel.
La tinta es mi perla, Mi obra es mi taller."
The essays are the author's take on different topics. I enjoyed reading them, in both languages. As usually happens, not all the opinions contained in the essays hit home, but they were well articulated and delivered with a type of humor I can appreciate.
Estrada's short stories in Spanish are fascinating. The narrative voice plays with colloquial phrases, humor and descriptions that place the reader in the precise place and time. If I had to choose a favorite story, it would be "Cambio de carril". It's the story of a person who is stuck in traffic in Puerto Rico's metropolitan area and, while they to try to get on time to work, reflect on how little actual living they have been doing. I find it a very moving existentialist tale.
I really enjoyed this book. Honestly, I was looking forward mostly to the poetry, but ended up highlighting parts from all three genres. I do hope to read more of Estrada in Spanish.
August 1, 2020
¡Hola lectores y lectoras! Hoy les vengo hablar sobre el libro Twenty Veinte del autor puertorriqueño JD Estrada. Este libro es una recopilación de poemas, ensayos y cuentos cortos. Pero lo mas curioso es que son bilingües. La primera parte del libro es en inglés y la segunda en español. Este libro es muy interesante ya que los temas que toca son muy cotidianos y perfectos para comenzar una conversación. Es un libro que me entretuvo y muchos de los temas que se presentan me hicieron reflexionar. Pienso que es perfecto para el verano ya que es una lectura ligera pero amena y sin duda te hará reflexionar sobre temas de la vida.
October 10, 2019
This book is a bilingual collection of essays, short stories and poems, each one a stand alone piece, not a translation. My favorites were the short stories. One occurs during a maddening traffic jam in Puerto Rico just before punching in at the job. Estrada conveyed the sights, sounds, thoughts of the driver vividly then packs a punch at the end. Another favorite was the story of an over-the-hill boxer. My favorite poem is also the title of the book, Twenty/Veinte, in which the author displays his playful mastery of both languages. Full disclosure: I met the author once.
June 3, 2017
Loved the idea of it being a bilingual book. It has just the right amount of comedy and seriousness. Wonderful collection of poems, short stories and essays. One of my favorite Puertorrican authors.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews