The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

Javier Marías (1951 - )

One of Spain's most celebrated novelists.

Bibliography:

- Los dominos del lobo (1971)
- Voyage Along the Horizon (Travesía del horizonte, 1973)
- El monarca del tiempo (1978)
- The Man of Feeling (El hombre sentimental, 1986)
- All Souls (Todas las almas, 1989)
- While the Women Are Sleeping (Mientras Ellas Duermen, 1990; stories).
- A Heart So White (Corazón tan blanco, 1992)
- Written Lives (Vidas escritas, 1992)
- Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me (Mañana en la batalla piensa en mí, 1994)
- Bad Nature, or With Elvis in Mexico (Mala Indole, 1996; novella)
- When I Was Mortal: Stories: (Cuando fui mortal, 1996)
- Dark Back of Time (Negra espalda del tiempo, 1998)
- Your Face Tomorrow 1: Fever and Spear (Tu rostro mañana 1. Fiebre y lanza, 2002)
- Your Face Tomorrow 2: Dance and Dream (Tu rostro mañana 2. Baile y sueño, 2004)
- Your Face Tomorrow 3: Poison, Shadow, and Farewell (Tu rostro mañana 3. Veneno y sombra y adios, 2007)
- The Infatuations (Los enamoramientos, 2011)
- Thus Bad Begins (Así empieza lo malo Así empieza lo malo, 2014)
- Berta Isla (2017)

I wanted to start a Marías thread because I'm very jealous of you in the U.K. who can just go pick up his book right now. In the U.S., we have to wait until November 1. I can't wait!

But, besides that jealousy, I also wanted to start this as a general place for me to share thoughts as I dive deeper into Marías's work. I've read the Your Face Tomorrow trilogy, The Infatuations, and many of his stories, as well as the novella Bad Nature, or With Elvis in Mexico, and I need to step back and read his earlier works. I've even been thinking of hosting a blogathon sometime in 2016 on Marías (though I'm not sure I'm up to the challenge of coordinating that).

Anyway, I am not sure just when I'll get around to the books, but all should feel free to share their thoughts on this author or any of his books.

Trevor, I too am anxiously awaiting the new Marías. My favorite book of his thus far has been Dark Back of Time, although I read it so long ago that I couldn't tell you why I loved it.

Paris Review interview with Marias - as usual very useful.

http://www.theparisreview.org/intervi...

Trevor wrote: "I wanted to start a Marías thread because I'm very jealous of you in the U.K. who can just go pick up his book right now. In the U.S., we have to wait until November 1. I can't wait!

But, besides ..."

My review of 'Thus Bad Begins' will be out next week, but I hate to tell you that it's not overly positive - this is not one of his better books...

I wonder if, at the risk of sounding trite, we reached peak Marias with the trilogy. I wasn't that impressed with The Infatuations either - felt like nothing new that he hadn't said before (even the female narrator didn't really work).

Still, below average Marias is still well above average vs. most.

Paul wrote: "Still, below average Marias is still well above average vs. most."

I feel this way as well. I'll take Tony's thoughts as a healthy "don't get your hopes up," which will hopefully help me enter the book with the right frame of mind to be pleasantly surprised!

Just posted on 'Thus Bad Begins' :)

I've think I've read everything that's been translated. My rankings of those - which fall into three groups outstanding / very good / decent, the latter group mostly being the short stories and the non-fiction:

1 A Heart so White
2 Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me
3 Dark Back of Time
4-6 Your Face Tomorrow – volumes 1-3 (can’t really split them)
-------
7 Thus Bad Begins
8 Berta Isla
9 All Souls
10 The Man of Feeling
11 The Infatuations
------
12 Written Lives
13 Between Eternities
14 When I was Mortal
15 To Begin at the Beginning
16 Bad Nature, or with Elvis in Mexico
17 While the Women are Sleeping
18 Voyage Along the Horizon

And Trevor - your list is, I think, missing Bad Nature, or With Elvis in Mexico (Mala Indole) and While the Women Are Sleeping (Mientras Ellas Duermen, 1990).

Thanks -- those are even two I've read!

Just so everyone knows, I'd love help making the top posts as comprehensive and helpful as possible!

Tony wrote: "Just posted on 'Thus Bad Begins' :)"

For those who want the link, here you go!

I don't mind if people link to their reviews, though I know it can feel a bit self-promoting. If you feel discomfort, it probably means it's okay for you to do it!

Still can't wait to read it, Tony!

Trevor wrote: "Still can't wait to read it, Tony!"

Good to hear - let us know what you think :)

Here is an interesting long essay by Jordan Anderson: "The Limits of Human Memory: On Proust and Javier Marías."

As I sit here waiting for a copy of Thus Bad Begins to arrive!

I really liked While the Women are Sleeping - but I didn't like All Souls. What would you recommend next?

Though I haven't read many of them, it looks like it is worth stepping back and reading more of his earlier work. Paul's ranking above is in line with what I see most people count as his best work. A Heart So White, then! I do love the Your Face Tomorrow trilogy, so I can recommend that, but it is a commitment if you're unsure!

I was very surprised to learn in the latest episode of the Three Percent Podcast that Marias super-fan Tom Roberge did not even finish Thus Bad Begins. Another healthy dose of "don't get your hopes up"! Of course, I'm not the least dissuaded from reading it myself. In fact, this strangely made me more excited -- to give it my own evaluation!

He has a short non-fiction book Venice, An Interior coming out in English this winter. I'd be interested to compare it with Peter Ackroyd's & Joseph Brodsky's takes on the city that I read last month.

Louise wrote: "I really liked While the Women are Sleeping - but I didn't like All Souls. What would you recommend next?"

Yes as Trevor says, A Heart so White or Tomorrow in the Battle are him at his best.

Although as you have read All Souls, your comment on not liking in notwithstanding, then Dark Back of Time is worth a read. It captures much of the flavour of the Your Face Tomorrow trilogy in a fraction of the pagecount. Whereas All Souls was a too simple story, Dark Back of Time provides a fascinating meta-fictional comment on All Souls.

Trevor wrote: "I was very surprised to learn in the latest episode of the Three Percent Podcast that Marias super-fan Tom Roberge did not even finish Thus Bad Begins. Another healthy dose of "don't get your hopes..."

Told ya ;)

Trevor wrote: "I don't mind if people link to their reviews, though I know it can feel a bit self-promoting. If you feel discomfort, it probably means it's okay for you to do it!"
The following is totally irrelevant for those who post reviews only on blogs, but (in case anyone didn't know) if a thread is attached to a book, saying at the top "This topic is about [title]", and the commenter has posted a review on GR, then their review can be accessed by clicking the bit in the name bar that says "rated it X stars" / "added it" .

Tony wrote: "Trevor wrote: "I was very surprised to learn in the latest episode of the Three Percent Podcast that Marias super-fan Tom Roberge did not even finish Thus Bad Begins. Another healthy dose of "don't get your hopes up"
Told ya ;)

Just finished Thus Bad Begins and have to say I disagree. It's not his best novel yes, but that always reminds me of the Joseph Heller quote: when an interviewer pointed out that he hadn't written anything since as good as Catch 22, he retorted that neither had anyone else. Slots in at number 7 out of 15 in my ranking list.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I got my ARC from Knopf today. I must say that any negative words have done very little to dampen my enthusiasm. I just can't imagine not liking it, even if it isn't his best.

I recently read the new entry into Sylph Editions' Cahier series, Marias's To Begin at the Beginning . It's a really nice -- though very short -- look at Marias's frequent examination of what is "real" and what is possible to know as "real." I'd recommend it to Marias fans.

Trevor wrote: "I recently read the new entry into Sylph Editions' Cahier series, Marias's To Begin at the Beginning. It's a really nice -- though very short -- look at Marias's frequent examinatio..."

Thanks - that had passed me by - I had better read it given my claim to have read all his translated works!

There is also another book just out Venice, An Interior although seems like an extract from a larger book due in 2017

"Venice is taken from his forthcoming work, Between Eternities, which will be published in English translation by Hamish Hamilton in 2017."

My review of (the translation of) his last novel: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Trevor - if you see this would be good to update the bibliography to include it.

Just enjoyed a reread of 'Berta Isla' in preparation for trying 'Tomás Nevinson' - both looking forward to it immensely and slightly reluctant to open his last ever book...