This is a historic cafe on Las Ramblas. Situated opposite the Liceu Theatre, Cafe de l'Opera has a sumptuous modernist interior with neo-classical details, and offers a relaxed ambiance for enjoying one of Barcelona's most emblematic streets.
CAFE EL COMERCIAL in Madrid
Founded in 1887, this cafe is the oldest continuously operating cafe in Madrid - was popular with impoverished writers and became an intellectual refuge during Franco's rule. It still retains a bohemian air.
CAFE LES DEUX MAGOTS in Paris
Now a popular tourist spot, Les Deux Magots is known as Hemingway's favorite spot in Paris. But the St. Germain-des-Pres cafe also served many other legendary writers and artists, including Rimbaud, Simone de Beauvoir, André Gide, Jean Giraudoux, Jean Paul Sartre, and even Picasso. It's one of the oldest cafes in Paris, and pays tribute to its old but polished heritage in its current design and character.
Books are much more than words on printed paper in John Latham's work. Submitted to various demolishing processes, books come to signify the compounding of scientific, philosophical, political and religious ideas that articulate the world we live in, and by extension, our selves.
Latham Cluster 11 (1992)
Film Star (1960)
The Burial of Count Orgaz (1958)
Five Sisters Bing (1976)
God is Great 1 (1989)
Though dismissed by some critics as anarchic, Latham's use of books helps us reflect on the way culture has shaped and framed existence and how this frame can be changed by submitting meaning to what he calls an "event", an elusive present: life at its purest, which can neither be framed or shaped by culture, but which nevertheless guarantees questioning and change.
Art and Culture (1966-69)
Art and Culturewas Latham's most radical subversion of the idea of books and artworks as dead objects. This piece is a materialozation of art as action: In 1966, Latham borrowed a copy of Clement Greenberg'sArt and Culture — a work that held something of a cult status at that time — from the library of Saint Martin's School of Art, where Latham was employed as a part-time lecturer. At a party Latham invited students to chew pages from the book, and then distilled the resulting pulp into a clear liquid. This process took several months, and Latham began to receive letters from the library demanding its return. Latham presented a vial of the fermented book-pulp to the library, but this was rejected and his teaching contract was not renewed. The vial and correspondence became an artwork of its own, displayed in a leather case; the piece is now in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
For more detailed information, read an 1987 interview to Latham, "Books for Burning" here:
An emblematic cafe at the heart of the old town that for more than 25 years has hosted concerts and art exhibitions. An ideal place to have a literary chat!
CAFÉ DERBY in Santiago de Compostela
Opened in 1929, this modernist cafe used to have renowned writers among its clients such as Valle Inclán, Dieste and Díaz Pardo.
CAFÉ MAJESTIC in Porto
Another treasury cafe. Opened in 1921, it was the first Portuguese cafe that admitted women as clients!
Do you like going to places with a literary background? I LOOOOVE it! Some examples that I absolutely loved... the one above, in New York, The Cornelia Street Cafe, an artists' café. Within a month of its opening, there were
poetry readings and music performances; and then a tiny play written for the
café; and fiction writers; and Eskimo poetry; and puppeteers; and a
living portrait of James Joyce; and the Four Quartets and the entire Iliad; and
mime shows on the street outside the café; and comedians; and fairy tales
and storytellers and Punch and Judy shows.Nowadays, it hosts more than 300 events a year. And food is delish!
Another fave, The Café Louvre in Prague. Frequented by Einstein or Kafka.Today, you can still ascend the spacious staircase with
its walls clad in marble with its Secessionist iron handrail, decorated
with stylish mistletoe twigs, to the café on the first floor.
There, visitors used to be welcomed by "the great world’s
beauty, emphasized by impressive electric globes” and a "black man in a
tailcoat".
Coffee and cakes are great and, you know what? They still provide notepads and paper in case the muse brings your inspiration along. What about you all? Any places you'd recommend?
Now that the voting process is closed, let us announce the WINNERS of the 2nd MINI SAGA CONTEST:
1st PRIZE: "Superman" by LUIS ANXO SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA
2nd PRIZE: "Cries of Pain" by TATIANA RODRÍGUEZ BLANCO
3rd PRIZE: "Always Together" by BEGOÑA RODRÍGUEZ DE LA FUENTE
Here you a photo of the authors with their prizes:
SPECIAL THANKS to the other FINALISTS for their wonderful mini sagas. And thanks as well to all of you who have voted for your favourite, thus helping us to choose the winners.
FINALISTS
"American Logic" by Paul David Silva Pérez
"A War Tragedy" by Carolina Núñez Balirac
"Such is Life" by María Dolores López Rodríguez
"Honey for the King To Be" by Paul David Silva Pérez
"How Things Change" by Alicia Souto Vecino
"Motherly Love" by Verónica Boo Martínez
"A Clear Issue" by Encarna Mariño Villa
"A Young Girl's Hopeless Dream" by Pedro Millán Pérez
"The Missionary Position" by Paul David Silva Pérez
If vampires once represented a fear of sexuality, what do they mean to our more liberated era? Why is the vampire such an attractive character to us?
Here's a comment:
"I may be biased as it was my suggestion that came out of the hat but I'm glad that we're looking at these books. For me, Dracula by Bram Stoker
is the scarier of the vampires - I first read it when I was 18 during a
really hot summer and refused to sleep with the window open at night
just in case. Wasn't until I got to the end of the book that I allowed
air into my bedroom. I want my vampires to scare me and Dracula
definitely did – a big part of this was because he didn't actually
appear that often. So much of the terror and suspense was in the
perceptions of the Harkers, Lucy, Van Helsing and so on. This made it
scarier for me, as a big part of terror is fear in the mind and often
the reality is less scary. Not having Dracula around so much meant that
he could be as scary as the imagination would let him be. And all the
gothic associations add to that.
On the other hand, Edward and the
Cullens are around and by getting to know them you sympathise with them
and see that they are just misunderstood. And the other vampires that
the Cullens meet who aren't as pleasant and vegetarian still don't have
that scare factor, and secretly even when the blood hits the fan you
know that everyone will be all right at the end and come through
unscathed …
I like them both, but as for me vampires are meant to
be scary and I want to be frightened so much I daren't open the window
until I reach the end of the book, Dracula wins the fight. Having said
that, I probably would prefer it if Robert Pattinson appeared on my window sill rather than Christopher Lee …"
As for me, I LOVE Dracula's novel, and the characters in it (not only the Count himself, but also Renfield, Van Helsing,...). I recently re-read it after 8 years from my first read and the novel is still charming and the characters haven't lost their allure. However, it scares me to death and I have dark thoughts when driving across the woods on foggy nights - no kidding.
I haven't read Twilight, but I have watched the first two movies, which I didn't care for too much. I am currently watching The Vampire Diaries and I don't especially love it either... I guess I'll stick to the original!
What about you? Do you prefer good old-fashioned Dracula, Edward Cullen, Stefan and Damon Salvatore or none of them?
To mark the centenary of Bram Stoker's death, we joined a conference at Keats House in London's Hampstead where the great and the ghouls of vampire scholarship joined up for two days of talks.
Stoker's
great-grandnephew Dacre Stoker and the scholar Elizabeth Miller
introduced their new book based on the discovery of a set of journals
written by Stoker in his early years.
Christopher Frayling explains why
he regrets vampires becoming mainstream, and writers Kevin Jackson and
Marcus Sedgewick exchange little-known vampire facts. We pay a visit to
the columbarium at Golders Green Crematorium where Stoker's ashes are
kept. Plus, we talk to the film critic and novelist Kim Newman about the
reissue of his cult series Anno Dracula.
The finalists of the 2nd mini saga contest have already been chosen.
Thanks a lot to all the 66 participants for their great stories!
It has been really difficult to pick out just 10 so in the end we have chosen 12 finalists.
Please, read the finalists below and vote for your favourite one with the gadget on the right.
The finalists with the highest number of votes will become the winners. There will be three prizes which will be announced on Wednesday, 25th April.
Thanks for your collaboration and ENJOY YOUR READING!
A clear issue
It comes again and again over its origin. After continuous and unavoidable changes, unappreciated, defiled, after walking long distances, It has the strength to come back and face its uncertain destiny, perhaps lost into the wet crowd or up in the sky. Renewable,clear, pure...straightforward, it´s water.
A war tragedy
April, 1937. A Spanish town. Roberto, aged 16, is playing a football match in a forbidden pitch. Suddenly, gunshots are heard so the players start running. Soldiers chase them and soon shoot them all. When the captain approached he could recognize Roberto, his only son, among the dead boys.
A young girl’s hopeless dream. A sad regret broke the silence, It came from a lonely maiden. She stopped reading the book And looked at the flowing brook, “Oh!, tell me more, please, And I’ll give you a kiss”. “I read it”, sounded in the fog “I read it, I read it”, answered the frogs.
Always Together
I have patiently waited, having it so close... There is no way back, this is the time…I already feel it inside me, such a warm sensation... The waiting is turning me mad. I finally surrender to the smell. All my body is shaking. I can´t resist it! God Bless Caffeine!!!!
American Logic Jesus and Mary had everything they needed but they decided to remodel everything in their kitchen. They used the best materials and installed the best and most sophisticated appliances in the market. When the Kitchen was ready, Mary asked Joseph: What do you want to order, pizza or Chinese food?
Cries of Pain
I was there, surrounded by cries of pain. Making my way through that dark and wet place. I could feel I was being called out, someone was urging me to get out, to be free. Suddenly, there was light and silence began; my mother was tucking me in her arms.
Honey for the King-to-be
Princes John and James set off to hunt bears, but once in the forest each went his own way. John found a bear eating bee hive. He fired but missed the animal. A cry was heard. The bear and the bees fled. Brotherless, John savoured the royal honey all alone.
How things change
He’d never imagined he’d end up his days in a place like that. Through the window he could see the forest he used to walk through. He was a very good runner. Always the best.
- Hello, Mr. Wolf, you have to take your medicine, said Little Red Riding Hood.
Motherly Love
She runs through the forest. Branches hit her face. She breathes with difficulty. Sometimes, she stops and hears his strides. Suddenly, a shot crosses the air. Darkness. Her last thought is for her babies who are sleeping safely into her den. “Who will look after my five cubs?” she wondered.
Such is life
In the end she had to give up. After listening carefully to that monologue explaining the rules she tried to do the task once and again. It was an unreachable number. Fifty, no more, no less. She was only able to write stories of twenty five words with double meaning.
Superman?
A walk along Arenal Beach in Mallorca is always surprising. This time, pedestrians are looking up; the shouting and music from a hotel window are deafening. Suddenly, something falls down to the street. People are screaming: It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No! Plaff! It was a German doing balconing
The missionary position Before leaving, the missionaries gave saws to the natives so that they could saw trees easily. Years later, the missionaries returned. The natives gave thanks to them. The missionaries, excited, asked: Have you created a timber industry? No, we haven’t! We have spent the time we saved with our women.
LG has made no secret of its fondness for flexible e-paper, but those dreams became a reality, with the announcement of a six-inch display that promises to "revolutionize the e-book market." The malleable plastic display sports a resolution of 1024 x 768 and can bend at an angle of up to 40 degrees.
At just 0.7 millimeters thick, it's about one-third thinner than similarly-specced glass displays, and weighs in at 14 grams -- about half the weight of its glassy competition. LG also claims that the display is super durable, as evidenced by a series of successful drop tests from a height of 1.5 meters.
The plan going forward is to supply the display to ODMs in China, in the hopes of bringing final products to Europe by "the beginning of next month." For more details, check out the full press release after the break.
Hey there, Harry Potter fans! I guess you must be expecting J.K. Rowling's new book. Much to my shame I must admit I haven't read any Harry Potter books (and in fact, none of her other novels).
In case you can't wait until September 27th, here's a heads-up on The Casual Vacancy:
"When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty fa?ade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?"
Rowling's first novel following the mega success of the seven Potter novels, which center around the adventures of the beloved boy wizard, will be published as a hardcover and as an e-book.
The Casual Vacancy, the publisher says, will be "blackly comic."
The school is organizing a CHARITY BOOK FAIR to celebrate the BOOK DAY. It will take place Monday 23rd, Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th of April and you'll be able to buy donated books in different languages for a symbolic price. The money collected will be given to theCocina económica de Santiago de Compostela.
You can donate the books you no longer use by leaving them in conserxería in Vite no later than Friday, 20.
Do you like reading short stories? I loooove them! Eugenia Rico has really good ones too.
Here's an interview with her with some interesting thoughts on the genre, such as this one:
"El cuento es literatura en estado puro. El cuento es como un relámpago que ilumina la noche y nos deja recordando lo que vimos con los ojos cerrados. El cuento es una historia que comienza a suceder en tu cabeza en el mismo momento en que se termina su última página."
Last week the International Theatre Institute (ITI) celebrated the WORLD THEATRE DAY.
John Malkovich was invited by the ITI in Paris to deliver a message on the power of theatre to intensify cultural exchanges worldwide and expand our view of ourselves and the world around us.
Here you have his speech:
Why not celebrate this day going to the theatre? I recommend the adaptation of HAMLET performed in three languages (English, Galician and Spanish) in ZONA C in Santiago de Compostela. For more information, go to:
A mini saga is a story told in exactly 50 words (plus a title of up to 15 words), which appeals readers through the use of irony, word puns and unexpected turns. They are alternately known as microstories and ultra-shorts.
The idea was originally made up by writer Brian Aldiss (Norfolk, UK 1925)
Below you have the finalists in the 1st MINI SAGA CONTEST in 2009. Enjoy!
Utter Loneliness by Marta Rodríguez
It was the 31st of December and there were no colleagues to eat out with. No friends to go clubbing with. No family to celebrate the New Year with. In her mobile phone only one contact.Soledad dialled but the network was engaged: she was even too busy for herself.
Noise at Midnight by Ana Sende
He arrived home from work. His wife was already in bed. He fell asleep but woke up after a while: “I’ve told you many times I don’t want the dog to sleep with us” he said.“The dog is outside” she replied sleepily. “Then who is snoring under the bed?”.
The Danger of Humans by Ana Bautís
The little dinasour put herself into bed. She was aching all over. Against her parents’ advice she had gone to the nearest human city. Many times had she been told how dangerous humans were, and how true it was! Humans were a danger to her belly, they were so indigestive!
The Day Had Come by Senda Reguera
He had been waiting for so long for summer to come! After cold months at the boarding school, there he was, facing the sea in all its magnificent splendor. He was about to plunge into the water when he heard a voice: “David, wake up! It’s your first day of school!
To Live or Not To Live by Cristina Fraga
Simon used to have a healthy lifestyle. There were only two habits he was worried about: Smoking and drinking on Saturday.Yesterday, he read a sentence which radically changed his mind: One cigarette makes life two minutes shorter. One whisky… four minutes. One working day makes life eight hours shorter.
Coffee Break by Victor Álvarez
Mr. Smith was furious: His first computer had broken the very first time he used it! He stormed into the shop and complained about it. “Where is exactly the problem?” the assistant politely replied. I tried to place my coffee on the cup holder but it spilled it all over!
Deadly Mushrooms by Cristina Fraga
Uncle John was an expert naturalist. On his way home, after a long day picking mushrooms he met Peter the Brave: "Can I try them?" Peter asked him. "Sure you can, but ONLY ONCE!". Peter tried one indeed but its poison killed it before he could try the second one.
Breathless by Yago González
When his hand surrounded her neck she was trembling. He was so calm moments ago that she didn’t see where it came from. She just felt how the air that was in her lungs was leaving her, she couldn’t do anything about it. He was indeed such a good kisser.
Participate in the EOI Santiago 2nd mini saga contest: http://novelteaclub.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/2nd-mini-saga-contest.html
