Memories of My Melancholy Whores

Book Description

Critics

• A sad affair

  Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel García Márquez translated by Edith Grossman 115pp, Jonathan Cape, £10 Shortly before his 90th birthday, the anonymous hero of Gabriel García Márquez's new novella, a columnist for a smalltown newspaper, dec ... (read full critics)

  guardian.co.uk published on Sat, 25 Sep 2010

• Memories of My Melancholy Whores-- book review

  Memories of My Melancholy Whores Gabriel Garcia Marquez translated by Edith Grossman Knopf Hardcover 128 pages October 2005 It’s a concept that practically screams “Ick!” at the top of its lungs: a 90-year-old man, hearing the ticking clock of mortal ... (read full critics)

  curledup published on Tue, 7 Sep 2010

9 Reviews

• 3 people find this helpful

  

  Everytime I try and read a book by South American "magic realists" I regret it.

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  [The man formerly known as] Aba said on May 31, 2007 | Add your feedback

• 1 person find this helpful

  We could just say this tale is just pure fantasy considering the sexual drive of the 90 year old male protagonist. Apart from that, I guess it's a novel on sex as substitute of love;or maybe just about despair for companionship no matter how to obtain it; or maybe about an unideal type of love; , or ... (continue)

  We could just say this tale is just pure fantasy considering the sexual drive of the 90 year old male protagonist. Apart from that, I guess it's a novel on sex as substitute of love;or maybe just about despair for companionship no matter how to obtain it; or maybe about an unideal type of love; , or maybe it's actually about fear to love and compromise with someone;or about self-discovery before death comes... Maybe it's about all those things together. It's a quick read, a bit sordid, a bit detached, still a love story?

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  Marcial said on Jun 9, 2010 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• 

  This book was written in 2005 and Marquez was born in 1927, so the author was 78 years old at the time of publication. One can ask if this is a book about an old man's dream. Marquez is another author who doesn't appeal to all. I have read one of his other books 'One Hundred years of Solitude' wh ... (continue)

  This book was written in 2005 and Marquez was born in 1927, so the author was 78 years old at the time of publication. One can ask if this is a book about an old man's dream. Marquez is another author who doesn't appeal to all. I have read one of his other books 'One Hundred years of Solitude' which I enjoyed. The one theme that does seem to run between these two stories is love and sex in a debauched way. I like the South American writers, the way they write with ease about love, sex and lust which is central to many of their books. This book does not focus on folklore and spiritual beliefs which is also a common theme in Latin writing.
  Marquez' character is a selfish man, look at the odd relationship with his housekeeper. He does not want commitment with any woman, just a desire to fulfill his sexual needs. The story is well written and an easy read, but it may not appeal to everyone.

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  Booketta said on Apr 28, 2011 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• 

  The story is kind of depressing - who wants to hear an old man reminisce about the lovely whores he has slept with? This is a male's book, some references a la Lolita. Feminists beware. But I love Gabriel Garcia Marquez's language that I read this slim volume pretty quickly.

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  guiltlessreader aka screamingbanshee said on Dec 15, 2009 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• 

  Started with a quote from Kawabata 'The House of Sleeping Beauties' and probably will seem better after I re-read that.

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  huntch said on Oct 10, 2008 | Add your feedback

• 

  Though I read the English translation (by Edith Grossman) of this novella, the prose is beautiful in its simplicity. A very quick read, although I almost feel guilty for having read so fast--there certainly is much more to be gleaned from a slow and thorough second reading about what it means to lov ... (continue)

  Though I read the English translation (by Edith Grossman) of this novella, the prose is beautiful in its simplicity. A very quick read, although I almost feel guilty for having read so fast--there certainly is much more to be gleaned from a slow and thorough second reading about what it means to love, and how we let age and its expectations affect the lives we lead.

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  Chezmerelda said on Jul 7, 2008 | Add your feedback

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Book Details

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• English Books
• Paperback 128 Pages
• Edition: Reprint
• ISBN-10: 1400095948
• ISBN-13: 9781400095940
• Publisher: Vintage
• Pub date: Nov 14, 2006
• Dimensions: 1290 mm x 839 mm x 65 mm Just how big is that?
• Also available as: Hardcover, Others and eBook
• In other languages: other languages Livres Français, Deutsche Bücher, Libros en Español, Livros em Português, Libri Italiani, Nederlandse Boeken, Polskie Książki

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