Rating: 
Summary: Stories by a Master
Review: This collection of twenty six stories by Nobel Laureate Garcia Marquez was first published as a whole in 1984, although the stories were previously published in three separate volumes. As a consequence, two translators are credited here: Gregory Rabassa for the stories from EYES OF A BLUE DOG and THE INCREDIBLE AND SAD TALE OF INNOCENT ERENDIRA AND HER HEARTLESS GRANDMOTHER, and J. S. Bernstein for the stories from BIG MAMA'S FUNERAL. Both scholars and avid followers will appreciate the chronological ordering of these tales as well as the dating of first publication from 1947 to 1972 to see the progression of a much heralded talent.As befitting the work of a master, every story is wonderfully told, with deft touches that make each memorable. Many, particularly the early stories, deal with death, particularly the separation of consciousness from the physical body, and many explore the messiness of love. Several combine the two. In "Death Constant Before Love," a politician suffering from a terminal disease falls in love with a girl given to him as a political favor. "The Third Resignation" tells the tale of a seven year old boy who falls into a coma and then grows up in a coffin in his mother's house. Three times, he resigns himself to death. "There Are No Thieves In This Town" chronicles the foolishness of a man who steals three billiard balls from a local pool hall and who loses his wife and unborn child for it. Always, Garcia Marquez's exception talent for storytelling carries these tales alone with a romantic and mystical eye for human vulnerability. His style is never rushed, always lingering over the moment, which gives even the shortest stories the feel of a novella. Not all these stories embrace the magic realism for which the author is famous, although the reader will emerge bewitched all the same.
Rating:
Summary: Resplendence, in print
Review: With the onset of fall and all its melancholy concomitants having finnaly arrived -- namely a full load of laborious classes -- I resignedly have agreed with discretion that I should, in my best interests, restrain myself, and be prudent with the reading I choose to endeavor -- i.e., temporarily forgo my urge to commence the numerous lengthy novels that abide with patience on my dusty bookshelf, and limit my "leisure reading" to short fiction, that which is just as enjoyable and not as fettering as dedicating oneself to a long, time-consuming tome. And so, with this resolve, I perused my swamped bookshelf, searching for that first short story book that would allow me a respite from the monotony of course texts, and hopefully grant some sort of much needed personal escape as well.
And so I lay my eyes on Marquez.
Wow. Simply put, this is the superlative of all great, short fiction collections. I found myself, in that first doleful week of fall quarter, impatiently rushing through my ponderous texts, with their stuffy, dense passages, in order to allow myself the precious time to enjoy these numinous stories. "Magic Realism" was a term I was hitherto unfamiliar with; to be completely honest, I now don't care if I ever read another writer's take on magic realism ever again, because I doubt that anyone else could deliver it with the eloquence and inscrutable charm of Marquez.
The stories here are appreciatively arranged in chronological order, and show the steady progression and awing evolution of a magnificent writer. I've previously not read Marquez before (I swear I'll get to One Hundred Years of Solitude one of these days), and I must say that this was the perfect introduction to a perfect writer. How he wrote some of these stories at such an early age is beyond comprehension. For example, the first story, titled The Third Resignation, was written by the author when he was only nineteen years old! Amazing, indeed.
So, if you are now stuck with boundless course work, as I unfortunately am, and for time purposes don't want to commit yourself to a lengthy novel, try this collection of stories; I guarantee that you'll become so deeply immersed in them that you'll need to stop, every so often, just to catch your breath.
Rating: 
Summary: A collection of paintings
Review: With this book, I did what I haven't done with any other book before. I read the first story (The Third Resignation) immediately followed by the last story (The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Erendira and Her Heartless Grandmother). The stories are arranged in chronological order and I could see the effect of time on the writer immediately. It was a journey from the completely inscrutable to absolute magic. I don't mean to say that the earlier stories are in any way inferior to the later ones. They take a little getting used to. True to the Marquez trademark, almost all these stories have one or more magical women--sometimes she's a mute girl, sometimes she's the the quintessential opportunist, sometimes a helpless mother. Sometimes she's at the forefront of the plot, deciding the course of the story. Sometimes she merges with the background, letting things take their own course. Whatever her role, she has this uncanny ability to attract. Marquez is a painter who uses words instead of colors. If the translated pieces evoke such vivid imagery, I wonder what the originals would do. Wish I knew Spanish. To the reader who is not used to the trademark "inscrutable" Marquez writing, I suggest that he/she read this book back to front. The initiated will enjoy either way, as long as it's cover to cover.
Rating:
Summary: A collection of paintings
Review: With this book, I did what I haven't done with any other book before. I read the first story (The Third Resignation) immediately followed by the last story (The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Erendira and Her Heartless Grandmother). The stories are arranged in chronological order and I could see the effect of time on the writer immediately. It was a journey from the completely inscrutable to absolute magic. I don't mean to say that the earlier stories are in any way inferior to the later ones. They take a little getting used to. True to the Marquez trademark, almost all these stories have one or more magical women--sometimes she's a mute girl, sometimes she's the the quintessential opportunist, sometimes a helpless mother. Sometimes she's at the forefront of the plot, deciding the course of the story. Sometimes she merges with the background, letting things take their own course. Whatever her role, she has this uncanny ability to attract. Marquez is a painter who uses words instead of colors. If the translated pieces evoke such vivid imagery, I wonder what the originals would do. Wish I knew Spanish. To the reader who is not used to the trademark "inscrutable" Marquez writing, I suggest that he/she read this book back to front. The initiated will enjoy either way, as long as it's cover to cover.
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