In this heartfelt memoir, Isabel Allende reconstructs the painful reality of her own life in the wake of tragic loss-the death of her daughter, Pau...
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May 12, 2008
Natalie
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This is a sweet and absorbing compendium of the goings-on in Allende's family in the years since her daughter's death. Though it recounts heartaches and sadnesses, the overall tone is wry and upbeat. It's really just a tale of life in a kooky but loving extended family, with emotions and ups-and-downs that a lot of us can relate to--not the specific events, of course, but the general feelings. Not that many of us take regular trips to the Amazon or India, have a daughter-in-law come out of the c
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Feb 12, 2009
Carol
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I actually read this in English: The Sum of Our Days. I am a huge fan of Isabel Allende. This memoir continues where the book Paola left off. Isabel once again writes to her dead daughter, Paola, and continues the family saga.
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Mar 29, 2009
Matthew
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Enjoyable memoirs from Isabel Allende (I read the English translation, the sum of our days).
These memoirs follow on from her initial memoir Paula, written to her daughter, who had tragically fallen into a coma.
The Sum of our Days begins after Paula has passed away, and whilst it cannot have the heartrendering qualities of the first memoir, it nonetheless sparkles, with great humour and a "truth is stranger than fiction" storyline (even though some of the story had to be le More...
These memoirs follow on from her initial memoir Paula, written to her daughter, who had tragically fallen into a coma.
The Sum of our Days begins after Paula has passed away, and whilst it cannot have the heartrendering qualities of the first memoir, it nonetheless sparkles, with great humour and a "truth is stranger than fiction" storyline (even though some of the story had to be le More...
Feb 05, 2009
What seems at first a series of short chapters filled with spicy anecdotes and gossipy chitchat proves instead a powerful meditation on the meaning of life and love. Nearly all the critics remarked that this engaging memoir packs as much suspense and drama as any of Allende's novels. ("Allende seems to have no concept of what might be called boundaries," says the Washington Post.) Allende's warm, friendly tone creates a highly personal and poignant narrative, filled with wisdom and hum
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Jun 19, 2011
Fahad
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حصيلة الأيام
هذا الكتاب هو نصف الحكاية – النصف الأول كان باولا -، حكاية السنوات التالية لـ 1992 م في حياة الكاتبة التشيلية ( ايزابيل الليندي)، ما بعد وفاة ابنتها ( باولا) وذرها لرمادها في غدير صغير في غابة كاليفورنية، حيث كانت تعود في أيامها الصعبة لتقترب من روح ابنتها، رغم أنها تؤكد طيلة الرواية أن روح ابنتها كانت موجودة حولها على الدوام حسيا ً، لا معنويا ً، وهو مكون ثقافي تشيلي سحري، ربما تسلل من السكان الأصليين، ولم تفلح سنوات عيشها في أمريكا في تخليصها من هذه الأفكار التي تبدو م More...
هذا الكتاب هو نصف الحكاية – النصف الأول كان باولا -، حكاية السنوات التالية لـ 1992 م في حياة الكاتبة التشيلية ( ايزابيل الليندي)، ما بعد وفاة ابنتها ( باولا) وذرها لرمادها في غدير صغير في غابة كاليفورنية، حيث كانت تعود في أيامها الصعبة لتقترب من روح ابنتها، رغم أنها تؤكد طيلة الرواية أن روح ابنتها كانت موجودة حولها على الدوام حسيا ً، لا معنويا ً، وهو مكون ثقافي تشيلي سحري، ربما تسلل من السكان الأصليين، ولم تفلح سنوات عيشها في أمريكا في تخليصها من هذه الأفكار التي تبدو م More...
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Mar 08, 2011
Deborah
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This is considered Isabel Allende’s second Memoir book and I believe a difficult one to follow if you are not familiar with her other books and Memoirs; especially Paula (her first memoir). In that first memoir she narrates her life for her daughter and the process helps her to let go and move forward after tragedy.
In the second book Allende narrates the stories as a simple conversation with her. It can be considered with retrospect to her life served with a cup of tea. It is an eas More...
In the second book Allende narrates the stories as a simple conversation with her. It can be considered with retrospect to her life served with a cup of tea. It is an eas More...
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Mar 20, 2010
Kathy
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Este libro logro tocar mi corazón como muy pocos, en sus paginas puedes conocer en carne viva a no solo a la escritora sino también a la mujer que es Isabel, el pilar de su vida; su familia, los altibajos y todos los trances por los que ha pasado como persona.
Los que ya han visitado el blog saben que Paula me dejo más que impactada, y quienes lo han leído saben que Isabel tiene la capacidad de contar la historia de su familia y hacerte sentir parte de ella, plasma en las paginas de L More...
Los que ya han visitado el blog saben que Paula me dejo más que impactada, y quienes lo han leído saben que Isabel tiene la capacidad de contar la historia de su familia y hacerte sentir parte de ella, plasma en las paginas de L More...
Oct 04, 2009
Мила
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Сборът на дните" не носи емоционалния заряд на "Паула". Не разплаква, не те стиска за гърлото по онзи начин, който само красиво, искрено и болезнено описаната смърт може да го стори. Но е хубава книга. Защото довършва историята. Разказва ни за съдбата и перипетиите на онези от клана, одобрили включването на историите им в книга. Разказите са толкова необикновени, че си казваш: "Аха, ето го пак писателското въображение, това не е възможно наистина да се е случило, такива работ
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Oct 21, 2011
Krista
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I really really liked this book. I didn't fall completely in love, maybe because I saw things in me that I didn't like while reading it. Maybe I am just jealous because a book at least this good lies in my soul and my history, unwritten, and I don't find the time to write the memoir I am capable of. Allende writes a story of her life, through the lives of the many colorful people she knows and loves, which reads more like a collection of short stories.
Powerful take-aways for me i More...
Powerful take-aways for me i More...
Sep 19, 2011
adri
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eu já tinha lido este livro antes, mas a única lembrança que ele deixou na memória foi de ter sido um livro bom e especial, então resolvi reler. que surpresa ótima! o livro é mesmo ótimo, e a forma como a isabel allende conta os acontecimentos da vida pra filha paula é absolutamente adorável. o melhor desta autora, eu acho, são sempre estes textos assim, contando da sua vida, sua família, seu dia-a-dia. devorei as 400 páginas em dois dias, e terminei o livro suspirando de contentamento :-)
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Oct 11, 2011
Elizabeth
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'The Sum of Our Days' ranks as a solid 3 for me -- maybe a 3.5 on some of the really good chapters. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it all that much despite its promising beginning. Although I loved the author's writing style, the book was a bit of a bore. I felt like it was somewhat repetitive and she didn't focus in on the most interesting stories as much as I would have liked. On the other hand, I realize this is a memoir and not a work of fiction so she can only give as much as has actually ha
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Apr 06, 2009
Erin
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While I was reading the first 30 pages or so I kept thinking that I would LOVE this book. I did not love this book. I felt really tainted or something while reading it; or maybe like I was being force fed. I think I felt that way because it was far too new age for me. Typically, I'm someone who can appreciate new age "wisdom," but I could not in this book and I think it's because of the harsh light she put it in. Plus, she's a meddling new ager; which really rubs me the wrong way.
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Sep 28, 2009
Antoaneta
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Много харесах тази книга - както почти всички на Алиенде всъщност. Любимата ми писателка. Книгата представлява своеобразно продължение на "Паула", но звучи по-различно - не е в такава степен разтърсваща, тъжна и опустошаваща. Просто разказ за живота на писателката и хората около нея в годините след смъртта на дъщеря й. Споделяне. Своеобразен дневник под формата на писма или по-скоро разговор с изгубеното дете. Все още с болка, но и с много любов. На пръв поглед книгата е малко разпилян
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Jun 24, 2009
Ann
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I'm a bit of an Allende fan, and I've always wondered about connections between her life and books. I loved this book. It's a portrait of her Marin County life as well as an extremely interesting, thoughtful, and compassionate woman and her rather unconventional family who have weathered much, yet somehow come out singing and loving. She's also negotiating the joys and ravages of time (she's a grandmother!) in most interesting ways.
Nov 02, 2008
Anastasia
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Allende is a great writer, which made this book easy to read. But ultimately, I found her memoir/letter to her dead daughter to be disjointed and lacking focus. I was also disappointed with Sayers Peden's translation of many of Allende's phrases into reductive sexist English (he, him, his, etc.). I was surprised to learn that Allende is a nightmare mother-in-law and that she had plastic surgery. Bravo to her for her honesty.
Feb 18, 2010
Tara
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beautifully written, honest, full reveal of her continued pain and grief following the death of her daughter Paula. But also full of fun, unbelievable, full-on wacky stories of her "tribe" which includes her son, his wife and children, her husband, her close friends, her husband's children, her mother, her husband's accountant, etc. After reading about her daily letters written to her mother in Chile and her mother's consistent responses...made me want to start writing good-old fash
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Dec 29, 2011
Alison
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I read the English version of this, of course - The Sum of our Days. It's a second memoir - not as powerful as "Paula," but an entertaining account of Allende's life following her daughter's death, as well as the sad and happy moments she and her "tribe" experience. She pulls no punches describing her personality, and sounds like a pretty exhausting but fascinating person to keep up with. Allende talks about her writing process a bit but despite the fact that her writing is t
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Jan 29, 2009
Joy
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I just started the book last night and already it is drawing me in. I have read everything that this author has written, including her other three memoirs, and I love her books. I very much look forward to the rest of the book.
1/29/2009--I finished this on Monday 1/26 and I loved it. This is classic Isabel Allende and I found myself laughing out loud one minute and tearful the next. Allende is writing the book to her daughter Paula, who died from complications with porphyria in 1993 a More...
1/29/2009--I finished this on Monday 1/26 and I loved it. This is classic Isabel Allende and I found myself laughing out loud one minute and tearful the next. Allende is writing the book to her daughter Paula, who died from complications with porphyria in 1993 a More...
Feb 16, 2010
Anna
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It was an interesting enough memoir except for the fact that she seems to write about her family and friends more than about herself. I've never read any of her books. I picked up this one because I was intrigued by the fact that she lost her daughter and wanted to read about how she coped with her loss. And she did talk about this at length... I don't know, I guess what I am trying to say is that at the end, I knew a whole lot more about her family, friends and pets than about her, but then
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Apr 02, 2009
Kate
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This is a memoir about the most recent years of Isabel Allende's life, taking up after the death of her daughter that she wrote about in a previous memoir. This book seemed to have no real direction or focus. Even so, the anecdotes and stories she relayed somehow formed a briskly moving storyline. Moments of true poignancy mixed with humor created a moving tale about family, and ultimately love. The meandering plotline left me a bit frustrated at times and teh book sometimes read more like a
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Dec 30, 2008
Judy
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Don't get your hopes up--I didn't read a book in Spanish. But, apparently, this is the only copy of The Sum of Our Days that appears on Goodreads and I was able to translate the title. That's about the sum of my Spanish. (Well, that and asking where the bathroom is, but that's just showing off.) Anyway, I loved this book. It's written in the form of a 300 page letter to Allende's daughter, Paula, to update her on what's been going on in the family since her death 13 years before at age 28.
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Jan 29, 2012
Caroline
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I´ve immediately fallen in love with this author. This is the first book I have read by her, and she is a literary genius. Her writing style is very original, and I would get so lost in her stories that I would often miss my bus stop. I´ve already purchased two other books of hers and can´t wait to read them.
Mar 02, 2009
Ti
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I really enjoyed reading about Allende's family. She talks of many challenges and doesn't hold back when it comes to giving her opinion. She's frank and honest and I admire that. Writing about your own family cannot be easy. One thing that really moved me is that she addresses Paula, her daughter that passed away, as if she is still there. As if she is just filling her in on what has happened since her illness. I was so touched by this.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the family me More...
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the family me More...
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Feb 14, 2011
Nyra
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Este libro fue ante todo una sorpresa, llego a mi por casualidad, confieso que no me llaman la atencion esos temas de memorias y autobiografias, sin embargo, este libro fue una maravillosa excepción, valla que lo fue. La vida diaria de Isabel es toda una aventura ; su familia, sus amigos y conocidos conforman un colorido cuadro de personajes fascinantes, las situaciones de la existencia cotidiana que narra nuestra autora me la hizo ver más humana y real. Muchas veces, los lectores (hablo por mi
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Sep 26, 2011
MizLaT
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Ms. Allende's memoir is a delight to read. "There is no lack of drama in my life," she begins. Yet the drama she describes, any reader will begin to see, is created more from the lens and paintbrushes she uses to portray her family life than from any extraordinary circumstances. A more complicated version of the television sit com "Modern Family," her chapters unveil a thoroughly modern cast of real characters, including her beloved daughter Paula who dies of porphyria, a gen
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Sep 08, 2011
Lu
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I must preface to say that I love Isabel Allende’s
Writing. I love her poetry of word choices. This book is a memoir and I did enjoy getting to know her and her family and ‘tribe’ and it is always good to know that she has some waco’s too– like every family; yet I can feel her compassion and love for all of them and all of their warts. There has been great pain and loss in her family– most especially the death of her daughter - Paula. The insight on how she managed to remain strong is insp More...
Writing. I love her poetry of word choices. This book is a memoir and I did enjoy getting to know her and her family and ‘tribe’ and it is always good to know that she has some waco’s too– like every family; yet I can feel her compassion and love for all of them and all of their warts. There has been great pain and loss in her family– most especially the death of her daughter - Paula. The insight on how she managed to remain strong is insp More...
Apr 13, 2009
Vickie
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Much as I would love to say that I read it in Spanish (someday!)-which is, as I found out in reading, the language in which Allende writes her books and they are then translated by a sweet old lady in Wisconsin, I think- this copy appears to be the only version in the Goodreads database.
A great book, though somewhat disjointed at certain points (which makes sense, as Allende is essentially writing a stream of consciousness letter to her daughter, Paula). Her writing style remains true i More...
A great book, though somewhat disjointed at certain points (which makes sense, as Allende is essentially writing a stream of consciousness letter to her daughter, Paula). Her writing style remains true i More...
Oct 06, 2009
Kate
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I wavered between four and five stars for this one. My only complaint is that the Allende is obviously a very wealthy woman and has all these resources that "normal" people just don't have. But, when I think about it, I can't really fault her for her money. She earned it writing books, for goodness sake! The best part of The Sum of Our Days is its honesty. Allende has money---and she's honest about it.
I went with five stars because I know I'll remember this book for a More...
I went with five stars because I know I'll remember this book for a More...
Oct 22, 2010
Amila
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Allende writes to her deceased daughter, giving updates on what has happened in their family since her death. It was hard to get started though, especially since she opens the book describing how she decided to write it because she couldn't think of anything else to write. Allende seems like a sweet mother but I was offended at times by the way she uses stereotypes as descriptors ("...like an Amazon"). I found her to be much more engaging on a recent radio interview describing her l
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Jul 08, 2011
Eman
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لم أنتبه إلى كلمة " مذكرات " عندما دفعت قيمة شراء هذا الكتاب ..
عندما فتحته ومن الصفحة الأولى أنتبهت أنني بصدد قراءة يوميات واقعية لروائية مشهورة .. !
مذكرات تشبة تلفزيون الواقع ..
في الحقيقة أعجبتني كثيرًا ، برغم بساطتها ، وفوضويتها ..
إلا أن إيزابيل صبغتها بطريقة سحرية ، وجعلت من يومياتها مع أحفادها و
زوجها " ويللي" و أبنها " بيكو " وكل تلك " القبيلة " كما تحب أن تسميّ أسرتها ، رواية ..
إستمتعت بإفكار إيزابيل ، بواقعيتها ، بجملها More...
عندما فتحته ومن الصفحة الأولى أنتبهت أنني بصدد قراءة يوميات واقعية لروائية مشهورة .. !
مذكرات تشبة تلفزيون الواقع ..
في الحقيقة أعجبتني كثيرًا ، برغم بساطتها ، وفوضويتها ..
إلا أن إيزابيل صبغتها بطريقة سحرية ، وجعلت من يومياتها مع أحفادها و
زوجها " ويللي" و أبنها " بيكو " وكل تلك " القبيلة " كما تحب أن تسميّ أسرتها ، رواية ..
إستمتعت بإفكار إيزابيل ، بواقعيتها ، بجملها More...
