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Swift as Desire
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An enchanting, bittersweet story, touched with graphic earthiness and wit; Esquivel shows us how keeping secrets will always lead to unhappiness, and how communication is the key to love.
Instead of entering the world crying like other babies, Júbilo was born with a smile on his face. He had a gift for hearing what was in people's hearts, for listening to sand dunes sing an ...more
Instead of entering the world crying like other babies, Júbilo was born with a smile on his face. He had a gift for hearing what was in people's hearts, for listening to sand dunes sing an ...more
Paperback, 208 pages
Published
August 27th 2002
by Anchor
(first published 2001)
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Showing 1-30
Not my type of book. I was expecting the magic of Like Water For Chocolate.
Laura Esquivel writes prose as it were poetry. It is musical. It flows and takes you away. The book was written wonderfully but it seemed to me that the story was only important to the writer only. Unfortunately, I didn't care about the characters in the book.
Laura Esquivel writes prose as it were poetry. It is musical. It flows and takes you away. The book was written wonderfully but it seemed to me that the story was only important to the writer only. Unfortunately, I didn't care about the characters in the book.
Tão Veloz como o Desejo é tão bom ou melhor do que o Como Água para Chocolate. Tem o seu surrealismo intrínseco. As personagens são inesquecíveis. Júbilo domina o código Morse e trabalha numa estação de telégrafo, onde passa mensagens convenientemente manipuladas. Júbilo tem um dom: o que percepcionar o mundo ao redor com uma clareza só sua. Deste modo, aplica a sua sensibilidade a favor do bem dos outros. É desprendido e benevolente, tem um espírito muito próprio que, de início estranhei, e dep
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Trata sobre Júbilo, un hombre humilde, de buen corazón y con el don de alegrar y escuchar a las personas que lo rodean. Se enamora de Lucha, quien es bella, educada y rica. Ambos pasan por algunas situaciones durante su matrimonio, que los aleja poco a poco.
Un libro corto, pero lindo con grandes enseñanzas.
Un libro corto, pero lindo con grandes enseñanzas.
I just need to keep reminding myself that not everything is as wonderful as Like Water For Chocolate. But this book does have that same sort of magical realism that Chocolate had, and it did have many beautiful passages. I especially loved the beginning of Chapter 4, where we learn that "Love is a verb."
This is a tragic story of love and loss that will probably please most. It's not perfect, and it's not brilliant, and it's not Chocolate, but it's easily better than average.
This is a tragic story of love and loss that will probably please most. It's not perfect, and it's not brilliant, and it's not Chocolate, but it's easily better than average.
Después de tener lectura malas es un enorme gusto encontrarme con este tipo de historias.
Laura logra transportarme a un México de antes con su hermosa pluma.
El final es el punto débil del libro, pero vale la pena conocer la historia de Lucha y Júbilo.
Lo que más me gustó es la manera en la que juega con la nostalgia, el cómo los personas extrañan sus mejores años. Sin lugar a dudas uno de los mejores libros que he leído este año.
Laura logra transportarme a un México de antes con su hermosa pluma.
El final es el punto débil del libro, pero vale la pena conocer la historia de Lucha y Júbilo.
Lo que más me gustó es la manera en la que juega con la nostalgia, el cómo los personas extrañan sus mejores años. Sin lugar a dudas uno de los mejores libros que he leído este año.
This is the 3rd book I’ve read by Laura Esquivel and I can’t recommend her books enough. She has a way of giving ordinary things magical qualities. She also gives you insight in other cultures and their history. This story is about love, family ,trust and how communication is vital to balance and harmony. I loved how she gave you both sides in Jubilo and Lucha relationships. It was very clear for the reader were things got lost in translation and caused a rift between this couple. I highly recom
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This novel is a record of the love story of Jublio and Lucha. Jublio is a telegraph operator who prides himself of being able to sense the true meaning behind people's words when he is passing on a message or interpreting words. Lucha is a girl from a rich family, who falls hopelessly in love with Jublio and marries him, despite the fact does not have as much money as she is used to having, and she struggles with having to make ends meet every month.
Their passion for one another helps them to ma ...more
Their passion for one another helps them to ma ...more
There were some really interesting turns of phrase in this book. I really admire when a translation can be melodic, poetic, and powerful.
Many people have said that this book isn't as good as "Like Water for Chocolate," but I don't care to make a comparison. I liked this book. That's enough for me.
I think one thing about this book that threw me for a loop, though, was the part where Jùblio's grandmother, Itzel (a Mexican of Mayan descent), forms a dislike for her daughter-in-law based on the fact ...more
Many people have said that this book isn't as good as "Like Water for Chocolate," but I don't care to make a comparison. I liked this book. That's enough for me.
I think one thing about this book that threw me for a loop, though, was the part where Jùblio's grandmother, Itzel (a Mexican of Mayan descent), forms a dislike for her daughter-in-law based on the fact ...more
Al inicio me agradó la novela. Un tanto por el mensaje alrededor de la comunicación asertiva y otro tanto por las costumbres y tradiciones mayas de su abuela Itzel.
Me gustó el personaje de Júbilo, su optimismo y actitud ante la vida.
Pero el estilo narrativo de Laura Esquivel me pareció muy plano y conforme avancé, la lectura me pareció tediosa.
Por fortuna, es una novela muy corta...
Me gustó el personaje de Júbilo, su optimismo y actitud ante la vida.
Pero el estilo narrativo de Laura Esquivel me pareció muy plano y conforme avancé, la lectura me pareció tediosa.
Por fortuna, es una novela muy corta...
My favorite passage: "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. . . . Millions and millions of presences of beings that have lived on Earth are in that dust. Floating there are the remains of Quetzalcoatl, Buddha, Gandhi, Christ".
Jun 15, 2016
Martina Lucija
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
finished-reading
Ova me priča duboko dirnula i potakla me da se opet iznova zapitam cijenim li dovoljno ono što imam. Život je kratak, trebali bismo se na to podsjećati svaki dan iznova i živjeti otvorenih srca prema sebi i drugima.
Od sveg srca preporučam ovu divnu knjigu. <3
Od sveg srca preporučam ovu divnu knjigu. <3
Este libro demuestra que el amor es algo grande en la vida y también comunicación. Todavía deberá aprender una última lección: después de todo, el amor sigue viajando a la velocidad del deseo. Júblio y Lucha son personas muy diferente, pero en mi mente Júblio es una persona mas cariñoso y Lucha tiene un actitud muy mala. La historia de Júbilo, un hombre que nació con alegría y la capacidad de escuchar los verdaderos sentimientos de las personas no expresados en palabras. Este libro muestra que e
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Una historia contada en dos temporalidades distintas, la primera en presente, narrada en primera persona, y la segunda en pasado, narrada en tercera persona.
Aunque es una historia de amor, el protagonista es Júbilo y las personas que lo rodean, contando desde su nacimiento a su muerte.
Una trama triste, que te hace reflexionar acerca de que los factores externos siempre pueden dar "al traste" una relación amorosa independientemente de lo fuerte o intensa que ésta sea.
Al final como conclusión qued ...more
Aunque es una historia de amor, el protagonista es Júbilo y las personas que lo rodean, contando desde su nacimiento a su muerte.
Una trama triste, que te hace reflexionar acerca de que los factores externos siempre pueden dar "al traste" una relación amorosa independientemente de lo fuerte o intensa que ésta sea.
Al final como conclusión qued ...more
Divna priča o važnosti riječi, komunikacije i povezanosti svih nas...i ljubavi, naravno...i smetnji u komunikaciji koja nepovratno mijenja živote.
"Po njegovu mišljenju, misli su bića koja se rađaju u trenutku kad ih netko pomisli. Sastoje se od valova energije i putuju prostorom, nevidljivi i nečujni...Jubilo je bio čvrsto uvjeren kako sve što se nalazi u svemiru, od najmanjeg cvijeta pa do najdalje galaksije, ima dušu, osjećaje, misli."
"Po njegovu mišljenju, misli su bića koja se rađaju u trenutku kad ih netko pomisli. Sastoje se od valova energije i putuju prostorom, nevidljivi i nečujni...Jubilo je bio čvrsto uvjeren kako sve što se nalazi u svemiru, od najmanjeg cvijeta pa do najdalje galaksije, ima dušu, osjećaje, misli."
Un libro delicioso, no esperes como agua para chocolate, otro estilo de Esquível
Nothing like Like Water for Chocolate. Trying to be deep but felt superficial.
Tão veloz como o desejo é o segundo livro que leio da autora Laura Esquivel. Esta segunda experiência foi mais positiva do que a anterior. Apesar de não ter amado o livro, esta leitura conseguiu ser agradável e me deixar curiosa em relação aos acontecimentos.
É uma estória de leitura relativamente simples, porém está carregada de diferentes emoções.
Quanto à forma que a autora escolheu para nos contar os factos, posso dizer que foi relativamente confuso. Há partes da estória que são narradas na p ...more
É uma estória de leitura relativamente simples, porém está carregada de diferentes emoções.
Quanto à forma que a autora escolheu para nos contar os factos, posso dizer que foi relativamente confuso. Há partes da estória que são narradas na p ...more
Many said that the other books that Esquivel wrote weren’t that great as ‘Water for Chocolate’. I have to agree that the first was the best, but isn’t that always the case. When you adore the first the others are just … okay. I didn’t had high hopes for this one, but when I started it everything changed.
Jubilo is such a great character, he doesn’t care about money or material things. I loved that when he gives a present it’s not a expensive gift, but a gift from the heart. Isn’t that the way it ...more
Jubilo is such a great character, he doesn’t care about money or material things. I loved that when he gives a present it’s not a expensive gift, but a gift from the heart. Isn’t that the way it ...more
Dec 12, 2010
Isabel Maia
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mine,
translated
Júbilo vem ao mundo num clima de alegria e desde cedo revela um dom para harmonizar os desavindos ao entender os sinais e vibrações que cada um emite. Para dar uso a esse dom, torna-se telegrafista numa época onde o telégrafo era o único meio de comunicação existente. A felicidade de Júbilo atinge o seu expoente máximo quando conhece Lucha, os dois casam-se e dá-se a chegada dos filhos. Mas com o tempo e os acontecimentos, nomeadamente uma infeliz tragédia, a relação dos dois deteriora-se de tal
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Jubilo has two great gifts: “he was good at communicating and at loving Lucha.” As a child he uses his gift for communication to change the messages he is translating between his two warring grandmothers, using simple language tweaks to improve their relationship. Growing up to become a telegraph worker, he plays similar tricks, using his special sensitivity to try to make the world as joyful as he is. And his life is overflowing with the joy of love: "Lucha swayed her hips gently, but with Jubi
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2.5 de 5
Apr 25, 2012
Ana Filipa
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-i-ve-red-from-other-people,
read-in-2012
Rendi-me a este livro, pela simples razão de que, à medida que avançava na sua leitura, já me tinha dado uma pequena razão para eu tirar uma lição dele, e no final conseguiu-me derreter por completo.
Uma das lições que podemos apreender deste livro, e a que primeiramente me captou a atenção, é que o dinheiro não é tudo na vida. Lucha, menina criada numa família rica, vê-se incapacitada de comprar tudo aquilo que quer após o seu casamento com Júbilo. A vida a dois implica terem que fazer gastos no ...more
Uma das lições que podemos apreender deste livro, e a que primeiramente me captou a atenção, é que o dinheiro não é tudo na vida. Lucha, menina criada numa família rica, vê-se incapacitada de comprar tudo aquilo que quer após o seu casamento com Júbilo. A vida a dois implica terem que fazer gastos no ...more
I wish I could review this novel without reference to Esquivel's masterpiece, Like Water for Chocolate, a book which was formative to my life at age 14 and which I've read and re-read in Spanish and English. Swift as Desire pales a bit in comparison; it's not as elegantly plotted, it doesn't have quite the array of personal pathologies or family dynamics. But it is still beautiful. Esquivel's language is the real force of desire here. The way she gently unravels each character's psyche in his ow
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Feb 17, 2013
Yasamin
added it
At first, I thought this book was descriptive and interesting. Around the beginning middle section I was slightly uninterested because I was expecting a different account of Júbilo and more of how he uses his gift. However, the book became more and more interesting and I found it difficult to put it down.
The last few pages or so were absolutely beautiful in their description of losing the ones we love and dealing with their death.
I also thought Esquivel was accurate and very honest about Love ...more
The last few pages or so were absolutely beautiful in their description of losing the ones we love and dealing with their death.
I also thought Esquivel was accurate and very honest about Love ...more
It was fantastic to reconnect with the creativity and artistry of Laura Esquivel. I have fond memories of laboring through Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate) with a dictionary open at all times (Can it actually be 34 years ago?). Tan Veloz como el Deseo (Swift as Desire) also has a character with magical powers but the focus of this story is the long love story between Lucha and Jubilo in the context of Mexican economic and political realities. It's beautiful and it's a page tur
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Bello! Sobretodo si eres hija y valoras la relación con tu padre, o si eres padre y tu hija es un ser especial para ti. Una hermosa novela sobre un telegrafista y su labor como tal, sobre un amor desenfrenado y mágico, pero con dificultades intensas y muy terrenales, y sobre como el "progreso" hace olvidar las enseñasnzas de los pueblos ancestrales.
Lo empezé a leer con bajas expectativas, la verdad; pero lo terminé tan emocionada que hasta un par de lágrimas se asomaron al final.
Me encantó!
Lo empezé a leer con bajas expectativas, la verdad; pero lo terminé tan emocionada que hasta un par de lágrimas se asomaron al final.
Me encantó!
In a way typical female representative of the Originally Written In Spanish Language literature. There is plenty of love, lust, adoration, yearning – fight, hate, jealousy - family... It’s the type of books that I always learn something from, because language is always soothing and reassuring. But, before all,is rich and filled with compassionate life truth gems. Southern writers always have that quality.
Me ha encantado. No quiero compararlo con Como agua para chocolate porque lo leí hace mucho tiempo y no recuerdo detalles suficientes para hacerlo, pero sí me costó meterme en la historia más que con esa primera lectura de Laura Esquivel. Sin embargo, tiene el mismo encanto, con ese ambiente lleno de magia y amor sin resultar empalagoso.
Simplemente encantador. Me enamoro cada vez más del modo de escritura de esta mujer. Con cuanta simplicidad nos muestra la verdad que se esconde en el deseo. Sus palabras hacen honor a la premisa de este libro, son unas conductoras de energía y han revitalizado mi amor por las historias reales.
Um leitura fácil e agradável mas que não me prendeu muito. Uma história de amor, como tantas outras, em que a vida não tão cor de rosa como se imagina que irá ser e em que as vicissitudes da vida deixam marcas que nem o tempo apaga
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A teacher by trade, Laura Esquivel gained international attention with Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances and Home Remedies and The Law of Love. In both books she manages to incorporate her teaching abilities by giving her readers lessons about life. During an on-line Salon interview with Joan Smith, she said, "As a teacher I realize that what one lear
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“[Words] cling to the very core of our memories and lie there in silence until a new desire reawakens them and recharges them with loving energy. That is one of the qualities of love that moves me most, their capacity for transmitting love. Like water, words are a wonderful conductor of energy. And the most powerful, transforming energy is the energy of love.”
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“Keeping secrets will always lead to unhappiness and communication is the key to love.”
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