Reading 1001 discussion
This topic is about
Memory of Fire
PAST Quarterly reads
>
2019 4thQ, Memory of Fire - Galeano
date
newest »
newest »
Okay, Let's get into our final quarterly for the year (woot!). I'll be reading this one with everyone else, but I've previously read Galeano's book Mirrors, which is one of my all-time favorite reads, so am quite excited to get into this one. To start off here's an author bio and a book summary:
Author Bio (From Britannica):
Eduardo Galeano, (Eduardo Germán María Hughes Galeano), Uruguayan writer (born Sept. 3, 1940, Montevideo, Uruguay—died April 13, 2015, Montevideo), wrote histories of Latin America that were informed by leftist political and economic views and were widely admired for the literary elegance with which they incorporated anecdote and legend. His best-known work, Las venas abiertas de América Latina (1973; Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent), established him as a hero of radical politics. Galeano published cartoons in the weekly newspaper El Sol as a teen and then became an editor at the political and cultural weekly magazine Marcha. After a military coup (1973) in Uruguay, Galeano was briefly imprisoned and then fled to Buenos Aires, where he founded and led Crisis magazine until a military coup in Argentina (1976) forced him once again into exile. He settled in Barcelona and wrote a memoir, Días y noches de amor y de guerra (1978; Days and Nights of Love and War). In 1985, after a civilian government was installed in Uruguay, Galeano returned to Montevideo and founded the literary magazine Brecha. His other works include the lyrical and passionate historical trilogy Memorias del fuego (1982, 1984, 1986; Memory of Fire) and El fútbol a sol y sombra (1995; Soccer in Sun and Shadow), an evocation of the events surrounding the1969 Soccer War between Honduras and El Salvador.
Book Summary:
Eduardo Galeano’s Memory of Fire Trilogy defies categorization—or perhaps creates its own. It is a passionate, razor-sharp, lyrical history of North and South America, from the birth of the continent’s indigenous peoples through the end of the twentieth century. The three volumes form a haunting and dizzying whole that resurrects the lives of Indians, conquistadors, slaves, revolutionaries, poets, and more.
The first book, Genesis, pays homage to the many origin stories of the tribes of the Americas, and paints a verdant portrait of life in the New World through the age of the conquistadors. The second book, Faces and Masks, spans the two centuries between the years 1700 and 1900, in which colonial powers plundered their newfound territories, ultimately giving way to a rising tide of dictators. And in the final installment, Century of the Wind, Galeano brings his story into the twentieth century, in which a fractured continent enters the modern age as popular revolts blaze from North to South.
This celebrated series is a landmark of contemporary Latin American writing, and a brilliant document of culture.
Questions for Genesis (Part 1):1. Have you read any of Galeano's other works? and if so, what was your impression of his writing going into this one? Even if you haven't, are you familiar with his work at all/ heard anything about him/his work?
2. Galeano has long been a giant in leftist literature/academia and became a overnight bestseller in the US in 2009 when Hugo Chavez gifted his book "Open veins of Latin America" to Barrack Obama. After reading part 1, why do you think his work has been so politically influential?
3. Genesis is split into 2 sections: the first is pre-Columbian indigenous creation myths, and the second is vignettes from the history of the Americas from the fifteenth century to the year 1700. Which myth/vignette from each section was your favorite/a standout and why?
4. This whole series is told in vignettes. Why do you think the author chose to tell this story this way/what effect does it achieve?
5. In what way does this book challenge the colonialist and Eurocentric assumptions about the history of the Americas? In what ways do you agree or disagree with the positions the author has taken in telling this story?
6. What do you think of the book so far? Are you excited to get into part 2 or not? Is this a book you would have explored outside the list?
Discuss!
Just finished Book 1 and there is no way I would ever have read this book without this GR book group but I am very impressed....I will finish the rest of the questions tomorrow.
1. Have you read any of Galeano's other works? and if so, what was your impression of his writing going into this one? Even if you haven't, are you familiar with his work at all/ heard anything about him/his work?I was completely ignorant other than the blurb that Amanda posted and even then I was surprised about the actual writing versus the description of his writing. It was much more dynamic than I anticipated.
2. Galeano has long been a giant in leftist literature/academia and became a overnight bestseller in the US in 2009 when Hugo Chavez gifted his book "Open veins of Latin America" to Barrack Obama. After reading part 1, why do you think his work has been so politically influential?
The book opens up an alternative view of the European conquest of the Americas....It projects a number of extremely sophisticated and cooperative societies that were crushed by the germs and bullets of a society that was crass, corrupt and violent. The author does tell of the Aztec devotion to blood baths but more interestedly, he tells how their neighbors were happy to help the Europeans to conquer the Aztecs because they had been so badly treated by them. In almost all other interactions the "discovers" of a world that had been occupied for thousands of years were not presented as heroic but merely desperate and greedy. The world view of this book is much different than the average history I learned in high school.
3. Genesis is split into 2 sections: the first is pre-Columbian indigenous creation myths, and the second is vignettes from the history of the Americas from the fifteenth century to the year 1700. Which myth/vignette from each section was your favorite/a standout and why?
I loved the myth about mosquitoes and then in contrast, Raleigh, back in London, describing the beauty of the land of Guyana while his literary friend listens, knowing he is describing a swamp black with mosquitoes..."but he listens in silence and nods his head because he also knows that Raleigh isn't lying". I also loved Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz who I knew nothing about. Described as American's greatest poet and she was a woman at a time when women were not educated.
4. This whole series is told in vignettes. Why do you think the author chose to tell this story this way/what effect does it achieve?
I think it was very effective. I got the essence of a story, the emotional drama of a moment in time, without the author having to give me all the context, background, chronology etc. Some of the vignettes added up to complete stories and others were stand alone but overall the accumulation was amazingly impactful.
5. In what way does this book challenge the colonialist and Eurocentric assumptions about the history of the Americas? In what ways do you agree or disagree with the positions the author has taken in telling this story?
See my answer to question 2. I agreed while reading the book. The classic trope that History is written by the winners does leave us with a one sided view of things and it was great to have this resonating other side. I suspect some of the Catholic brothers, for an example, were heroic when judged by their own societal norms of the time. Some must have believed they were ridding the world of satan's children. However, in general it makes clear that the conquest was driven by greed and that the bankers in Germany and Belgium were probably the real winners in the end.
6. What do you think of the book so far? Are you excited to get into part 2 or not? Is this a book you would have explored outside the list?
Yes, I am excited to continue reading although overall it left me very sad to learn about the horrors that humans perpetuate on humans, and as I said above, I would never had read this without the 1001 group.
What are his other books like? Are any of them more traditional character driven novels?
Discuss!
Great Comments Gail, I really liked reading your answers, and I'm glad you enjoyed the book :) Do I have any others readers for this month?
Also to answer your final question Gail: I don't know if he has any conventional novels. My understanding is that Open Veins of Latin America is more of a nonfiction sociological essay book, and the other one I have read- Mirrors- in vignettes just like this book except it is excerpts from global history and myth (so if you enjoyed this one I highly recommend that one).
1. I have read his book “Mirrors”, which I think I mentioned above is one of my favorite books, it is also vignettes about history, re-framing who gets to be the narrative voice, much like this one. I haven’t read his other work, but I’d love to. 2. I like how Gail answered this one, and I agree. I think re-contextualizing European colonialism has a lot to do with it. I think the fact that his writing also tends to equally incorporate anecdotes from the powerful and powerless, and are ensemble narratives instead of singular hero based narratives, also in a way contributes to the leftist idea of speaking truth to the powerless.
3. I liked a lot of them in this section, sadly I just returned the book so I can’t go back to check. But, I really liked the one with the 2 suns that explained the reason for Aztec blood sacrifice, and the final one that predicts the scourge of the conquistadors. As far as part 2 goes, there was one about the indigenous people burying the image of the Christian God, hoping it would bring rain, but then being persecuted based on how the Europeans perceived it. I thought that complete failure to understand each other’s differences in faith was fascinating but heartbreaking.
4. Also loved the way Gail answered this one. Just to add, I think it also allows the reader to travel over so many different cultures and perspectives, and over so much time. You get a broader scope of the whole picture that way, especially since so many perspectives are included.
5. I also like how he positions the colonialists as bloody scavengers and not righteous heroes, I think balancing the perspectives we consider in telling history is important. I fully agree with the position the author has taken here.
6. I love it so far, and am excited for part 2. I wanted to read this book someday anyway, so I’m super glad it’s on the list.
Yes, great answer to #2....not only a different voice to tell us what heroic history looks like but the fact that the author includes the voice of lay brothers, mixed race slaves, women who had to be kept indoors their whole life or be considered prostitutes. The voice of the indigenous people was particularly powerful as they had a whole culture that did not align with what they were experiencing. Also loved your favorites Amanda, in regards #3. The Catholics were always changing out their saints if the saint was not providing what they needed but when the indigenous people did that it was blasphemy.
Mod
I am currently reading this will probably finish this month fingers crossed
I have not read anything else by the author but I am enjoying the narrative style so far
I have not read anything else by the author but I am enjoying the narrative style so far
1. Have you read any of Galeano's other works? and if so, what was your impression of his writing going into this one? Even if you haven't, are you familiar with his work at all/ heard anything about him/his work?I have not read his other works, but I have had a few on my TBR for a while. I had always heard great things about his writing, and this first book in the trilogy confirms this.
2. Galeano has long been a giant in leftist literature/academia and became a overnight bestseller in the US in 2009 when Hugo Chavez gifted his book "Open veins of Latin America" to Barrack Obama. After reading part 1, why do you think his work has been so politically influential?
Love Gail's response.
3. Genesis is split into 2 sections: the first is pre-Columbian indigenous creation myths, and the second is vignettes from the history of the Americas from the fifteenth century to the year 1700. Which myth/vignette from each section was your favorite/a standout and why?
There were so many great stories, so it is difficult to isolate my favorite. I most enjoyed the creation myths and the stories that employed magical realism, like the town that rained fish, etc. The conquest and genocide stories while necessary, were more difficult.
4. This whole series is told in vignettes. Why do you think the author chose to tell this story this way/what effect does it achieve?
The vignettes were like brief snapshots from a broader history that gave the reader a pause to ponder after each one. They were like smaller interweaving pieces of a larger puzzle. This also served to make the storytelling more objective, as opposed to reading from a larger an d more subjective narrative.
5. In what way does this book challenge the colonialist and Eurocentric assumptions about the history of the Americas? In what ways do you agree or disagree with the positions the author has taken in telling this story?
We are always told about history from the one-sided Eurocentric perspective, which is frequently very inaccurate (Example: Columbus). It is refreshing to hear the other side of the story and from a different perspective.
6. What do you think of the book so far? Are you excited to get into part 2 or not? Is this a book you would have explored outside the list?
Love it so far and look forward to the rest. I would have read it anyway since it was in my radar prior to beginning the 1001 list.
1. As previously mentioned I have not read any other books by this author.
2. I like Gail's answer as well. I would add that I think the way multiple perspectives are included is part of the political message the authors way of saying don't just read one view read many.
3. Part one I liked the little green tree frog who sings to bring the rain. Part two would be all the little sections about Juana.
4. I expected to hate this method of story telling as I really dislike short stories however this format really worked for me. The vignettes allow multiple points of view to be expressed they give the reader a brief outline of the myths belonging to various places and peoples and in book 2 they show different views of the same events.
5. If history is told by the winners this gives us the view from the other side. These were not savage people who were righteously conquered and educated these were sophisticated people with their own beliefs and their own community values. The conquerors weren't heroic fighters they were actually plague carrying fortune seekers.
6. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy and this was not a book I would have picked up without the list.
2. I like Gail's answer as well. I would add that I think the way multiple perspectives are included is part of the political message the authors way of saying don't just read one view read many.
3. Part one I liked the little green tree frog who sings to bring the rain. Part two would be all the little sections about Juana.
4. I expected to hate this method of story telling as I really dislike short stories however this format really worked for me. The vignettes allow multiple points of view to be expressed they give the reader a brief outline of the myths belonging to various places and peoples and in book 2 they show different views of the same events.
5. If history is told by the winners this gives us the view from the other side. These were not savage people who were righteously conquered and educated these were sophisticated people with their own beliefs and their own community values. The conquerors weren't heroic fighters they were actually plague carrying fortune seekers.
6. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy and this was not a book I would have picked up without the list.
Mod
Mod
2. I like Gail's answer as well. I would add that I think the way multiple perspectives are included is part of the polit..."
how long is the first book, do you know?
Kristel wrote: "Book wrote: "1. As previously mentioned I have not read any other books by this author.
2. I like Gail's answer as well. I would add that I think the way multiple perspectives are included is part..."
My page count for the whole of book 1 is 282 pages if you mean the first section I have 43 pages.
2. I like Gail's answer as well. I would add that I think the way multiple perspectives are included is part..."
My page count for the whole of book 1 is 282 pages if you mean the first section I have 43 pages.
Mod
2. I like Gail's answer as well. I would add that I think the way multiple perspectives are ..."
so odd, this is suppose to be a long book. I hate reading a book on the kindle because I have no "sense" of the book. I like the kindle and I hate the kindle.
Kristel wrote: "Book wrote: "Kristel wrote: "Book wrote: "1. As previously mentioned I have not read any other books by this author.
2. I like Gail's answer as well. I would add that I think the way multiple pers..."
I love my Kindle some books actually have page counts or they used to must admit I haven't looked for this feature for ages as I use the time left in book to gauge the length.
2. I like Gail's answer as well. I would add that I think the way multiple pers..."
I love my Kindle some books actually have page counts or they used to must admit I haven't looked for this feature for ages as I use the time left in book to gauge the length.
Mod
Mod
1. I had never heard of Galeano and was completely ignorant of who he was, when I bought the trilogy.2. I had no idea that Chavez had given this book to Obama. I would like to think that the book has been influential, but looking at U.S. politics since Obama, I cannot see it being effective in the United States.
3. I didn't make notes and I don't have a stand out vignette from the creation myths, although they seem familiar because I am used to New Zealand creation myths. I did love the variety. I particularly enjoyed the defiance of indigenous people in the face of death, which happened many times. The one most enjoyable piece was Don Quixote and Sancho Panza discussing the death of Cervantes. Priceless!
4. I thought the vignettes very effective, although I could not read many at a time, particularly when the cruel repression of indigenous people became relentless. I just couldn' read more than a few at a time.
5. I have not read anything much about the colonialist or Eurocentic assumptions about the history of the Americas, so I was coming to it unbelievably fresh. I know next to nothing about the history of the Americas. I agree with Galeano's interpretation because I have not read anything different.
6. I have been thrilled to be introduced to Galeano and am really intrigued to read more. Whether I will persist in the New Year, when we have new challenges remains to be seen, I am just disppointed that circumstances meant that I did not get to read this sooner.
I did learn a great deal. I have to say that my knowledge of the geography of Central and South America was sketchy, so I was constantly referring to Google Maps to ascertain where the vignettes took place. I had no idea of the difference between mestizo, which I had not met before, and mulatto, and the varieties of creole and what is zambo and insulares as opposed to peninsulares. My ignorance was mortifying!
Reading 1001
Books mentioned in this topic
Century of the Wind (other topics)Memory of Fire (other topics)
Genesis (other topics)
Faces and Masks (other topics)
October - Genesis
November - Faces and Masks
December - Century of the Wind
Discussion leader: Amanda