In less than 2 weeks il be in Costa Rica doing an internship until the end of the summer. I want to bring some good books down there with me (or buy there). I love reading for pleasure, but thanks being a university student, seems like I never get around to it until the summer . Anybody have any favorites? I really like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, especially his last one: "Vivir para contarla"
Ideas?
Kelly

My absolute favorite book in Spanish is "Historias del Kronen" by José Ángel Mañas. It is a great story about contemprary youth in Madrid. As for more "classic" literature, I like Becquer's poetry and you can't go wrong with Lorca--Bodas de sangre and La casa de Bernarda Alba are the most well-known. I also liked his "El amor de don Perlimplin con Belisa en su jardín".
I am interested in other replies to this question, since I will be in Madrid this summer and want to buy some new stuff to read while I am there.

Hi Kelly, what about Javier Marías? Both Mañana en la Batalla Piensa en Mi and Corazón Tan Blanco are fantastic novels. Also, Soldados de Salamina by Javier Cercas is great. And if you're in the mood for some light/beach reading, all the Arturo Pérez-Reverte titles are fun (El Club Dumas, La Reina del Sur, etc). Hope this helps!

Hi Kelly --

I like the authors Almudena Grandes as well as Alicia Giménez Bartlett. They are both contemporary Spanish authors.

Bartlett´s books are along the line of thrillers/murder-mystery type.

Hi chica, did Almudena Grandes write "Modelos de Mujer"? The name sounds familiar, I really enjoyed it. Thanks for jogging my memory
Along those same lines, for anybody else interested, I also really enjoyed Lucía Etxebarria...
Kelly

I like Don Quijote (elected best book of history by writters and critics two times in polls around the world)

Las novelas ejemplares (Cervantes)

"20 poemas de amor y una canción desesperada" (my prefer poetry book with the Sonnets of Shakespeare)

Pedro Parammo ( Juan Rulfo)

El Lazarillo de Tormés (anonymus)

El Buscón ( Quevedo)

And more!!!

I recommend you a french book really, really good, some people thinks that is the XX century best novel: "Journey to the End of the Night"
in spanish "Viaje al centro de la noche"

I liked La Casa de los Espiritus by Isabel Allende. It's easy to read while very well written and moving into the bargain.

Hi Kelar!

I just finished reading Castillos de Cartón by Almudena Grandes . It´s an entertaining and quick read. I don´t know if you would call the book uniquely Spanish (the author is Spanish) but the topic of the book is certainly unique!!

BTW as you will see on the website, she did write Modelos de Mujer.

I recommend you:
El príncipe destronado de Miguel Delibes. (easy to read)
Pequeñas infamias de Carmen Posadas (easy to read)
Marianela de Benito Pérez Galdós
Como agua para chocolate de Laura Esquivel (easy to read)
Tan veloz como el deseo de Laura Esquivel (easy to read)
Amor se escribe sin hache de Enrique Jardiel Poncela
And almost everything from Isabel Allende