Product Description

In nineteenth-century Chile, Aurora del Valle suffers a brutal trauma that erases all recollections of the first five years of her life. Raised by her regal and ambitious grandmother Paulina del Valle, Aurora grows up in a privileged environment but is tormented by horrible nightmares. When she is forced to recognize her betrayal at the hands of the man she loves, and to cope with the resulting solitude, she explores the mystery of her past.

One of the most interesting aspects of the novel is Allende's decision to turn her heroine into a photographer: "through photography and the written word I try desperately to conquer the transitory nature of my existence, to trap moments before they evanesce, to untangle the confusion of my past." There is little confusion in Allende's elegantly crafted and hugely enjoyable novel. --Jerry Brotton, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (68)

ITEM RETURNED AS HAVE NO WAY TO PLAY CASSETTE
I RETURNED THIS ITEM TO SELLER AS I HAVE NO WAY TOO PLAY CASSETTES IN MY CAR

Portrait in Sepia
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read books with detailed and descriptive content.It was recommended to me by a friend who keeps up with bestseller and "books to read before you die" lists.

An odd sort of "middle book"
I love Isabel Allende's writing: I read Daughter of Fortune and House of the Spirits, and found this one good but not quite up to the quality of the other two; lacking a distinct plot of its own, it mainly serves to tie the other two (standalone) books together. Still, it was an enjoyable book: Allende's character development and writing style are excellent as always, and I'm in the camp that loves to use fiction as a way to learn about the history of other countries, which this one certainly provides.

Still, the structure was somewhat odd. I would describe it as three novellas tied together to make a novel:

1. The continuation of the story of Eliza and Tao Chi'en (and company) from Daughter of Fortune. On the positive side, we finally get that love scene that went missing from the previous book; on the other hand, so many beloved characters come to tragic ends that I'm not sure bringing them back was a good thing.

2. The backstory on Severo and Nivea (and company) from House of the Spirits. This was my favorite part of the book: I liked them in House of the Spirits and like them even more now, and as it turns out, there was a lot we didn't know! This is also the plotline where we get to read about 19th century Chilean wars, politics and such.

3. The story of Aurora, the narrator, who does not appear in either of the other books. While not as well-developed as many of the other characters, she's the glue that holds the rest of it together. Her life is interesting enough, but the truth of the Big Terrible Secret from her childhood is obvious from quite early on (perhaps intentionally so), and she lacks the strength and character of the heroines in Daughter of Fortune and House of the Spirits. I didn't think that setting her up as the narrator worked very well; she winds up describing in detail conversations that took place before she was born, other people's sex lives, etc., and generally stretching credibility.

Others have mentioned Paulina del Valle as the main character, and I think there's some truth to that (although I see her in more of a supporting role): she raises Aurora and is around for most of the book, and certainly has the stronger personality of the two. She's one of those trademark Allende characters who make fascinating character studies, but are hard to like.

I would recommend this book, but primarily to those who have read some of Allende's other work and liked it; if not, I'd recommend starting with House of the Spirits, which is her masterpiece. Come back to this one once you've read that and Daughter of Fortune and are looking for the rest of the story.

Retrospective, introspective and magical
Aurora del Valle walks us through the story of her life, which is embellished by the eccentricities of the del Valle family and realities of Chile's history. The book brings together characters from Allende's other masterpiece, "The house of the spirits". Aurora has a diverse background with Chinese and Chilean genes and her story is full of pain and love simultaneously. We learn about the painful birth which brought her into the world, her grand father's undying love for her and the complicated relationship she has with the del Valle matriarch, Paulina. The book explores the human soul, a diverse group of feelings that adorn our lives and introspective reflection. It has elements of magic realism, a trait seemingly indigenous to Latin America! I would advise readers to consume this book slowly, as it is an absolute pleasure to read. It makes us think of our own lives and how so many molecular emotions pass by without us sparing a moment for them. This is a brilliant work of the study of human emotion wrapped in fiction and the surreal landscape of Chilean history.

"Memory is fiction ... reality is ephemeral ..."
Having read _Daughter of Fortune_ and being smitten by its characters and Allende's writing, I was eager to read the sequel, _Portrait in Sepia_.It was every bit as good as its predecessor.Allende's writing is lyric and sensual - as a previous reviewer remarked, it is "delicious."Her descriptions of character and strong sense of place had me mesmerized.The book moves at a lesiurely pace, which may not be to everyone's taste; it is more akin to walking in the park holding an old lover's hand than a torrid love affair, the enjoyment more in the journey than a driving sense of wanting to know what happens next.

The story is told by Aurora del Valle, the grand-daughter of Eliza Sommers from _Daughter of Fortune_, and oscillates between San Francisco and Chile.The plot is curcuitous, as Aurora's story is entertwined with that of her extended family - hence the lesiurely pacing of the book.In following the story, I was most struck by the beauty of Allende's writing and the power of her sentiment.An example: "A thousand dangers threaten love, but if the couple defend it, it can be saved, it can grow like a tree and give shade and fruit, but that only happens when both partners participate."Throughout _Portrait in Sepia_, Allende shows how this maxim is true.

I thorougly enjoyed the story, but more so Allende's elegant command of language.I give it my highest recommendation for a marvelous story that is beautifully told. ... Read more

Product Description
Isabel Allende transports us to a Latin American country in the grip of a military dictatorship, where Irene Beltran, an upperclass journalist, and Francisco Leal, a photographer son of a Marxist professor together discover a hideous crime.  They also discover how far they dare go in search of the truth in a nation of terror . . . and how very much they risk.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

AMAZING
After reading The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, which was an amazing book, I wanted to start reading her other books. She is known for her mixture of traditional realism and political concerns along with feminism. Anyone into traditional realism and political concerns along with feminism should definitely start looking into Isabel Allende and discover her greatness.It was a hard to choose which book to read next because overall, all her books are excellent and appealing to me, but I chose to read Of Love and Shadows
Of Love and Shadows is a fantastic book to read because this novel talks about crucial institutional violence and the human rights that have been taken away from the people.Also it provides the conscience of the world and how they are doing in order to keep up with everything. But this novel shows what matters the most in the world and it isn't that issues, it is rather the people that matter most in the world and they are the only people who can be the change and do something. Allende does what she does what she does at her best and it is to write about love and death and politics along with feminism. If you're looking to enjoy an amazing novel, read Of Love and Shadows.

the movie is better
In Isabel Allende's "Of Love and Shadows," the "shadows" are the dark horrors of a military dictatorship in South America. This is another book that seems to have lost something in the translation. The language feels foreign, along with the culture and setting of the book. The planned marriage, the strong connection to one's roots, despite the ghastly events that take place there, and the almost whimsical love story were difficult for me to relate to. The descriptions of the regime's brutality seemed detached and did not have much emotional impact. Perhaps the objectivity was intentional in order to convey the seeming complacence of people living in oppression, despite the terror.

Book Review
A ribbon-like shape makes Chile unusual. During 1970's, the country was under a military dictatorship. Isabel Allende, a Chilean-American novelist, wrote Of Love and Shadows based on this time. She used the third person to tell the story. Irene, a reporter of a magazine, came from a wealthy background. She was engaged with an army captain, Gustavo. But she fell in love with Francisco, who was a young photographer. Then everything began to change after they discovered a secret.
Diversity is one of the reasons why I chose this book. The story includes conspiracy, love and politics. Though Gustavo is a captain, he does some dirty work, such as assassination. And Francisco's love to Irene is exclusive. It is another reason for you to keep turning pages to know what happens to them in Of Love and Shadows.
Characters are important factors in the book. Many people appear from the beginning to the end, such as Prof. Leal, Hilda Leal, and Evangelina. Gustavo affects the story a lot. He has a secret life that his fiancée doesn't know. There are lots of details describing Gustavo in the story. And it will make you want to continue reading the book.
The most important characters are the two main characters, Irene and Francisco. Their love runs through the whole story, so Of Love and Shadows is a love story. Their love faces a serious problem. You may want to know how they will undergo and solve it.
One of the main themes of the story is love problem. The relationship between Irene and Gustavo, which is engaged couple, is known to people around them. But the relationship between Irene and Francisco can't be announced. Will Irene choose Gustavo or Francisco? That's a good question for the book.
Irene, the wealthy girl, wants to keep promise that she will marry Gustavo. But she can't betray her heart that she loves Francisco. At the same time, she finds out another Gustavo who she doesn't know. That makes her escape from him. The actions and thoughts of Irene make her image vivid. She is a kind and direct girl.
From the description of the whole story, it is really worth reading, especially the great love between Irene and Francisco. They are innocent. If you want to know what happens to Gustavo and others and how Irene and Francisco solve the problem and whether they can be together or not in Of Love and Shadows, you will have to read the book.

Words cannot do justice
Tragically beautiful and inspiring. Heartrendingly written. Allende has an uncommonly strong grasp of language and imagery. Honestly the most beautiful novel I've ever read.

A chilling tale with moral warmth
This fine novel can be read on many levels.It contains a love story and a story of adventure.I think of it as a story of disillusion, of coming to recognize unpleasant truths.

It is set in an unnamed South American country whose elected government was recently overthrown by a right-wing coup.The story's background would be consistent with several dictatorships, but is most reminiscent of Chile after the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende was overthrown by General Pinochet in 1973.(Isabel Allende is a Chilean and a distant relative of Salvador Allende.)

The main character is a young woman, Irene, of the country's middle class. She is apolitical until she offers to help an acquaintance find out what happened to a daughter who was taken for questioning by the military.The military claimed to have released the daughter, but she was never seen again.

Irene works for a magazine and is accompanied in some of her inquiries
by a photographer, Francisco, with whom she gradually falls in love. Their search for the missing girl leads them to the discovery of her body in an abandoned mine, along with other bodies.This puts Irene and Francisco in danger, forcing them to flee the country through the Andean cordillera.

The book is very well written, and the English translation is fluent.
The sadness of living in a society in which there is a facade of decency, freedom, and justice without the substance is conveyed indirectly, but poignantly.Irene has a good life in the material sense, but can this be enjoyed when people whom the government considers suspicious sometimes "disappear"?

A natural human tendency in such situations is to look the other way, to deny the facts, or rationalize them by assuming that the "disappeared" must be some kind of undesirables (e.g., "communists" in an earlier day, or "terrorists" today). Irene does not take this route.

I think that almost anyone who accepts the possibility of the milieu in which the book is set would be moved by this book.But some, through
inexperience, may wonder if the milieu is overdrawn.If one can't accept the book's setting, then its story becomes a kind of escapist fairy tale, like a detective story.

I have lived in several South American dictatorships and happened to be in Santiago for a month preceding and (involuntarily) a month after the 1973 coup.In my experience, the milieu described in "Of Love and Shadows" is not overdrawn.If anything, it is underdrawn.

There are a few places in the book where I had to suspend disbelief (e.g., a poltergeist incident which plays a significant role in the plot's development), but the "feel" of the society in which the characters move is consistent with my experiences in such places.

Readers who have difficulty imagining a society in which people can simply "disappear", perhaps never to be seen again, or perhaps to show up mutilated in some morgue, might ponder the U.S. after the destruction of the World Trade Center. Innocent travelers have been known to "disappear" into secret prisons, never charged with any definite crime and released (perhaps) years later after mistreatment and without explanation or apology.

Most people, like Irene before her awakening, are not affected. Unlike Irene, many do not care, so long as they are not likely to be affected.
There is a great difference of degree between the post-9/11 milieu in the U.S. and that in which the book is set, but is there a real difference in kind?This book may cause some readers to ponder how they would act in Irene's circumstances.

[Note:Many of Ms. Allende's books, such as "Eva Luna" and "The House of the Spirits", are written in the so-called "magical realism" style."Of Love and Shadows" is not (though it does appear briefly in the poltergeist incident mentioned above). Readers who don't care for that style might still find value in "Of Love and Shadows".On the whole, it is completely different.

I couldn't get through "The House of the Spirits".I did get through "Eva Luna" but its cartoonish style left a bad aftertaste.After finishing it, I wondered why I had wasted my time.] ... Read more

Product Description
Amor por Chile y una gran nostalgia son origen de este libro. La presencia continuada del pasado, el sentimiento de verse ausente de la patria, la melancolia por la dicha perdida, la conciencia de haber sido peregrina y forastera: en Mi pais inventado, Isabel Allende recoge toda la emocion que esto conlleva, y nos la transmite con inteligencia y humor. Tamizado por la mirada y ios recuerdos de la autora, Chile deviene un pais real y fantastico ala vez; una tierra estoica y hospitalaria, de hombres machistas y mujeres fuertes y apegadas a la tierra. Pero, sobre todo, es el escenario de su ninez: evocados con gracia, cobran aqui vida de nuevo su original familia, la casa de los abuelos, el ceremonial de las comidas, las historias de infidelidades y los espiritus que siempre la han acompanado. En Mi pais inventado, Isabel Allende vuelca todos sus sentimientos para recrear dos historias enlazadas, la de su pais y la propia, con un tono intimista, de confesion autobiografica y poetica. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Fenomenal
Este libro me ha dejado sin palabras. La narrativa es fenomenal y el humor de Allende es de lo mejor. Si te encanta aprender sobre culturas extranjeras o simplemente quieres saber más de Chile, este libro es para ti.

Great
This is a beautiful book.You will learn a lot about Chile and the author.Isabel Allende is a very interesting and fun writer.I was reading this book while commuting and I was often laughing alone in the train.She has that great sense of humor I some times miss from Southamerica.Great book.

Cuentas de Chile y de Isabel Allende
El libro "Mi país inventado" de Isabel Allende es muchas cosas al mismo tiempo:

Es un viaje a Chile: Isabel Allende nos cuenta de la geografía, de la política, de la cultura (especialmente del humor) y también de la historia reciente de este país Latinoamericano. Pero no es una guía que pretende reemplazar por ejemplo los libros de la "Lonely Planet". Si buscas una guía de ese tipo debes que comprar otro libro.

"Mi país inventado" también es una autobiografía: Allende describe su infancia en Santiago de Chile. Cuenta de sus padres y parientes; especialmente nos deja saber muchas cosas sobre su abuelo. Pero al final solamente es una autobiografía muy rudimentaria (el libro de bolsillo solamente tiene aproximadamente 200 paginas).

Sobretodo ese libro es una declaración de amor por "su país" (ella misma refiere varias veces a Chile como "mi país" - inclusive en su título ), por su patria. Sí, claro, escribe sobre la década del gobierno Pinochet en los anos 1970s, de las brutalidades cometidos por los militares etc. Sí, claro, nos cuenta de las características menos favorables de sus compatriotas. Y sí, claro, nos explica como a ella le gusta vivir en California con su marido y que bueno es para ella regresar "home" a San Francisco. Pero sin embargo después de leer "Mi país inventado" no hay ninguna duda donde reside su alma: en Chile.

¿Entonces, para quiénes fue escrito ese libro? Pienso que probablemente sea para los aficionados de Latino América y de Isabel Allende. Para lectores que ya conocen sus libros de ficción y que quieren saber más sobre Chile y Isabel Allende y de lo que Isabel Allende piensa de "su" país. A mi me gustó muchísimo leer "Mi país inventado".

Un recuerdo inolvidable
Un libro que en lo personal me hizo descubrir la magia que puede haber en recorrer nuestras memorias mas intensas, esas que se marcan en nuestra infancia y adolescencia, cuando la memoria esta mas fresca. Esos recuerdos y nostalgias van enlazadas a la distancia y la aceptacion de una nueva tierra que nos brinda la oportunidad de estar aqui lejos de la otra y de alguna forma seguir cosechando recuerdos.
Por supuesto que estas nuevas memorias y vivencias nunca reemplazaran los recuerdos magicos de ese pais inventado... o real del cual venimos.

Destined To Be A Classic
I picked up this book because I'd heard of Isabel Allende (and the late Salvador Allende), and because I thought it would be helpful in my Spanish studies. I quickly became engrossed in the book and, as they say, couldn't put it down (except to reach for my Spanish dictionary).

Isabel Allende, author of numerous bestselling novels, was born in Peru, grew up in Chile, and then traveled with her parents to various diplomatic posts. Later, she was exiled permanently from Chile after the military coup of 1973. She writes about her native country as one who, having stepped outside her culture, can no longer return to it as a native, but sees it from the outside. She is a perpetual foreigner now, an outsider in every culture, and so she sees things others miss. In this book, Author Allende takes a nostalgic look back at her life, her family, her native land, its culture, its foibles and its great strengths. She also reveals a great deal of her own inner self, creaing a powerful bond of intimacy with her readers.

This is a book which transcends time and place. Written in a simple, conversational style, it draws the reader in, engages, delights, and amazes. And it causes the reader to think and reflect. She is able to discuss world-shaking political events in the same intimate style, and caused this reader to reflect deeply on some of the political currents of our own time. The author has a sparkling sense of humor, and often got me to laugh, though her message is profoundly serious. I believe this book will be recognized as a classic. I recommend it highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

... Read more

Product Description

Reunited once more, young Alexander Cold and his best friend, Nadia, embark upon a new adventure, following Alex's frighteningly fearless journalist grandmother Kate to a forbidden kingdom hidden away in the frosty peaks of the Himalayas. They seek the fabled Golden Dragon—a sacred statue and priceless oracle coveted by a greedy and powerful outsider. To prevent the desecration of the holy relic, they will need the help of a sage Buddhist monk, his young royal disciple, and a fierce tribe of Yeti warriors. But even the mystical power of their totemic animal spirits may not be enough to save the teenagers and this remote world from the destructive encroachment of “civilization.”

Customer Reviews (27)

Hope the 3rd one is better!
This was a much faster read than the first Alexander Cold book, probably because it has substantially less content.

It idolizes the isolated parts of the world and demonizes capitalists (with a gently pointed caricature of a certain software billionaire). It reveres mysticism at the expense of logic, and involves a ridiculously convoluted plot among the bad guys.

I'll keep reading them, since I'm 2/3 of the way through the trilogy, but would not recommend this volume. Here's hoping book 3 is better!

Kingdom of the Golden Dragon
After the initial, disappointing introduction to Alex Cold and his grandmother Kate in //City of the Beasts//, it was with some trepidation that I picked up the second installment in the series, //Kingdom of the Golden Dragon//. Isabel Allende, a powerhouse novelist often grouped with greats like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, takes a second step into the YA market by picking up the threads of the Colds' adventures, and sending them off into Himalayas, where they face another round of kidnappings, secret plots and exposure to ancient religions. Unfortunately, normal readers of Allende, whether those who adore her South American-set sagas, or those who prefer her emotional memoirs, will be disappointed by this traditional YA adventure tale. A times the dialogue is hokey, the "lessons" are too obvious, and the characters seem more like caricatures, but the Colds will grow on a reader just enough to hang around to see what happens next.

Reviewed by Allena Tapia

A good story, once it gets going
I have to admit that I really struggled with this book, and nearly gave up, several times, during the first hundred pages or so. I am glad that I persisted, because it is quite a good story.

What really irritated me, early on, were the stupidly ridiculous situations which were being put before me. For example, a teenage girl arrives at JFK with her pet monkey in a cardboard box; it escapes and causes havoc, but she is allowed to continue through to the transit lounge with her pet running free. She gets through Heathrow in much the same manner, to arrive at her final destination, New Delhi. As a friend of mine was almost arrested for having an apple in his baggage when he arrived at an American airport, I found this totally unbelievable.

I was perfectly happy with shape-shifting, communication between humans and animals by telepathy and alliances being formed with yetis, but the event described above and the idea of a teenager running away to a Himalayan mountain top, and surviving, were just too much for me. Perhaps I am odd!

Anyway, the book is worth reading for the story, particularly, I think, for teenagers and young adults.

In the first few chapters, I would have rated it with only one or two stars. Eventually, I liked it, and gave it three.

Easy read
All of the books in this series are fun easy reads, more for children coming of age. I did enjoy the mature and sometimes paranormal concepts these books have to offer. The characters are engaging and have thought provoking adventures. While this is definitely a read I would have enjoyed more as a young adult, I liked them enough to finish all 3 within a week or so.

One of my top 15 books
This follow up to the City of Beasts is a great book because it keeps the theme of adventure throughout the book as it did in the City of Beasts.This book starts with a lama and his disciple, Prince Dil Bahadur from the forbidden kingdom (Kingdom of the Golden Dragon).In New York, Kate Cold, a writer for the Times magazine, and grand-mother of Alexander Cold, is sent to India to write about the forbidden kingdom.Alexander Cold and his best friend, Nadia, whom he met in the Amazon jungle went to India as well. The plot centers around the theft of the priceless golden dragon and the subsequent kidnapping of the king.Alexander and Nadia get deeply involved in what transpires soon after they arrive in India. It is a fast moving plot with lots of twists and turns and new characters being introduced to the story.I could not put the book down.It is a unique adventure.I spent a good summer's day or two reading this book.As a ten year old, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a good adventure novel. ... Read more

Product Description

Once again Alexander Cold and his indomitable journalist grandmother, Kate, are braving the mystical unknown, this time in the heart of Africa. Along with Alex's friend Nadia Santos and a photographic crew from International Geographic magazine, they have travelled to Kenya to work on an article about the continent's first elephant-led safaris. But when a missionary approaches their camp in search of companions who have mysteriously disappeared, Alex, Nadia, and their group find themselves embarking on a dangerous mission to Africa's equatorial forest to aid a clan of Pygmies. For the Cold expedition is the tribe's last hope for survival in a world where poaching, corruption, and slavery run rampant.

Customer Reviews (11)

Forest of the Pygmies
//Forest of the Pygmies//, the third book in Isabel Allende's trilogy for young adults, is out in a new trade paperback edition.Like the other two books in the series, //Forest of the Pygmies// contains an emphasis on adventure with elements of mysticism, exotic places and people, wild animals, and eccentric characters.

//Forest of the Pygmies// begins with Alexander and Nadia riding through Africa on an elephant.They are once again accompanying Alexander's grandmother, Kate, on an assignment for the magazine, //International Geographic//.Although they've had a lot of fun on the safari, Alexander can't help but wish the trip had been a little more off the beaten path.As the plane lands to take them out of Africa, a Spanish missionary appears and asks for help in locating his friends who have mysteriously disappeared.In a somewhat unbelievable change of plans, Alexander gets his wish, and the group travels instead to the treacherous land of the Pygmies.After their adventure ends, the final chapter in the book, titled //Two Years Later//, brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion.

With the main characters in the book ranging in age from 15 to 60, //Forest of the Pygmies// could potentially appeal to adults as well.

Reviewed by Megan Just

Easy read
All of the booksin this series are fun easy reads, more for children coming of age. I did enjoy the mature and sometimes paranormal concepts these books have to offer. The characters are engaging and have thought provoking adventures. While this is definitely a read I would have enjoyed more as a young adult, I liked them enough to finish all 3 within a week or so.

Reality Transporter
The book is really interesting and fascinating. You will get hunger for more. While you read the book, it's like you're living the adventure of the characters, it trasportates you to the books reality.

Great book!
This is a wonderful book, I read it and now I bought it for a teenager that loves to read. Isabel Allende is one of the best Latin american writers

Great Book!
I really enjoyed this book.It is written for adolescents but I am 24 and reading it for grad school for a literature for adolescents class.There are two that come before that I am going to read also. ... Read more

Product Description

"Me apprepiento de los platos deliciosos rechazados por vanidad, tanto como lamento las ocasiones de hacer el amor que he dejado pasar por ocuparme de tareas pendientes o por virtud puritana",ya que "la sexualidad es un componente de la buena salud, inspira la creacion y es parte del camino del alma...Por desgracia, me demoré treinta años en descubrirlo".

Customer Reviews (12)

delicious!
I wanted to read this book since the first time it was published in 1997 but I think I was to young to have appreciated. Now that I finished it I just can say it was a real feast for the mind and soul, it was just the best meal I ever had.Isabel Allende writes after a terrible moment in her life which was the dead of ther daughter Paula but she does it with so much passion, such zeal for life as if celebrating it together with love and lovemaking,just couldn't help but devouring the book in 3 nights.Is not only a novel (if you can call it that way) but is also a cooking book with so many exquisite recipes that you would like to try with your partner (or on your partner) at once.If you happen to speak spanish native or have a good knowledge of this language I'd recommend you to buy the spanish version to enjoy Isabel Allende at her best.

Yo también me arrepiento..
Es inevitable, no arrepentirse de las cosas de las que se arrepiente la autora.
Las recetas están bastante bien introducidas en el texto, aunque lo veo un poco forzado, no hay una unidad, son historias aisladas que a veces no pegan demasiado bien con la receta en cuestión y te quedas un poco a medias, ( en la receta y en la historia), pero es ameno y original.
A mi entender éste y los demás libros de Isabel Allende, pecan un poco de "aburguesados" y ésto no me gusta demasiado, tniendo en cuenta que pretende escribir precisamente para un público no burgués.
Tampoco me gusta la excesiva diferencia entre las edicionesexistentes. La calidad del papel y de las ilustraciones es abismal, no así los precios.Que también pecan de "burgueses".

Es un Buen Libro
Es sobresabido que nosotros los latinos o al menos una gran parte de nosotros TODO lo festejamos alrededor de la comida, y creo que en este libro se hace un honor al ejercicio de convivir en familia

No esperes encontrar la gran historia, pero si una perfecta y maravillosa narracion sobre comida e interesantes recetas

A no-sense!
To me, this book is just a waist of time!

My review on Isabelle Allende
As I am a person that likes to eat desserts (especially) chocolate I would really even Love it more to explore in a book written by such a succesfull author as Isabelle Allende... It seems a delicious book to explore in, there it has so delicious and beautiful things to eat and read in... ... Read more

Product Description

When Alexander Cold's mother falls ill, the fifteen-year-old is sent to stay with his eccentric grandmother in New York. A tough and prickly magazine reporter, Kate Cold takes Alex along with her on an expedition to the Amazon to verify the existence of the fierce, gigantic, legendary creature known as the Beast. Joining them on their adventure are a celebrated anthropologist; a local guide and his daughter, Nadia; a doctor; and a local entrepreneur. But not everyone's intentions are pure—and dangerous discoveries await Alex and Nadia as they embark, with the aid of a jungle shaman, on an epic journey into the realm of the mythical Beasts of the Amazon.

Customer Reviews (91)

Too many straw men, not enough real men
It's a common, but poor, author technique to make your points you want people to agree with seem valid by making the opposition look so ridiculous that no one in their right mind could agree with them.Authors (and filmmakers) who dislike religion will make the town's religious people crazy, homophobic, murdering hypocrites while their calm, atheistic heroes will use good sense to save the day.It's a way to say to the audience "Look at these bad people I invented who are religious!They kill people and are hypocrites! Therefore, religion itself is ridiculous and hypocritical!"

Avatar is a great example of this, they make the greedy corporate people willing to do murder and vandalism in the name of capitalism in order to attack the validity of capitalism.If you made a movie about Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Jon Huntsman or Magic Johnson you'd see successful capitalists who have greatly benefited humanity, and it would be a lot harder to attack the principles of capitalism itself. So in Avatar they create a fictional construct and prop it up to show how capitalism is bad rather than actually engaging in a debate of the principles.

Unfortunately, Allende takes the "Avatar" approach in her book Kingdom of the Beasts.Her characters are ridiculously one dimensional with the good guys all being the thoughtful, good-looking environmentalists and natives and the bad people being caricatures of greedy capitalists and pompous, smug scientists.Dialog consists of a bad person making a stupid statement like "The Natives are dirty, bloody heathens who stink" and then a good person giving a page dialog about how spiritual and kind the natives are to everyone.Or another bad guy will start talking about how excited he is to slash and kill thousands of acres of rain forest for his own money-making scheme, so a good character can talk about how important it is to save rainforests.It's possibly some of the most contrived and ham-handed preaching I've seen in a kids book.

Good read by Allende
City of the Beasts is another good read by Allende.You don't want to miss this one.

painfully bad and horribly disappointing
Okay, so a while back I asked for alternative titles for a student whose mother didn't want him to read _like water for chocolate_.This Allende title is one of the books that was recommended, so I offered to read it to see whether there was anything "objectionable" in it.Okay--here's what I object to:the writing.This is trite, derivative and practically the definition of cliché.I offer as evidence the following sentence, from near the end of the book, with spoiler space in case you really didn't see this stunning revelation coming:











"Leblanc stood there in the midst of the chaos, holding the child tight against his breast and trembling with rage and bewilderment.His worst nightmares had been reversed:they themselves were the savages, not the Indians."





I mean, seriously?Those two sentences are so rife with cliché that I would expect it from one of my advanced freshman, maybe, but I'd already be telling my juniors to work a little harder!The book is plodding, predictable and painfully banal...and it's not like I don't agree with the themes presented, but her attitude toward the Indians is patronizing, at best, and she still seems to think they need rescuing.Don't even get me started on the "surprise" Indian agent and the woman duped by love.
I loved Allende's _House of the Spirits_ and was hoping to love this one, but i could barely stomach it.It is an extremely disappointing effort.

More Teen than YA
Surprisingly high-minded and bloody all at the same time. The male MC in this series is 15. That usually means it's aimed at an audience around 11-15yo since most kids like to read about characters older than themselves. I was surprised by the quantity and seeming casualness of the violence in this book.

It was a good story, with a not-even-remotely-concealed politic message about protecting indigenous peoples (a goal I agree with), but a rough read for YA.

Frankly, I find Allende very long-winded. Everything of hers that I've read has been translated by the same person, and I can't help but wonder if the excess verbiage is a result of the author's intent, the translator's craft, or just that English doesn't have the right words for some of the ideas originally written in Spanish.

Whatever the reason, this was a hard YA read for me. BUT, the plot was entertaining (though the characters were largely caricatures) and I'll definitely read the next one. I just don't know that I'd recommend them to a kid under 13, preferably 14. Yes, I'm old-fashioned and naive. Let me be.

Delightful trilogy, great to share with young people
This is the first of Isabel Allende's trilogy... for young people and adults. written in her great literary style it is full of vivid images, great travel information, and delightful characters ranging from an elderly anthropologist to her young teen grandson and young female from the Amazon.

I suppose somewhere in here might be the heavy religious tones of Narnia or Philip Pullman(if so I missed them). Beasts and its sequels are simply delightful imaginative tales... a bit like Hudson's,Green Mansions, seldom read today. this is nature fantasy, not technology stuff.
This would be a good family read choice: suitable for good readers of about a 6th grade reading level or a good parent read aloud book for poorer readers or a "you read a chapter, I read a chapter" bed time reading. It is a great introduction to a good writer with outstanding adults books.Once I read one I needed all three and bought all three for adults sons for Christmas. Great price at amazon buying all three together in paperback. ... Read more

Product Description

Eliza Sommers es una joven chilena que vive en Valparaíso en 1849, el año en que se descubre oro en California. Su amante, Joaquín Andieta, parte hacia el norte decidido a encontrar fortuna, y ella decide seguirlo. El viaje infernal, escondida en la cala de un velero, y la búsqueda de su amante en una tierra de hombres solos y prostitutas atraídos por la fiebre del oro, transforman a la joven inocente en una mujer fuera de lo común.Eliza recibe ayuda y afecto de Tao Chi'en, un médico chino, quien la conducirá de la mano en un itinerario memorable por los misterios y contradicciónes de la condición humana. hija de la fortuna es un retrato palpitante de una época marcada por la violencia y la codicia en la cual los protagonistas rescatan el amor, la amistad, la compasión y el valor.

Customer Reviews (39)

GREAT VALUE!
This book was way below retail price. The service was excellent as well. I'll keep buying from Amazon!

Deceptionante, pero aún interesante
Isabel Allende ha escrito libros magníficos.Sin duda,nos ha dadoalgunas de las mejores obras de literatura de las últimas décadas.Desafortunadamente, Hija de la fortuna no es una de ellas.

El libro no merece 5 estrellas, como muchosde losreviewers le han dado, pero tampoco vale dos o una estrella.La verdades que la señora Allende es insuperable cuando describe cosas que conocebien, como sus dospaises (Chile y Peru), su familia, su vida ...,hasta Inés Suárez,(novia del héroe y conquistador de Chile, Pedro de Valdivia, enInés del alma mía).Pero no es tan competente cuando trata de presentar una tierra estraña como California, o personajes deculturas muy distintas a la suya, per ejemplo, ingleses y alemanes.Tenemos que ser honestos, las inglesas no son tan ardientescomo las que ella describe en las escenas de amor en la primera parte del libro. ......A vecesme pregunto si las chilenas son tan ardientes.

Otras maneras en que Hija de la fortuna está menos que perfecto es en: (1) la falta de acción -algunos de los capítulos se podríandescribir comosimplemente aburridos;(2) la descriptión de personajes y eventos que no son directamente conectados a la historia (aburridos también);(3) la inadecuadadescriptión de la búsqueda delnovio, Joaquín.Casiparece que, después de salir al barco rumboa California, Eliza no haga nada concretopara encontrar al amor de su vida, al hombre que casi le dió un hijo.

Siento mucho no estar de acuerdo con los otros reviewers, pero soy yo misma escritora y - como tal - creo que el final seabueno.Nos deja llenos de dudas y preguntas.Eliza puede hacer cualquier cosa que el lector desee.

A pesar de los defectos, Hija de la fortunasigue siendo el producto de una gran autora.Tiene muchos detalles históricosy le gustará (aunque un poco menos) a todos los que conocen y aprecian a Isabel Allende.

Hija de la Fortuna
Excellent book. It is especially good when you have read the book written in English and then read it as written in Spanish. The book I purchased was in acceptable condition which was actually very good for a used book.

Isabel Allende
Isabel Allende is just a bad copy of Garcia Marquez, nothing else is need to say.


Isabel Allende es solo una mala copia de Garcia Marquez, no se necesita decir nada mas.

Historia de una vida increíble
Un libro muy bueno. Junto con Retrato den Sepia y la Casa de los espíritus, Isabel Allende evoca a tres mujeres que solo compartiendo firmeza y autodeterminación innegables llegan a vivir con una intensidad...
La protagonista de este libro, aunque en un principio desesperará por su necedad, nos hará ver que la vida no es quedarse y seguir por el camino, hay que ir campo traviesa la mayor parte de la vida, por que solo así se descubre el propio sendero.
En menos de 4 días lo terminé, y ya estaba buscando la continuación. ... Read more

Product Description

Eva Luna -- amante, revolucionaria, narradora -- reclinada en la cama con su amante, le cuenta una historia " que nunca ha contado antes a nadie," en veintitres vivdos y fascinantes relatos sobre guerrilleros y nigromantes, seductores y tiranos, diplomáticos y acróbatas. En esta estupenda colección de cuentos, Isabel Allende continúa la magia de su muy elogiada novela Eva Luna. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Amazing read...
I bought this as a gift for my mom, and she loved it. It is a great book that keeps you interested, you won't want to put it down.

Compralo!! buy it!!
No te arrepentiràs, me encantan todos los cuentos de este libro, so tan originales y tan fuera de lo común, que te transportan a otro mundo en tu imaginación!!

Uneven but with mythic dimensions
A friend introduced me to this collection this summer. It's a relatively easy read for anyone with a college education in Spanish. Allende uses modern stylistic devices and vocabulary.

The frame is a Scheherazade set up... a series of stories about love relationships.

Some stories are a bit schematic and unsatisfying but when she hits paydirt, it's killer. I especially liked the stories 'Si me tocaras el corazon' and 'Walimai.' These felt almost like deep folk/ fairytales.

If you enjoyed A.S. Byatt's "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye," you'll like this one too.

Wonderful Writer--Allende
Cuentos de Eva Luna arrived rapidly.I am reading it for pleasure and I'm not being disappointed. The book is well bound for a paperback, comfortable to hold, easy to read for a student of a second language.

She Writes With Magic Ink
What a collection of characters! An illiterate woman who sells words. A man obsessed with a little girl. A woman whose marriage was based on letters written by the wrong man. A woman who spends her life waiting for revenge. A rich man who keeps a girl prisoner. Rascals trying to break into society. A lonely dictator. Invisible Indians. Every character is flawed in some terrible way, and yet, somehow appealing. Somehow you become attached to each of the characters and you want to hear their stories. There is something absolutely magical about these stories by Isabel Allende, stories you can't put down.

What is her secret? I don't know. I think she writes with magic ink. But, there is something else, too. Her characters never give up. No matter how bad, how flawed, how actually depraved they may be, they keep struggling toward the light. And so, each of us, with our own struggle to escape from darkness, can relate to these people and their stories.

These are some of the finest stories I have ever read. I recommend the collection most highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

... Read more

Product Description

El Plan Infinito, de la celebrada escritora latinoamericana Isabel Allende, es su primera novela situada en los Estados Unidos y con personajes nortemamericanos. Es la hipnozitizante y conmovedora saga de un hombre que, durante los largos años de su juventud y madurez, busca amor y aceptación.Allende traza la pobreza y abandono de la niñez de su protagonista, la persecuzion de las pandillas de un barrio de Los Angeles,el horror de sus experiencias en Vietnam, su vida frenética como abagodo en San Francisco---una serie de frustraciones que por fin se resuelven en acogida y redención.

Customer Reviews (11)

Hard to read
I have read several Latin American authors with avid interest. So often they seem to have something new to say, or, something to say in a new and interesting way. This book seems to have neither of those virtues: the Spanish is wordy and descriptive, but lacks a certain poetry I have got used to by other authors; and the themes do not strike me as new, or treated in a novel way.The storyline was also very disjoint! Perhaps the authoress was trying to capture a sense of the protagonist's own confusion, living through a troubled childhood, broken relationships and war. Whatever the intention, it made this book incredibly difficult to read, despite how good the storyline when all the broken lines were connected.So I guess overall (assuming Allende's intention was to present a broken-up kind of story) it is not that bad, though I had expected something much better and enjoyable to read.

Entrancing Saga
Gregory Reeves grows up in a most unusual family--his father an itinerant New Age guru, his mother withdrawn and distant. When the father, Charles, falls ill, the family takes up residence in a Mexican neighborhood in Los Angeles, and the family's nomadic idyll comes to an end. Gregory faces many struggles, trying to survive in a new culture where he is never fully accepted.

The book follows Gregory and the many people whose lives become entwined with his, through high school, the Viet Nam war, social change, college and law school, disastrous marriage, a second disastrous marriage, disturbed children, and a law office that is about to go bankrupt. The book is not tightly plotted, it simply flows and develops, very much like real life. And what a cast of characters--every one of them fascinating and unforgettable.

What makes Allende's writing so remarkable is that every one of the characters--and at times there are almost too many--struggles toward the light, toward redemption, in his or her own way. And so, although these characters have terrible flaws and failings, you come to love them and wish them well. And by the end of the book, most of them--well, I won't spoil it for you. Author Isabel Allende has a unique way of creating a sense of intimate communion with her readers, so that you feel you have come to know her as well. I loved this book and I recommend it highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

Not what I thought this book would be
I chose to read the book for a research paper in school and I was disappointed.I found it shallow and lacking in direction.There was not an specific time setting for her story and the social problems that affects our society are approached in a very generic fashion, like painting by the numbers.Isabel Allende finds the worse in our society and drags it down by attributing enormous racial and social barriers in our society, which they do exist but I believe they are overstated in her story.This book is more about stereotyping, racism, sexual abuse and a general decline of our society than about The Infinite Plan, which she just mentions here and there throughout the book to justify the title.

Fantastic
Great story from the 1960's Vietnam war and Los angeles in the 60's, a white boy in the heart of Los Angeles mexican district
very cool, you won't stop reading this one.

Crudo como la vida misma.
Esto no es un libro, yo mas bien lo llamaria una experiencia. Nunca fui muy fanatico de Isabel pero este libro me convencio de su maravillosa pluma y sin dejar de mencionar esa bella narrativa que no deja que pares de leer. ... Read more

Product Description

El último tomo de la aclamada trilogía de Isabel Allende narra las aventuras de Jaguar y Águila en una tierra exótica, poblada de espíritus y seres misteriosos y cuenta la evolución de una extraordinaria amistad.

Customer Reviews (6)

el bosque de los pigmeos
De todas las obras de isabel allende, está es la más lenta y tediosa de todas. No tiene mucha imaginacion al final de la serie del aguila y del jaguar.

book
The book came in perfect condition by mail. The trilogy is absolutelly amaizing. I love it!

Love it!, me encanto! :)
Muy buena manera de narrar la historia, algo caracteristico de Isabell Allende, y es miuy interezante, nunca te aburriras de la historia :)

great book
toda la serie que comprende tres libros son muy buenos para adolescentes. mi hijo no le gustaba leer libros y despues de haber descubierto esta serie me ha hecho comprar mas libros para leer. gracias a esta serie de libros mi hijo se ha interesado por la lectura. el libro es muy bueno...claro que tienes que tener en cuenta que no todos los gustos son iguales.

Delightful story
This book is very enjoyable.The story is recommended for teens, and in fact, my son (11) read it, finished it and liked it!!Then I decided to read it myself and the story just captured me.The basic story is fiction, but mixed with real issues (environmental, political, etc.) that makes the book very interesting. ... Read more

Product Description

A finales del siglo XIX en Chile, Aurora del Valle sufre de un trauma brutal que borra de su mente los primeros cinco años de su vida. Criada por su ambiciosa abuela, Paulina del Valle, crece en un ambiente privilegiado, pero se ve atormentada por horribles pesadillas. Cuando debe afrontar la traición del hombre que ama, y la soledad, decide explorar el misterio de su pasado.

Customer Reviews (17)

Es buena pero no era lo q pensaba....
Es una buena novela, pero no era lo q pensaba... Yo me enamore completamente de joaquin andieta y el no aparece!! No se sabe q paso con el.Definitivamente Esta novela perdio el encanto cuando ella se quedo con Tao Chien. El enamoramiento de ellos fue repentino y se puede apreciar en la primera parte tambien

Era mejor un solo libro
Indiscutiblemente Isabel Allende es una buena escritora. La novela estábien escrita y es muy informativa. Si se lee primero "La hija de la fortuna" uno encuentra que esta es la segunda parte. Alrededor de la mitad del libro perdí el entusiasmo, y mi esposo también,"más de lo mismo". Está escrita en primera persona con el mismo estilo que la "La hija de la fortuna" hasta el punto que a veces no se sabe si narra Elisa o Aurora. Creo que la narradora debía haber buscado la manera de que el lector sintiera que estaba leyendo a dos mujeres diferentes como realmente son Lo mejor hubiera sido que hubiera escrito una sola novela mas larga para evitar repeticiones, aunque vendiera menos.

Apasionante
Este libro es la tercera parte de la trilogia que se forma con "La hija de la fortuna" y "La casa de los espiritus".
Con el estilo maravilloso de la narracion de Isabel Allende, es una mezcla perfecta entre fantasia y realidad que atrapa al lector hasta el final.
Excellente libro para recomendar!

maravilloso
este libro lo recomiendo 100% me encanto ,y puedo decir que es uno de sus mejores trabajos.

Exelente
Es un libro muy entretenido que dificilmente lo quieres dejar de leer. La gracia que tiene Isabel Allende al describir a los personajes hace que te adentres en ellos.

MCAC ... Read more

Product Description
From reviews of the first edition:". . . Allende has led a life full of drama, passion, and history--one that is a novela in its own right. Now a book, Conversations with Isabel Allende, gives fans the inside story as told by Allende herself. . . . This is worthwhile reading for anyone who wants to know what makes a good writer tick."--Latina"Notoriously cavalier about the lines between fact, memory, and the storyteller's urge to keep the listener going, Allende embellishes or withholds wherever she pleases. Serious subjects are discussed and dealt with seriously, but there is plenty of laughter and evidence of the woman's appealing optimism and sense of play, whimsy, and charm."--Bloomsbury Review"[This] is a rich, entertaining, and informative look at the life-in-progress and work of an extraordinary woman."--Virginia Quarterly Review"[Readers] will find themselves enthralled with the fascinating story of a politically committed and dedicated writer, mother, and wife."--School Library Journal"Her fans will love the Isabel who comes across so well spoken here."--BooklistThis revised edition has been updated to cover Allende's three newest books--City of the Beasts, Portrait in Sepia: A Novel, and Daughter of Fortune. It includes four new interviews in which Allende discusses completing her trilogy of novels that began with House of the Spirits, as well as her ongoing spiritual adventure and political interests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

FASCINATING
If you are captivated by Allende's novels and moved by her memoir then you will be equally enthralled with this work. Conversations with Isabel Allende is a collection of thirty-four interviews covering the life, work and assessment of Allende as a writer. The interviews are divided into three periods. The first begins in the mid-80's and is predominated by literary interviews given by academics and scholars of Latin American Literature. The second period (late 80's to 1991) consists of interviews that are biographical and focus on the relationship of her works with her life. The third set of interviews (1991-1994) deal with her relationship with her daughter, the impact of the Latin American Boom Writers on her work and how her move to the United States has impacted on her writing.

I was fascinated with this vast array of material which contains something for everyone. Allende deals with the probing questions of critics and academics regarding her style, structure and influences on her work. Her answers are most surprising in that she doesn't see herself as falling into any particular writing tradition. In fact she confesses her ignorance about those in the literary field who analyze and take apart her works for greater understanding.

Another part of the interviews that are intriguing is her sharing with us her life story, anecdotes, and challenges. You see an intimate portrait of her as a mother, journalist, feminist and novelist. Allendes warts as well as her beauty shines through. Her responses to the questions are a story unto themselves and you wonder if they are indeed true.

What is most important about this work is that you see the progression of growth of one of Latin America's most significant female writers. Allende's works are put in a particular context and you as a reader are able to engage her in viewing how she writes, why she writes and the significance it has for women and Latin America. Conversations is a "must have" text in doing any literary or biographical research on this great writer. ... Read more

Product Description

Alexander Cold, un joven de quince años está a punto de embarcarse con su temeraria abuela, en el viaje de su vida. Una expedición de la International Geographic se dirige hacia la remotas y peligrosas tierras salvajes de Suramérica para documentar al legendario Yeti del Amazonas, más conocido como "La Bestia."

Alex y su amiga Nadia descubrirán que el impenetrable mundo de la selva tropical esconde mucho más de lo que jamás hubieran imaginado. Con la fuerza de sus dos animales totémicos -- el jaguar para Alexander, y el águila para Nadia -- ambos jóvenes se embarcan en una apasionante e inolvidable aventura que los lleva al descubrimiento de ...

Customer Reviews (21)

Great adventure novel
I teach high school Spanish and was searching for interesting reading material to build vocabulary/grammar skills in my upper tier 3rd/4th year students.I currently use mini-novels for 3rd year kids, but I had 2-3 really excelling students who wanted something more challenging with a "real plot" similar to novels they enjoy in English.The 3 students who chose to read this over the summer really loved the story line because it made them feel like they were reading a "real story with real characters that were interesting" I feel it is just the right level for a student finishing 3rd year.Kids who like the "Harry Potter" magic/fantasy genre love this.It is not a rip off of that theme, but has a more sophisticated take on ecology/fantasy/spirituality/cultural levels.

I found that I really loved the novel myself, too!Allende is an outstanding author (I've read her more famous novels) and even for an adult, the characters are engaging and the plot moves along.In fact, I have read 2 out of the series of 3 because it is light reading for me in Spanish...a fun story for summer reading without having to do "high literature" but not sacrificing solid, interesting writing.

ciudad de las bestias
¿Te gusto libros sobre Las amazonas? Ese libro es mi favorito. El libro es sobre Alexander Cold, un niño que fue a Las Amazonas con su abuelo Kate Cold.

Alex y su abuelo fueron a La Amazona para escribir un artículo sobre la misterioso Bestia, un monstruo que ha matado unas personas. Alex metí Naudia, La niña del piolet. Por unos desastres, el grupo esta estradito en La Amazona. Juntos, Alex y Naudiadescubrió el misterio de la bestia.

Este libro es uno de mis favoritos libros. Me gusto los caracteres buenos y detesto los caracteres malos. Me gusto la mención de la gente de la niebla. Quiero saber más de ellos. No puedo esperar para la secuela.

charming, funny, and surprising
At first the book was a little boring to read. But then I really got into it. It was funny, interesting, and shocking at the end. It's a good read, and I would recomend it.

Wonderful experience of Allende's changing style
Some were critical of Allende's novel, claiming it was a bit too fantastic and too much like a child's story. Two things should be considered when approaching this book. Allende's novels and writing style fall in the literary genre known in Latin America as magical realism (realismo magico). It means exactly what it sounds like. Secondly, if you read the dedication on the first page of this book, it is dedicated to her grandchildren, "who asked for this story". Soooo... one would surmise that it might actually be a fantastic and mystic tale of far away lands filled with made up creatures, magical occurences, and other such components of a story told to grandchildren. If you were looking for something more realistic, serious, scholarly, etc. perhaps you are reading the wrong author, the wrong style, and the wrong genre. Perhaps anthropology is better suited?
I personally loved this book. I am actually sad that it took me so long to read it- I have owned it for about eight years now, but was turned off at first by how different it was from her other books I had read. At the time I had only read her early novels, all based in South America or focusing on South American characters, so the idea of American characters didn't fit with what I was accustomed to expecting from her books. I have since read most of her books, and have come to understand how her life- and it's continuing progression- has altered her style and her approach to characters. I love this book for the place it holds in the chronology of Allende's career, and for her continuing ability to transport me to places unimagined, and comfort me with characters that are vividly developed. I finished it five minutes ago, and immediately went online to purchase the next one- El Reino del Dragon de Oro. That should speak volumes as to how much I truly enjoyed it!
If you are just beginning to read Allende for the first time, though, I recommend that you begin at the beginning- The House of the Spirits (Casa de los Espiritus), Paula, and Of Love and Shadows (De Amor y De Sombra). These three are some of her earliest works, my personal favorites, and the foundation to understanding her style of writing.

Three Kings day gift
Book arrived on time for the Three Kings Day celebration in Puerto Rico.Excellent conditions and excellent book.

Thank you. ... Read more

Product Description
Isabel was a lonely girl.She would hide in the basement of her grandparents’ home in Santiago, Chile.In that dark and musty space, she played among the aged family photos and abandoned furniture.Among the cobwebs, the young Isabel read dust-covered books, through which she discovered the silken threads of fantastical stories, threads that would one day inform the novels of a legendary writer.

Isabel Allende: Recuerdos para un cuento/Isabel Allende: Memories for a Story gives readers a glimpse of Isabel Allende’s childhood influences. Benatar offers a vivid picture of a unique childhood: bewitched by the séances of her grandmother, enlivened by her own adventurous spirit, and haunted by the silence that descended upon the house after the death of a loved one.With the passage of time, Isabel became the keeper of the family memories, memories that come alive in her writing.

This intriguing bilingual picture book not only introduces young readers to the life of an important author of our time but also demonstrates how they, too, can use their experiences to write their own family stories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An excellent autobiography and teaching tool
Told in a time-line format, this beautifully illustrated book showcases the writing voice of Isabel Allende. A single page/event can be used to explain events from a historical perspective, or several pages together can explain how life experiences shaped the author's ideas for writing.The book inspires endless opportunities for student writing: creating a time line of her experiences, mirroring that time line with their own, "exploding the moment" and having students write about one idea on their time line, writing from the points of view of any of the book's characters, etc.More than all this, the book demonstrates that a young girl with an unusual, even traumatic childhood has a wonderful story to tell to the world - an important message for kids who feel they have no valid story to tell.

Genesis of"The House of Spirits"
This is a interesting bilingual children's book about distinguished writer Isabel Allende's life. She has written many books including The Sum of Our Days: A Memoir. The book is a perfect introduction to the world of Isabel Allende as a child mostly. It allows the young reader to see what influences mold an adult. The early influence is not unlike many other childrens where the grandparents, especially the grandmother has a lot to do with the upbringing, especially in extended families. there are some unusual differences though, the grandmother would conduct seances. These seances resulted in a manuscript and ultimately were the basis of her first book The House of the Spirits. The book will require some explanations if you are reading to a young audience but much fun can be had in this process. Many lessons can be taught through this book. The illustrations are very nice and the book includes a chronology for the young student. Recommended for looking at the diversity of life through the eyes of others. This is a good book for a community library or school library K-8.

Recuerdos para un cuento/Isabel Allende
I'm one of the author's fan. I was curious about this book. It is good, yes.
but for an older child who has had some exposure to different lifestyles.
I liked the illustrations, and the fact that it is written in Spanish
as well as in English. I will give it to my grandchild.

A Children's Introduction to an Extraordinary Person
Fans of award-winning author Isabel Allende likely are familiar with the broad outlines of her remarkable life and understand how her experiences have informed her writing.Such fans also know that Allende's life has not been a fairy tale.Allende's mother was Chilean who fell in love with a diplomat; they moved to Lima, Peru, where they had three children including Allende.The marriage failed and Allende's mother took her children back to Chile to live in her grandparents' house.Allende suffered from loneliness but created a strong bond with her grandmother who openly held beliefs in the existence of spirits; in fact, Allende loved to attend her grandmother's séances.Allende also filled the lonely hours with books and old photos she found in her grandparents' abandoned basement.Fans also know that Allende's family eventually fled Chile with the 1973 coup led by General Augusto Pinochet leading to the death of President Salvador Allende, a relative of the young Isabel Allende.

Raquel Benatar has taken Allende's life and turned it into a children's book that doesn't shy away from the difficult issues of broken families, political upheaval, loneliness and displacement.At the same time, Benatar notes that Allende's experiences led her to dedicate "herself to writing stories full of magic that recall her spiritist grandmother, the big old house full of books and old furniture, and extraordinary characters."This is an important lesson for children because most do not have "perfect" lives and must persevere circumstances similar to or more difficult than those experienced by Allende.Thus, Benatar uses Allende as an example of how a child not only can survive difficult times, but also use such experiences to become stronger and to fashion fulfilling, rich lives as adults.

Benatar's text is nicely complemented by Fernando Molinari's stylized illustrations.Molinari, born in Argentina, has produced books "of magical characters [who] reflect the world of fantasy that filled his imagination as a child."Benatar's story, therefore, is a perfect match for Molinari's artistic passions.

Benatar is a child psychologist with the desire to "write books about the lives of extraordinary people and make them accessible to young readers."In all, Isabel Allende: Recuerdos para un cuento / Momories for a Story fulfills Benatar's goal.This is a worthwhile book that will inspire children in many ways.

[This review first appeared in Southwest BookViews.]
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Product Description
From an internationally acclaimed author, this is a magical, fascinating book exploring the intimate relationship between food and sex.This book of recipes, sensuous stories, aphrodisiacs and lovers' spells is an irresistible fusion of Allende's favourite things. Lavishly illustrated, this fascinating, personal guide to all things erotic encompasses a multicultural history of seduction through food, ancient and modern stories and poems about sex and eating, titillating recipes and advice. Chapter titles include: Cooking in the Nude; The Spell of Smell; Death by Perfume; Table Manners; With the Tip of the Tongue; The Orgy; Sins of the Flesh; Love Potions, and Sauces and Other Essential Fluids. ... Read more

Product Description

In this heartfelt memoir, Isabel Allende reconstructs her own life in the wake of tragic loss—the death of her daughter, Paula. Recalling the past thirteen years from the daily correspondence she shared with her mother in Chile, Allende bares her soul in a book that is as exuberant as its author. She recounts the stories of the wildly eccentric and eclectic tribe she gathers around her that becomes a new kind of family.

Product Description
Unas meses despu#233;s que el joven Alexander Cold se internara con suabuela en el coraz#243;n del Amazonas en busca de una legendaria Bestia, vivir#225; otra aventura. En esta ocasi#243;n, la reportera Kate Cold acompa#241;a a su nieto y a Nadia, la mejor amiga de Alexander, junto con los fot#243;grafos de la International Geographic, en un viaje a otro remoto rinc#243;n del mundo. La misi#243;n del equipo es adentrarse en un reino prohibido, oculto en los picos helados del Himalaya, y localizar el legendario drag#243;n de oro, una estatua sagrada y or#225;culo invaluable capaz de presagiar el futuro del reino.

En su carrera para llegar a la estatua antes de que sea destruida por la avaricia de un intruso, Alexander y Nadia deben usar el poder espiritual de sus animales tot#233;micos: el Jaguar y el #193;guila. Con la ayuda de un sabio monje budista, su joven disc#237;pulo, el pr#237;ncipe heredero, y una feroz tribu de guerreros Yeti, Alexander y Nadia luchar#225;n para proteger el reino del drag#243;n de oro. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

very bad experience
i bought this maybe two years ago, and i never got it....and i never got the money back, so no book no refund....be carefull with this seller..i don't recommend this at all.

El Reino del Dragon de Oro
This book has an amazing story line. At first it may be a little confusing but eventually, everything comes together. Wonderful!

Addiction helps Spanish learning. This book will get you hooked.
My Spanish speaking and reading skills are fairly good, but I need to study more and to practice more. It gets to be drudgery to study textbooks. Reading great Spanish literature requires carrying a huge dictionary and can become too much like work to go through. This and "Ciudad de las Bestias" were just right for me.

The descriptions and the characters where so real that I felt as if I were there. I grew to care about them. Isabelle Allende did her homework with these books and reading them felt nothing in the least like doing _my_ homework. I lost sleep at night because I had to find out what happened next. I won't tell you that.... you'll have to find it out the right way.

Fantástica genialidad. . .
La narrativa de Isabel Allende es genial: se adapta a cualquier género con fluidez y pleno dominio. Resultan impresionantes su capacidad y habilidad para utilizar los recursos literarios para convertir cualquier historia en una peculiar y única sin importar el tema. El tiempo que le dedica a la profunda investigación de todas las materias relacionadas con las historias que desarrolla le imprimen a su obra credibilidad dentro de cualquier mundo. Este libro es un ejemplo representativo de la versatilidad de Isabel Allende. Se lo recomiendo a todo aquel lector que como yo está acostumbrado a leer las obras más representativas de ésta dentro del género que le valió su merecido sitial literario.

Buenisimo
La narrativa de Isabel Allende es espectacular. Es un libro fantasioso y de aventura que a medida que lees es como estar viendo una pelicula por la forma impresionante en que la autora pone a volar tu imaginacion ... Read more