Last Friday (16th) I met great Spanish novelist Javier Sierra here in Belgrade. He was promoting his new novel “The Lady in Blue” (La Dama Azul) which has been just published in Serbian. I was so excited, well as I usually am when I’m suppose to meet someone with whom I already shared so many hours without knowing him/her in personal. That’s always tricky, especially if you have some image based on the novel(s) and then I’m always finding myself little surprised after discovering that writers are actually human beings. LOL
I really enjoyed in Sierra’s bestselling novel “The Secret Supper” (it was very popular among Serbian readers. I think it was 4th on the year list of bestselling novels behind Pamuk, Coelho and Braun), novel full of riddles, mystery, codes, history and the Great Leonardo! What I found fascinating in that novel is huge research which standing behind the book; you can think that writing a book is a huge adventure (probably that’s not the case. I usually think that writing a book is much closer to giving a birth!). That’s why I’m so looking forward to read The Lady in Blue, he wrote in dedication note “the secret is now mine for ever” I just have to read it!
We had nice conversation in Spanish (he was so surprised when I started talking in his mother tongue and he gave me lots of compliments for my pronunciation, as if I’m not stranger! That was really great to hear!)
About the book …soon.
November 18, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Geez. I swear, Milan, you know every language out there and I’m jealous.
Glad you met a hero; always cool when you can.
November 18, 2007 at 8:38 pm
LOL I wish you’re right!
English and Spanish are only two (real) foreign language I could say I speak. (I don’t consider languages in ex-Yugoslav and now independent countries as foreign)
I’ve learned Farsi few years and once could use it without huge problems but now I’m afraid I can’t say that. I’ve managed to forget it completely; Then there is German which I’ve learned in elementary and high school but since I never used it actively it shares destiny with Farsi.
But OK English and Spanish are fine for now.
You know when you live outside the English-speaking world, first you have to learn English and then you realize your appetite is growing and that English is simply not enough!
November 19, 2007 at 3:09 am
Wow lucky you !!
And I agree with Susan; you know every language there is to know !!!
November 19, 2007 at 6:05 am
Pues Milan,
hay que decir que estas viviendo una vida much mas exitante que yo. Como lo haces? Siempre teniendo estos encuentros con la gente interesante…que suerte tienes.
Bueno, como de siempre, me alegro de visitar.
PS – hace anos que no he escrito en el Castellano, entonces si lo he hecho mal, no te burlas de mi.
November 20, 2007 at 1:32 am
@radha – you’ll make me blush. I’m just trying to use every opportunity
@Henry – ¡Qué alegría verte escribir castellano! Lo has hecho perfectamente porque te entendí todo. Mi castellano no es perfecto pero si la gente me entiende errores son irrelevantes.
Pues Belgrado es una ciudad estupenda. No es tan grande (y tampoco es pequeña) con una vida muy rica. Ahora (después de la guerra) es muy interesante para el mundo de oeste y por eso tenemos muchísimos eventos culturales (como conciertos, exhibiciones y claro promociones de los libros). Quizá sea interesante para ti un nuevo blog (de mis compañeros y mío) en castellano sobre la vida en Belgrado y Serbia. Como hay tantos prejuicios en España sobre Serbia hemos decidido crear un blog (como un proyecto final del curso en Cervantes) donde queremos presentar nueva cara de Serbia. Creo que empecaremos con este blog en la semana que viene.
November 20, 2007 at 5:11 am
Estupendo. Lo unico es que yo no tengo el teclado Espanol, entonces tengo dificultades encuentrar las letras con accentos. (Tambien hay que tener en cuenta los errores que hago porque ya hace anos desde que he escrito algo) De vez en cuando tengo la opportinidad de hablar un par de palabras pero, no es lo mismo como escribir. En este caso me da verquenza tener tantas dificultades, ademas de tener una memoria que ya no me sirve como antes. Pues bueno, me encantaria visitar el blog nuevo. Si tendras tiempo, mandame la dirreccion a mi email. Leer me resulta mas facil que ha escribir.
Un saludo desde el norte de los EEUU.