Nepal: The Maoist Dream

"The hills are not mere hills now

They are red warriors

The jungles are not jungles now

They are mass of people’s armies

The villages are unified

In the camps of retaliation

In this peak of the land

Everest is glowing as red flags"

Salute Jelbang

Krishna Sen Ichhuk

That is how this story begins: with a poem describing Nepal's Maoist Dream. This interesting report elaborated by Al Jazeera focuses on that -too often forgotten- dream. Some people may not know where Nepal is. They may even wonder why we should care about the History of an underdeveloped country. Fine. If you have identified yourself with these ideas, please, do not waste your time and stop here. If not - and I hope you did not- keep on reading!  

Asia is a huge continent. As such, it is composed of lots of wonderful states, each and every one of them with a historical, political, social, cultural and economic background. Yet, we tend to forget that. Social movements did not only have an impact on Europe. Nepal is a clear -unknown- example of that. 

Nepalese History is long and complex. Let's summarize it a little bit, shall we? 1950. Up to this year, Nepal had been governed by different dinasties. Finally in 1951, Nepal started to be administered by an hereditary government- similar to the monarchical system. 

After many struggles for democracy throughout the 20th century, in 1991, Nepal held elections. Despite the constitutional reforms, the system was still corrupted. Five years later, in 1996, the UCPN (M) (Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)) led a violent insurrection that marked the beginning of a bloody Civil War which lasted for 10 years.

In 2006, the new government and Maoist rebels finally signed a ceasefire and began the negotiations for the establishment of a Republic and the constitution of an Assembly, therefore putting an end to monarchy and hopefully setting the first steps for a democratic state. In September 2015, a new constitution was promulgated. 

Al Jazeera's article tells the stories and testimonies of different people that were somehow affected by this Civil War. Students, warriors, teachers, writers. What they all had in common was that Maoist dream. A dream of hope, a dream of change, a dream of opportunities and, above all, a dream of justice.

Did they succeed? Did they achieve anything at all? Was it really worth the suffering ? 

Maybe these questions can be answered. Maybe not. Just in case you want to try, here you have the article. You can download it as a pdf :-) 

Nepal: The Maoist Dream

Have a nice weekend!

A Long Walk to Freedom: Nelson Mandela

"I had no epiphany, no singular revelation, no moment of truth, but a steady accumulation of a thousand slights, a thousand indignities and a thousand unremembered moments produced in me an anger, a rebelliousness, a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people. There was no particular day on which I said, Henceforth I will devote myself to the liberation of my people; instead, I simply found myself doing so, and could not do otherwise".

These are the words of Nelson Mandela, one of the most renowned leaders of the 20th century. His wholehearted commitment to the liberation struggle transformed not only the course of South Africa, but also the world's. However, his path was never easy or even. He had to fight restlessly, jeopardizing his life and the lives of his beloved ones. 

He had to become an outlaw, spending a lot of years in the shadows. Mandela spent half of his life working for an organization considered illegal; fighting for a cause which was thought to be inmoral and unrealistic. Nonetheless, even in his darkest moments, he had faith and did not falter. 

The Nobel Prize winner was imprisoned for almost three decades. It is amazing how he never gave up; how he held up in the toughest moments, without hesitation.

"It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man's freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else's freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity"

I strongly believe that the key to his success was the fact that he always acted with good faith. Mandela always cared about the others, about the people, even when he had to pay the price himself. The sacrifice he was willing to make was immeasurable. He genuinely served the people of South Africa with all his heart and soul. 

Reading Nelson Mandela's autobiography has shown me many things. First, the fact that we are all human and we thus make mistakes. Even a peace man as he was made missteps. And that is more than fine. Second, the liberation struggle never ends. We have made great achievements in this field, yet we shall not take any of it for granted. We have to keep fighting till every single person from each and every part of the world is free. Finally and above all, it has given me reasons not to lose faith in Humanity. Because in a country where apartheid reigned, some courageous people decided to stand up and fight for justice. And against all odds, they succeeded. In the book, Mandela said "Even in the grimmest times in prison, when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits, I would see a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, perhaps just for a second, but it was enough to reassure me and keep me going. Man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished".

Just to finish, here there is one of my favorite Mandela's reflection: "I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended". 

In few words, a long book-more than 700 pages- that explains with all details the life and fight of this unique leader. Very interesting, yet maybe a little bit too long. It contains precious reflections of Mandela, a man that will always be remembered.

Recomendaciones navideñas... (Books for Christmas)

Ahora que se acerca la Navidad me gustaría enumeraros cinco libros con los que triunfaréis seguro, ya que son grandes obras:

1) El cuaderno de Noah (Nicholas Sparks)

2) Bajo la misma estrella (John Green)

3) Matar un ruiseñor (Harper Lee)

4) Harry Potter (1/5) (JK Rowling)

5) El Club de los Poetas Muertos (NH Kleinbaum)

Y también creo que es justo poneros otros libros que, en mi opinión, no son muy recomendables:

1) De amor y de sombra (Isabel Allende)

2) Los misterios de Madrid (Antonio Muñoz Molina)

3) El diario de Ana Frank

Supongo que os preguntaréis por qué estos y no otros.  Por un lado, el primero fui incapaz de terminarlo, porque de cada página 3/4 partes son descripciones, lo que dificulta bastante su lectura. Después,Los misterios de Madrid fue uno de esos libros que terminas de leerlo y te preguntas por qué lo empezaste. Si en el instituto no lo hubieran mandado, no lo habría siquiera acabado.  Por último, El diario de Ana Frank. No es que no me interese la historia ni mucho menos que este tema no despierte interés en mí, sino que el libro se me hizo muy monótono. Sé que en un primer momento ella no lo escribió con el fin de entretener, simplemente quería plasmar sus vivencias. Aun así, después de haber leído muchas otras cosas (tanto libros como artículos) sobre todo lo relacionado con el Holocausto judío, creo que hay otras obras que merecen la pena ser leídas antes que esta.

Si tenéis alguna sugerencia o comentario sobre alguno de los libros anteriores, ¡ya sabéis a dónde escribirme!

It's almost Christmas time! That is the reason why I would like to give you a top 5 list of the most amazing books I have read:

1) The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)

2) The Fault in Our Stars (John Green)

3) To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

4) Harry Potter (1/5) (JK Rowling)

5) Dead Poets Society (NH Kleinbaum)

By the way, I think it wouldn't be fair if I didn't put the less recommendable books, to my mind.

1) Of Love and Shadows (Isabel Allende)

2) Los misterios de Madrid (Antonio Muñoz Molina)

3) The Diary of Anne Frank.

I guess you are all wondering why I've chosen these. Firstly, I was unable to finish Isabel Allende's book. There were so many descriptions per page that I struggled reading it. Secondly, I strongly believe I wouldn't have finished the book by Antonio Muñoz Molina if my teacher hadn't told me to. It is pointless, in my opinion. Finally, despite I am very interested in the Jewish subject, The Diary of Anne Frank ended up being monotonous to me. After reading tons of books and articles related to this issue, I would definitely recommend other works. 

If you would like to make any comments or suggestions, please feel free to write me! 

enpocaspalabras8@gmail.com

Matar un ruiseñor- To kill a Mockingbird

Hace tiempo leí que si un libro no conseguía aportarte una nueva forma de ver las cosas, habría fallado en su función. Hay algunos escritores que ponen tanto empeño en que su libro trascienda que al final ocurre todo lo contrario. Sin embargo, existen otros autores que logran no solo cambiar tu manera de pensar al leer su obra, sino que además hacen que le des vueltas a la historia sin parar, una y otra vez. Este es el caso de Matar un ruiseñor, de Harper Lee. Cuando alguien oye este título inmediatamente piensa en la película de Gregory Peck y te dice lo buena que es, pero casi nadie ha leído el libro en el que está basada. Es una pena, la verdad, porque este es BRILLANTE. Se ha convertido sin duda en mi libro favorito.

Por un lado, el realismo con el que describe la situación de enfrentamiento entre la población de raza negra y blanca en Estados Unidos a principios del siglo XX es impresionante. Esto, sumado a la calidez entre la narradora y su padre y a un curioso sentido del humor, hace que te sumerjas por completo en la historia y de alguna forma, que esta se quede contigo. De hecho, el impacto de esta obra ha sido tal que algún crítico lo ha explicado diciendo: "en el siglo XX, Matar a un ruiseñor es el libro más leído sobre el tema racial en Estados Unidos, y su protagonista, Atticus Finch, es la imagen de ficción más duradera del heroísmo racial".

He de admitir que siempre me han llamado la atención estos temas sociales tan conflictivos. Aún así pensé que este libro simplemente iba a contar una historia como otra cualquiera. Me equivoqué. Aquí aparece la vida antes de que se tengan que enfrentar directamente a un caso de racismo, la vida durante este y la vida tras él. Supongo que es eso lo que más me ha gustado de la novela: su cercanía con la realidad. Porque quizá no fueran esos nombres ni en ese condado, pero ha habido casos similares a este y tristemente siguen ocurriendo...

Para acabar, me gustaría citaros una de mis partes favoritas de la obra. Me apuesto lo que sea a que se os pone la piel de gallina...

“Ustedes saben la verdad, y la verdad es que algunos negros mienten, algunos negros son inmorales, algunos negros no merecen la confianza de estar cerca de las mujeres... blancas o negras. Pero ésta es una verdad que se aplica a toda la especie humana y no a una raza particular de hombres. No hay en esta sala una sola persona que jamás haya dejado de decir una mentira, que nunca haya cometido una acción inmoral, y no hay un hombre vivo que siempre haya mirado a una mujer sin deseo".

En pocas palabras: una novela brillante que se quedará grabada en tu cabeza después de leerla. Muy recomendable, por no decir casi imprescindible

  

A long time ago I read somewhere that if a book doesn't give you a new perspective about things, it will not have achieved its aim. Some authors try so hard to become famous that they end up with nothing but a pointless book. Otherwise, some writers not only change your mind about the subject, but they also manage to make you keep in mind the story. For instance, To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Whenever someone hears this title they promptly think of the film named alike, starred by Gregory Peck. They would undoubtedly say how amazing it is. Yet very few people would have read the book. That is a pity because it is BRILLIANT. It is definitely the bet book I have ever read.

Firstly, the realism with which it is described the situation between white and dark people in the USA in the first decades of the last century is heart-pounding. Besides, the warmth between the main character and his daughter and the witty sense of humour make an excellent combination which stays with you for ages. In fact, this book has made such a huge impact that some experts explain it by writing:"In the twentieth century, To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America, and its protagonist, Atticus Finch, the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism."

To be honest, I have always been interested in this kind of social conflicts, but I thought this story would be a casual one. Nevertheless, I was mistaken. It appears here the life before, meanwhile and after the treatment with the racism case. I guess its nearness with real life is the reason why I have enjoyed this book that much. Perhaps these names or this county are not real, but there have been cases of racism like this and sadly they keep taking place...

Here I quote one of my favourite parts of the novel. You will surely get goosebumps!

"You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women—black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men. There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire.”

In few words: a thought-provoking novel that will be kept in your mind for ages. Highly recommendable, almost compulsory!

enpocaspalabras8@gmail.com

El corazón delator - The Tell-Tale Heart

Después de haber pasado un fin de semana lleno de calabazas, arañas y fantasmas de todo tipo, habrá que acabar el domingo con algo que esté a la altura ¿no creéis?
Para eso os dejo aquí el enlace a una de los relatos más famosos de Edgar Allan Poe, el maestro del terror. ¡Os aseguro que se ponen hasta los pelos de punta!

http://www.letrasperdidas.galeon.com/consagrados/c_poe10.htm

After having spent a weekend plenty of pumpkins, spiders and all types of ghosts, now it is time to end it up properly. Here it is one of the most famous and terrifying stories by the genius Edgar Allan Poe. All your body will tremble!

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~Hyper/POE/telltale.html

Bajo la misma estrella - (The Fault In Our Stars)

OBRA MAESTRA. Sinceramente, esas son las únicas palabras que pueden describir este libro. Apenas un mes antes de que saliera la película, decidí leerlo en versión original. Si sumas una bonita, pero realista (punto importante) historia de amor, junto con un brillante sentido de humor y unos personajes que te gustaría sacar del libro; obtienes esta gran novela de John Green.

Encantadora desde el minuto uno, la historia de Hazel y Gus te captura y te invita a seguir leyendo. El autor ha sabido manejar de manera magistral el amor adolescente, la enfermedad y la fugacidad de la vida, creando un libro que no deja a nadie indiferente. Además, adquiere mucha más credibilidad al estar escrita en un estilo tan informal. Sin lugar a dudas,uno de mis libros favoritos.

Pese a la mala fama que suelen tener las películas basadas en libros, esta versión de Shailene Woodley y Ansel Elgort hace justicia y emociona al espectador al igual que la novela. ¡La mejor historia de amor de esta década!

En pocas palabras: Uno de los mejores libros que he leído, ¡lectura obligatoria!

MASTERPIECE. To be fair, this is the only way to describe the book perfectly. You have to add up a realistic love story, a brilliant sense of humor and amazing characters to obtain this awesome novel by John Green . The charming story of Hazel and Gus keeps you going. Green has beautifully combined young love, illness and the short-lived life. It is so powerful and intense that you could read it over again right after you have finished it. Furthermore, its informal style of writing makes you feel even closer to the story. Definitely, one of my favorite books.

In spite of the fact that movies based on books aren't usually good enough, this version is almost equal to the novel.

In few words: One of the best books I've ever read. Compulsory! 

enpocaspalabras8@gmail.com

El teorema de Katherine (An abundance of Katherines)

Es muy difícil conseguir crear una obra maestra. Pero, más complicado es aún, escribir otros libros que estén a la altura. Algunos autores al ver que con un determinado tema han triunfado, se quedan estancados en él. En cambio, hay muy pocos que arriesguen todo y den un giro radical en sus novelas. Uno de ellos es John Green. Tras el ÉXITO de Bajo la misma estrella el escritor estadounidense había dejado el listón muy alto. Sin embargo, su novela El teorema Katherine no se ha quedado muy atrás.

De nuevo nos encontramos con unos personajes muy carismáticos y encantadores. Sin embargo, esta vez la historia trata de un niño prodigio que, harto de ser dejado por todas sus novias llamadas Katherine, decide crear un teorema que pueda predecir el futuro de cualquier relación. Lo sé. La primera palabra que viene a la cabeza es MATEMÁTICAS. ¿Para qué mentir? Es cierto que en este libro aparecen gráficos y alguna que otra fórmula, pero no lo es para nada. Pese a que pueda parecer algo friki, es genial de principio a fin.

Las peculiaridades de los personajes sumadas a los golpes de humor e ironía constantes hacen que tengas una sonrisa casi de continuo. Además de las muestras de ingenio, aparecen reflejadas reflexiones sobre el amor y la vida; sobre todo lo relacionado con la popularidad, la fama y el olvido.

En pocas palabras: una novela peculiar a la par que interesante. Completamente diferente con respecto a Bajo la misma estrella, pero ingeniosa y muy, pero que muy singular.

It is obvious that it's extremely difficult to create a masterpiece. Nevertheless, writing other books as good as that one is even harder. There are some writers who don't bother to change and try new themes once they have found a subject they are comfortable with. As a matter of fact, there are few people who risk it all and experiment with new things. John Green is one of those. He had set high standards with 'The Fault in Our Stars'. Regardless, 'An Abundance of Katherines' hasn't been left behind.

Once again, we come across very charismatic characters. Nonetheless, this time the story is about a child prodigy who is tired of getting dumped by every girlfriend he has had -all of them named Katherine. Because of that, he decides to create a theorem in order to predict the future of every relationship. Got it. MATHS is, undoubtedly, the first word that comes to your mind. To be honest, some graphics and formulas appear here... But THAT is NOT the point. It may seem kind of freak. It is great, though.

If you add the characters' peculiarities up to the unceasing touches of humor and irony, you'll find yourself relentlessly smiling. Besides, some reflexions about love, life and oblivion are included. An amazing balance between unimportant and trascendental matters.

In few words: a novel both peculiar and interesting. Utterly different from 'The Fault in Our Stars', although witty.

enpocaspalabras8@gmail.com

Las ventajas de ser un marginado (The Perks Of Being A WallFlower)

La mayoría de la gente conoce este título por la película protagonizada por Logan Lerman y Emma Watson. Una muy buena adaptación de este libro de 1999.

Lo más llamativo de esta novela, escrita por Stephen Chbosky, es la narración de la historia en forma de cartas. Nunca me han llamado demasiado la atención los diarios y ha habido pocos libros que, narrados de tal forma, hayan conseguido mantenerme despierta. Sin embargo, Charlie, el protagonista de 15 años, te gana desde la primera línea. La combinación de humor e inocencia típicas de la adolescencia llenan las páginas al igual que la tristeza, las dificultades del quinceañero.

En pocas palabras: Una lectura diferente que, en mi opinión, merece la pena probar.

Commonly known as a movie, the book-written by Stephen Chbosky- mixes wonderfully innocence, humor and struggle. Different from common books and composed by letters, it is worth reading. I have never been keen to read epistolary books and maybe you neither. However, Charlie, the main character would change your mind about it. He experiences all kinds of feelings from sadness to eagerness. And so do you by reading his letters. Friendship, love, adolescence and every day life are questioned here, obtaining very interesting conclusions.

In few words: A peculiar book which is worth reading.

          
enpocaspalabras8@gmail.com

Welcome!

Welcome!
If you're reading this, first of all, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME! I only have one aim creating this blog: to help any reader who finds this! If you have any suggestions or enquiries, I would be pleased to help you: enpocaspalabras8@gmail.com
Go and read!