The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love (Penguin Modern Classics)
Registered by stubee of Bury, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on 5/17/2017
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
2 journalers for this copy...
Book club read for June.
Blurb from Amazon.co.uk:
Cuban brothers Nestor and Cesar Camillo come to New York City in 1949 with dreams of becoming famous Mambo musicians. This memorable novel traces the arc of the two brothers’ lives—one charismatic and macho, the other soulful and sensitive—from Havana to New York, from East Coast clubs and dance halls to the heights of musical fame.
An international bestseller and the 1990 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love was made into a popular movie in 1992 starring Antonio Banderas and Armand Assante. With a new afterword by Oscar Hijuelos, this book has stood the test of time as a groundbreaking work of American literature.
I found this book quite hard to get through. Divided into three sections, there are no chapters, just paragraph breaks. The story follows Ceasar Castillo in the final days of his life and the story moves from present to past as he reflects on his and his brother, Nestor's, journey from Cuba to New York and their rise to fame as mambo musicians.
Whilst the story was really interesting from a social history perspective, a lot of the description was of quite graphic of encounters the brothers had with women which just became a bit relentless as the book went on.
Cuban brothers Nestor and Cesar Camillo come to New York City in 1949 with dreams of becoming famous Mambo musicians. This memorable novel traces the arc of the two brothers’ lives—one charismatic and macho, the other soulful and sensitive—from Havana to New York, from East Coast clubs and dance halls to the heights of musical fame.
An international bestseller and the 1990 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love was made into a popular movie in 1992 starring Antonio Banderas and Armand Assante. With a new afterword by Oscar Hijuelos, this book has stood the test of time as a groundbreaking work of American literature.
I found this book quite hard to get through. Divided into three sections, there are no chapters, just paragraph breaks. The story follows Ceasar Castillo in the final days of his life and the story moves from present to past as he reflects on his and his brother, Nestor's, journey from Cuba to New York and their rise to fame as mambo musicians.
Whilst the story was really interesting from a social history perspective, a lot of the description was of quite graphic of encounters the brothers had with women which just became a bit relentless as the book went on.
I finally finished this today, I was initially put off reading it by comments made by my wife and members of our book group so I must admit I found it a bit of a chore.
The Mambo King, Cesar, really annoyed me as a character, but I did feel sorry if his brother Nestor.
The story didn't really entertain me and I thought the gratuitous sex scenes where a bit much and not in any way warranted.
I must admit however it was well written and as a social commentary for Cubans moving to America it was interesting.
Glad I persisted to the end, my favourite part of the novel was the few paragraphs with Eugenio and Arnaz at the end.
However I won't be running out to buy any of Hijuelos's other works.
The Mambo King, Cesar, really annoyed me as a character, but I did feel sorry if his brother Nestor.
The story didn't really entertain me and I thought the gratuitous sex scenes where a bit much and not in any way warranted.
I must admit however it was well written and as a social commentary for Cubans moving to America it was interesting.
Glad I persisted to the end, my favourite part of the novel was the few paragraphs with Eugenio and Arnaz at the end.
However I won't be running out to buy any of Hijuelos's other works.
I'll be leaving this somewhere in or close to our B&B near Lake Bled.
