Magical Realism recommendations

[gingerninja]

I'm reading 100 yrs of Solitude and I've read other Gabriel Garcia Marquez and bit of Salmon Rushdie and while I quite like the writing style I'm finding GGM a bit hard going. I think it's because I'm not familiar with South American culture or spanish so get lost with names and cultural / political references.

Can anyone recommend anyone else? Are there any Brits writing in this genre? I'm not familiar with it outside these few books.

I love GGM, but he always makes his novels go on too long. about 40 years too long in the case of 100yos.

you might like angela carter. she writes books in a similar vein, although whether critics would call them magical realism I don't know. Nights at the Circus is good.

Jeanette Winterson. Ben Okri. Angela Carter for a more accessible read.

OOh Ta. I think someone else recommended Nights at the circus to me before.

I'm only asking for MR because I know he's categorised in that genre and I do like the way he deals with fantastical situations in a real and ordinary kinda way.

Louis de Bernieres

The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts (1990)

Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord (1991)

The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman (1992),

I loved these. I've read Innocent Erendira (GGM) but didn't really like it.

Isabel Allende House of Spirits.

one of my all time favourite books

If you want to give Angela Carter a go, start off with The Bloody Chamber - short stories based on fairy tales but with a dark feminist twist - fascinating!

Like Water for Chocolate - by Laura Esquivel

Its a much lighter read than 100 Yrs of Solitude (which I think is one of the most amazing books ever).

But its compelling and funny and has the MR ingredient, definitely.

Just to second the following: Nights at the Circus, House of Spirits, and the three Louis de Bernieres (ONLY the three mentioned by jennster though).

Apart from Midnight's Children, the only MR-type book I've ever really liked was Alice Walker's The Color Purple. I think the reason I rate those two is that they've each got a real solid fierce point to them.

Jorge Amado Brazilian

Jose Saramago Portuguese

both favourites and brilliant
although JA lots sex don't read if easily shocked

Gosh, you've actually read Saramago? I tried once and found it utterly unbearable! Really couldn't get past the first chapter. Mind you, seeing as he's won the Nobel Prize, I guess this says more about me than it does about him.

not much gosh about it really as he is a compatriot and I have read him since my teens.
I think he has a special rhythm besides being very funny often in a subtle way.
over the last 15yrs I have mostly read the english translations and they are very very good indeed.
but granted not all his books are that accessible.

love Marguerite Yourcenar too and she is barely known in England

and Jorge is more realism than magic realism but still thought I would recommend

just out of curiosity what did you start reading?

Hugely recommend Angela Carter for a feminist take on MR-Nights at the Circus is my fave, although A New Eve is up their on the weird stakes...

Oh, and where are you up to in 100years, gingerninja - imo it really starts motoring in the last third (after the war...)

Angela Carter is fabby for MR, Nights at the Circus is a really great read.

Try Kate Aktinson - Behind the Scenes at the Museum and Human Croquet too. She's written some more I think.

Atkinson even

I read a really good one based in Ireland where time was flyng past and no one knew how to stop it - I'll check my library record and come back to you .

Think Toni Morrison counts as a magical realist- have you read Beloved?? And Paradise also vg.

Totally second the Kate Atkinson.

Oh, yes Kate Atkinson - although I think she's a love-or-hate sort - has a very distinctive voice. Her short stories (Not the end of the world) are wonderful

sfx - I tried to read The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis and found it really unfathomable. However, I'd never heard of RR (I gather he's a big cheese in Portugal?) so that might have made it more difficult!

Oooh, I LOVE Paradise, allegrageller

policywonk no wonder you did not get it probably the very worst to start. it is a brilliant book based on the poetry of Fernando Pessoa (the big cheese - poet) and the writings of Ricardo Reis one of his heteronyms, more of a personae than a pen name (Pessoa had at least 4 of those)
read Blindness it is quite good and unfortunately about to come out as an american movie.

very sorry for hijack again

love Atkinson Carte and Morrison too

Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter
The General in his Labyrinth
Astonishing the Gods
The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts
Like Water for Chocolate
swift as desire
santa evita

Not sure if Jasper Fforde counts as magic realism or not but they're quite quirky reads.

Robertson Davies, late Canadian writer, wonderful magical realist