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?стор?? Сахари
??стор?? Сахари? — автоб?ограф?я. Це яскрав? ?стор??, написан? на фон? ?спансько? колон?ально? Сахари 1970-х рок?в. Вони запрошують нас у дивовижний св?т пустельного життя Саньмао, де перепл?таються любов ? втрата, свобода ? небезпека. Схож? на щоденников? записи, опов?дання Саньмао прожит? й розказан? то енерг?йно й дотепно, то медитативно ? н?жно, але завжди – з невимовною позачасовою щир?стю, яка забезпечила ?м читацьку любов. Саме об?знан?сть про свою ун?кальн?сть та ?накш?сть, описи пустельного ландшафту, а також стиль письма Саньмао, якому характерна пристрасна жага до мандр?в та гострий погляд на детал?, привернули увагу читач?в, перетворивши ??стор?? Сахари? на сучасну класику л?тератури китайською мовою. Зб?рка ??стор?? Сахари? продана загальним тиражем понад 15 м?льйон?в прим?рник?в.
408 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1976
315 people are currently reading
4799 people want to read
About the author
Sanmao
35?books123?followersSanmao (Chinese: 三毛; March 26, 1943 – January 4, 1991) was a Taiwanese writer and translator. Her works range from autobiographical writing, travel writing, and reflective novels, to translations of Spanish-language comic strips. She studied philosophy and taught German before becoming a career writer.
Born as Chen Mao-ping (陳懋平), her pen name was adopted from the main character of Zhang Leping's most famous work, Sanmao. In English, she was also known as Echo or Echo Chan, the first name she used in Latin script, after the eponymous Greek nymph.
Sanmao was born in Chongqing to Chen Siqing, a lawyer, and Miao Jinlan. She had an older sister, Chen Tianxin. Her parents were devout Christians. Her family was from Zhejiang. After the Second Sino-Japanese War, the family moved to Nanjing. When she was six, her family moved to Taiwan because of the Communist takeover of mainland China. She disliked the lack of freedom in Taiwan's educational system, in which strict restrictions were placed on students.
As a child, she developed an early interest in literature and was exposed to famous Chinese writers, such as Lu Xun, Ba Jin, Bing Xin, Lao She, and Yu Dafu. She read works such as The Count of Monte Cristo, Don Quixote, and Gone with the Wind. She was particularly interested in Dream of the Red Chamber and read it as a Grade 5 student during class. When asked what she wanted to become when she was older, she responded that she wanted to marry a great artist, specifically Pablo Picasso.
Due to her preoccupation with reading, Sanmao's grades suffered in middle school, particularly in mathematics. After a distressing incident when a teacher drew black circles around her eyes and humiliated her in front of her classmates, Sanmao stopped attending school. Her father taught her English and classical literature at home and hired tutors to teach her piano and painting.
In 1962, at age 19, Sanmao published her first essay. Sanmao studied philosophy at the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan, with the goal of "[finding] the solution to problems in life." There, she dated a fellow student; however, becoming "disillusioned with romance," she moved to Madrid, Spain at age 20 and began studying at the University of Madrid.
Sanmao later moved to Germany, where she intensively studied the German language, sometimes up to 16 hours per day. Within nine months, she earned a qualification to teach German and began studying ceramics.
At age 26, Sanmao returned to Taiwan. She was engaged to a teacher from Germany, but he died from a heart attack before they could marry. Sanmao returned to Madrid and began teaching English at a primary school.
In 1976 she published the autobiographical The Stories of the Sahara, which was on her experiences living in the Sahara together with her Spanish husband Jose, who she first met in Madrid and later married in 1973 while living together in the then Spanish-controlled Western Sahara. Part travelog and part memoir, it was an account of life and love in the desert and established Sanmao as an autobiographical writer with a unique voice and perspective. Following the book's immense success in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China, her early writings were collected into a book, published under the title Gone With the Rainy Season. She continued to write, and her experiences in the Sahara and the Canary Islands were published in several more books.
In 1979 Jose drowned while diving. In 1980 she returned to Taiwan, and in November 1981, she traveled to Central and South America on commission from Taiwanese publishers. These experiences were recorded in subsequent writings. From 1981 to 1984, she taught and lectured at her alma mater, Chinese Culture University, in Taiwan. After this point, she decided to dedicate herself fully to writing.
Sanmao's books deal mainly with her own experiences studying and living abroad. They were extremely well received not only in Taiwan, but also in China, and they remain
Born as Chen Mao-ping (陳懋平), her pen name was adopted from the main character of Zhang Leping's most famous work, Sanmao. In English, she was also known as Echo or Echo Chan, the first name she used in Latin script, after the eponymous Greek nymph.
Sanmao was born in Chongqing to Chen Siqing, a lawyer, and Miao Jinlan. She had an older sister, Chen Tianxin. Her parents were devout Christians. Her family was from Zhejiang. After the Second Sino-Japanese War, the family moved to Nanjing. When she was six, her family moved to Taiwan because of the Communist takeover of mainland China. She disliked the lack of freedom in Taiwan's educational system, in which strict restrictions were placed on students.
As a child, she developed an early interest in literature and was exposed to famous Chinese writers, such as Lu Xun, Ba Jin, Bing Xin, Lao She, and Yu Dafu. She read works such as The Count of Monte Cristo, Don Quixote, and Gone with the Wind. She was particularly interested in Dream of the Red Chamber and read it as a Grade 5 student during class. When asked what she wanted to become when she was older, she responded that she wanted to marry a great artist, specifically Pablo Picasso.
Due to her preoccupation with reading, Sanmao's grades suffered in middle school, particularly in mathematics. After a distressing incident when a teacher drew black circles around her eyes and humiliated her in front of her classmates, Sanmao stopped attending school. Her father taught her English and classical literature at home and hired tutors to teach her piano and painting.
In 1962, at age 19, Sanmao published her first essay. Sanmao studied philosophy at the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan, with the goal of "[finding] the solution to problems in life." There, she dated a fellow student; however, becoming "disillusioned with romance," she moved to Madrid, Spain at age 20 and began studying at the University of Madrid.
Sanmao later moved to Germany, where she intensively studied the German language, sometimes up to 16 hours per day. Within nine months, she earned a qualification to teach German and began studying ceramics.
At age 26, Sanmao returned to Taiwan. She was engaged to a teacher from Germany, but he died from a heart attack before they could marry. Sanmao returned to Madrid and began teaching English at a primary school.
In 1976 she published the autobiographical The Stories of the Sahara, which was on her experiences living in the Sahara together with her Spanish husband Jose, who she first met in Madrid and later married in 1973 while living together in the then Spanish-controlled Western Sahara. Part travelog and part memoir, it was an account of life and love in the desert and established Sanmao as an autobiographical writer with a unique voice and perspective. Following the book's immense success in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China, her early writings were collected into a book, published under the title Gone With the Rainy Season. She continued to write, and her experiences in the Sahara and the Canary Islands were published in several more books.
In 1979 Jose drowned while diving. In 1980 she returned to Taiwan, and in November 1981, she traveled to Central and South America on commission from Taiwanese publishers. These experiences were recorded in subsequent writings. From 1981 to 1984, she taught and lectured at her alma mater, Chinese Culture University, in Taiwan. After this point, she decided to dedicate herself fully to writing.
Sanmao's books deal mainly with her own experiences studying and living abroad. They were extremely well received not only in Taiwan, but also in China, and they remain
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May 23, 2021
Taiwanese author Sanmao’s (Chen Maoping) episodic memoir reflects its origins as a series of newspaper articles. The pieces deal with aspects of her everyday life in the early 1970s, when she and her partner Jose moved to Laayoune in the Western Sahara, an area then under Spanish control. Although a forceful independence movement was already mobilising, it barely registers here until the powerful concluding sections of Sanmao’s account. Sanmao’s work made her an iconic figure in Taiwan and beyond, initially because she stood out as a woman who’d chosen to live so differently from most of her contemporaries, that status has persisted, and Chinese tourists frequently set out on pre-arranged Sanmao holiday tours. The majority of her book’s fairly anecdotal, painting a vivid picture of Samnao as well as her relationship with her partner, a complex negotiation between her desire for solitude and surprisingly conventional notions of what it was to fulfil a wifely role.
Her writing’s engagingly direct and conversational although she can also be pensive and poetic, she describes decorating her home with salvaged materials, collecting local art, trips to the desert, carving out relationships with the neighbouring people – she chose to live in a district rarely frequented by outsiders. These early, meandering chapters have a strange feeling of timelessness, oddly divorced from what’s going on in the wider world with little impression of chronology, social or political events, Sanmao’s fiercely independent, and I found her unexpectedly likeable, yet she's often incredibly na?ve, her awareness of the nature of colonialism’s limited, and her relationships with the local Sahrawi although largely benign and “well-meaning” – teaching, helping with healthcare - can also come across as patronising, problematic and rife with cultural misunderstandings, sometimes making for uncomfortable reading. Although that may be related to when she was writing, well before the rise of post-colonialist studies and widespread questioning of processes of othering, certainly she’s aware of any pronounced racist attitudes she encounters and strives to distance herself from them. Like most collected articles the outcome's quite uneven, with some chapters more convincing or striking than others but overall it's a tantalising, highly accessible glimpse of a pioneering woman and a turbulent time. This edition's introduced by Sharlene Teo, it comes with useful background notes, a brief outline of Sanmao’s history, and an afterword by translator Mike Fu.
Rating: 3.5
Her writing’s engagingly direct and conversational although she can also be pensive and poetic, she describes decorating her home with salvaged materials, collecting local art, trips to the desert, carving out relationships with the neighbouring people – she chose to live in a district rarely frequented by outsiders. These early, meandering chapters have a strange feeling of timelessness, oddly divorced from what’s going on in the wider world with little impression of chronology, social or political events, Sanmao’s fiercely independent, and I found her unexpectedly likeable, yet she's often incredibly na?ve, her awareness of the nature of colonialism’s limited, and her relationships with the local Sahrawi although largely benign and “well-meaning” – teaching, helping with healthcare - can also come across as patronising, problematic and rife with cultural misunderstandings, sometimes making for uncomfortable reading. Although that may be related to when she was writing, well before the rise of post-colonialist studies and widespread questioning of processes of othering, certainly she’s aware of any pronounced racist attitudes she encounters and strives to distance herself from them. Like most collected articles the outcome's quite uneven, with some chapters more convincing or striking than others but overall it's a tantalising, highly accessible glimpse of a pioneering woman and a turbulent time. This edition's introduced by Sharlene Teo, it comes with useful background notes, a brief outline of Sanmao’s history, and an afterword by translator Mike Fu.
Rating: 3.5
January 3, 2022
An interesting one to kick off the 2022 reading year! I had never heard of Sanmao, but when I saw that this was about a couple who off and live in Western Sahara (Spanish Sahara at the time), it appealed and I though I would give it a go. Sanmao was a Taiwanese writer and translator, who was living in Spain. Her Spanish boyfriend tried to talk her out of moving to the Sahara, but when he failed, he set himself up with a job there and moved out himself, arriving before she had sorted out her own arrival.
The book collects the thoughts of Sanmao, explains events and experiences organised into chapters which were serialised in the Taiwanese United Daily News. This explains the over-done introduction and repetition - obviously setting the scene for each new reader.
As the narrator, Sanmao presents her simple life in Western Sahara, although is somewhat a unreliable narrator - she explains a few events more than once in different ways, which I guess you can get away with in a serialised publication, but not so well in a book! Without doubt she (and boyfriend, then husband Jose) were the talk of the town - foreigners being rare, and as a woman who won't be told she can't do something, and a person who refused to follow a path laid down for her, she was regularly a spectacle.
Her stories explain the day to day - finding a house to rent, starting from scratch with furniture, furnishing and decoration; dealing with her landlord; shopping and transportation (until they buy a car); how she fills her days while Jose works; the locals ability to take advantage of her generosity which is seldom reciprocated; the plans she and Jose make to save money (which inevitably end up costing them more money!). They also deal with living immersed in a foreign culture - child brides, religion, beliefs, modern slavery.
There are also some themed chapters - one about the medical assistance she provides (as a foreigner, she was regularly approached to help), and she became more and more embroiled, eventually moving into dentistry! Another chapter was devoted to people she met who she picked up in her car - hitchhikers - although not all were actively soliciting a ride! She definitely had the ability to tell a story.
Towards the end of their time in Spanish Sahara, Spain agreed to a handover to self-rule. With a population of only 70,000 people, it was obvious that Morocco and Mauritania were maneuvering to move in to fill the void left bu the Spanish. There was a messy guerilla uprising against the Spanish (who to be fair had already agreed to a handover of power and were withdrawing) and this was also written about in detail, including meeting with the guerilla leader, and some terrifying mob murders.
I enjoyed this a lot. Written in the 70s, her writing aged well. It is such a mixed bag that you literally don't know what to expect from her next.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
The book collects the thoughts of Sanmao, explains events and experiences organised into chapters which were serialised in the Taiwanese United Daily News. This explains the over-done introduction and repetition - obviously setting the scene for each new reader.
As the narrator, Sanmao presents her simple life in Western Sahara, although is somewhat a unreliable narrator - she explains a few events more than once in different ways, which I guess you can get away with in a serialised publication, but not so well in a book! Without doubt she (and boyfriend, then husband Jose) were the talk of the town - foreigners being rare, and as a woman who won't be told she can't do something, and a person who refused to follow a path laid down for her, she was regularly a spectacle.
Her stories explain the day to day - finding a house to rent, starting from scratch with furniture, furnishing and decoration; dealing with her landlord; shopping and transportation (until they buy a car); how she fills her days while Jose works; the locals ability to take advantage of her generosity which is seldom reciprocated; the plans she and Jose make to save money (which inevitably end up costing them more money!). They also deal with living immersed in a foreign culture - child brides, religion, beliefs, modern slavery.
There are also some themed chapters - one about the medical assistance she provides (as a foreigner, she was regularly approached to help), and she became more and more embroiled, eventually moving into dentistry! Another chapter was devoted to people she met who she picked up in her car - hitchhikers - although not all were actively soliciting a ride! She definitely had the ability to tell a story.
Towards the end of their time in Spanish Sahara, Spain agreed to a handover to self-rule. With a population of only 70,000 people, it was obvious that Morocco and Mauritania were maneuvering to move in to fill the void left bu the Spanish. There was a messy guerilla uprising against the Spanish (who to be fair had already agreed to a handover of power and were withdrawing) and this was also written about in detail, including meeting with the guerilla leader, and some terrifying mob murders.
I enjoyed this a lot. Written in the 70s, her writing aged well. It is such a mixed bag that you literally don't know what to expect from her next.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
August 10, 2020
I absolutely loved this book and it will likely be my favourite nonfiction title of the year. It is so refreshing to read a travelogue by a woman from a culture other than "Anglo-Ameri-Pean", and to be discovering a writer that has been beloved by Chinese and Taiwanese of all genders for decades, available for those who like to read cross cultural literature of all kinds.
This is one of those books where you don't even want to share what is inside, you just want to press it on everyone and say "Read this!" but I will say, I was intrigued by the obsession she had to go and live in the Sahara, I was delighted that she lived at the wrong end of the street in among the permanent locals, I loved her sense of adventure and how to overcome boredom in searing heat, she would get in the car and just drive for hours in the desert, but her frankness, her empathy and sense of humour are what really make it. Ignoring her husband's caution against picking up hitchhiker's she can't help herself, the only solution to avoid stopping for people walking for miles along a hot, dusty road would be to not go driving at all, and that's not an option for Sanmao.
I picked this up to read for #WITMonth reading women in translation and this is one of the best, for a reader like me, that combination of travel to a new place, meet local people and the perception of someone from a culture other than my own, priceless.
This is one of those books where you don't even want to share what is inside, you just want to press it on everyone and say "Read this!" but I will say, I was intrigued by the obsession she had to go and live in the Sahara, I was delighted that she lived at the wrong end of the street in among the permanent locals, I loved her sense of adventure and how to overcome boredom in searing heat, she would get in the car and just drive for hours in the desert, but her frankness, her empathy and sense of humour are what really make it. Ignoring her husband's caution against picking up hitchhiker's she can't help herself, the only solution to avoid stopping for people walking for miles along a hot, dusty road would be to not go driving at all, and that's not an option for Sanmao.
I picked this up to read for #WITMonth reading women in translation and this is one of the best, for a reader like me, that combination of travel to a new place, meet local people and the perception of someone from a culture other than my own, priceless.
October 30, 2019
Me parece increíble que un libro que básicamente contiene las anécdotas de una mujer china viviendo en el Sáhara sea tan entretenido e interesante, pero lo es. Y no es que lo que cuenta Sanmao sea extraordinario (teniendo en cuenta su vida) sino cómo> lo cuenta. Hay personas con un don para relatar anécdotas, hay cuentacuentos natos, y creo que Sanmao es una de ellos.
Sanmao toma una situación en apariencia anodina (cómo acabó cocinando para amigos y para los compa?eros solteros de su marido) y lo convierte en una delicia de relato. Hay momentos dramáticos, sí, incluso trágicos (estamos hablando del Sáhara justo antes de la Marcha Verde), pero lo cierto es que la virtud de este libro está en cómo Sanmao habla de la vida y de la libertad sin pretensiones.
También hay cierto amor por lo sobrenatural, historias donde hay un punto de misterio, incluso de "fuerzas del más allá". En apariencia, porque como "Expediente X" todo podría tener una explicación perfectamente lógica (y muchas veces la tiene). Pero esas historias con un regusto a los cuentos de fantasmas chinos le dan un toque de originalidad.
Es muy entretenido, muy fácil de leer (me extra?ó lo rápido que lo terminé teniendo en cuenta su número de páginas) y como Sanmao acabas amando el desierto, con sus cosas buenas y malas.
Sanmao toma una situación en apariencia anodina (cómo acabó cocinando para amigos y para los compa?eros solteros de su marido) y lo convierte en una delicia de relato. Hay momentos dramáticos, sí, incluso trágicos (estamos hablando del Sáhara justo antes de la Marcha Verde), pero lo cierto es que la virtud de este libro está en cómo Sanmao habla de la vida y de la libertad sin pretensiones.
También hay cierto amor por lo sobrenatural, historias donde hay un punto de misterio, incluso de "fuerzas del más allá". En apariencia, porque como "Expediente X" todo podría tener una explicación perfectamente lógica (y muchas veces la tiene). Pero esas historias con un regusto a los cuentos de fantasmas chinos le dan un toque de originalidad.
Es muy entretenido, muy fácil de leer (me extra?ó lo rápido que lo terminé teniendo en cuenta su número de páginas) y como Sanmao acabas amando el desierto, con sus cosas buenas y malas.
March 12, 2022
I loved these stories, and I loved Sanmao! Her voice, empathy, and personality came through so strongly I felt like I knew her and that we had already had many conversations by the end of the book.
Sanmao is a Taiwanese woman who made up her mind to travel and live in the Western Sahara in a time when few women would have dreamt of it. While there, she wrote about her experiences in these essays that are filled with warmth and humor, but also darkness as well in the form of slavery, war, colonialism, etc.
Her story continues after this book ends, as she was still pretty young when she wrote this. I read about her life on Wikipedia, and it's quite amazing (and sad). I recommend you read about her life too, after reading this book.
But the stories are such a pleasure to read, I wished it would never end! She mostly writes about the Sahrawi people she meets, some of the Spanish people who lived there, her husband Jose, and the crazy things she dreams up. The desert is a singular force that seemed to mean a lot to her. I don't want to say any more, because it's best if you read it yourself. The story 'Night in the Wasteland' alone is worth the price of admission. I read it at night and couldn't sleep for several hours because I was so hyped up.
For my own reference, here are my favorites grouped by mood (so that I can return to them based on how I'm feeling) -- although many of these stories span several moods, so this is just a rough guide:
FUNNY:
A Desert Diner
Apothecary
The Marriage Chronicles
The Desert Bathing Spectacle
Dilettante Fishermen
A Ladder
TOUCHING/SAD:
Child Bride
Looking for Love
Sergeant Salva
The Mute Slave
GRIPPING:
Night in the Wasteland
Seed of Death
Crying Camels
Sanmao is a Taiwanese woman who made up her mind to travel and live in the Western Sahara in a time when few women would have dreamt of it. While there, she wrote about her experiences in these essays that are filled with warmth and humor, but also darkness as well in the form of slavery, war, colonialism, etc.
Her story continues after this book ends, as she was still pretty young when she wrote this. I read about her life on Wikipedia, and it's quite amazing (and sad). I recommend you read about her life too, after reading this book.
But the stories are such a pleasure to read, I wished it would never end! She mostly writes about the Sahrawi people she meets, some of the Spanish people who lived there, her husband Jose, and the crazy things she dreams up. The desert is a singular force that seemed to mean a lot to her. I don't want to say any more, because it's best if you read it yourself. The story 'Night in the Wasteland' alone is worth the price of admission. I read it at night and couldn't sleep for several hours because I was so hyped up.
For my own reference, here are my favorites grouped by mood (so that I can return to them based on how I'm feeling) -- although many of these stories span several moods, so this is just a rough guide:
FUNNY:
A Desert Diner
Apothecary
The Marriage Chronicles
The Desert Bathing Spectacle
Dilettante Fishermen
A Ladder
TOUCHING/SAD:
Child Bride
Looking for Love
Sergeant Salva
The Mute Slave
GRIPPING:
Night in the Wasteland
Seed of Death
Crying Camels
July 3, 2020
I tore feverishly at the wrapping paper and opened the box. Wow! Two eye sockets of a skull stared up at me. I pulled this surprise gift out with some effort and took a proper look. It was a camel skull, white bones neatly assembled, with a huge row of menacing teeth and two big black holes for eyes.
I was overjoyed. This was just the thing to capture my heart. I set it on the bookshelf, clucking and sighing in admiration. ‘Ah, splendid, so splendid.’ 闯辞蝉é was worthy of being called my soulmate. ‘Where did you dig this up?’ I asked.
‘I went looking for it! Walked around the desert for ages. When I found this intact, I knew you’d love it.’ He was quite proud of himself. It was genuinely the best wedding gift possible.
This travel story has a background so implausible that it must be true. Sanmao (a pen name taken from a comic strip character) was born in Sichuan in 1943, moved to Taiwan as a child, spends time in Germany and Spain as a student, and then dashes off to Laayoune (then El Aaiún) in what was then the Spanish Sahara. She marries a Spanish engineer, first wants to travel across the Sahara in a fit of energy, but settles down and becomes a local fixture of the community.
She is not detached, staying in an enclave as some ex-pats might. Who else is like that, there? She sews, writes for the illiterate, teaches the local kids, tries her hand at giving the bare minimum of medicinal treatment, and even tries to freea slave at one point. Yet for all the novelty of her life, she builds herself a kind of domesticity out of sheer determination - she haggles for music cassettes at the Spanish outpost and cooks, with her husband hanging on for the ride.
These stories, affectionately translated by Mike Fu, have a structured pace and they are staggered from one event to the next. There are moments of comedy and high drama. She is unrestrained in her opinions about the locals - or, well, anybody - and it is small wonder the close telling of her adventures has sold so well in the Chinese-reading world for decades.
January 17, 2019
Sanmao, bestsellerowa tajwańska pisarka, serwuje nam czytelnikom autobiograficzn?, wype?nion? ciekawostkami podró? na odleg?? pustyni?, do krainy ludu Sahrawi w swoich ?Saharyjskich dniach”, po raz pierwszy wydanych w Polsce!
Sanmao by?a prawdziw? obserwatork? pustynnego ?wiata, ale sama te? w pe?ni umia?a podda? si? jego urokowi. Sta?a si? cz??ci? swojej ma?ej spo?eczno?ci, do tego stopnia, ?e niewiele umyka?o jej uwadze. Wszystkie swoje przygody, do?wiadczenia, smutki i rado?ci przelewa?a na papier, zachwycaj?c czytelników nieznanymi do tej pory detalami. Mia?a smyka?k? do opisywania ?ycia takim jakie jest – bez zb?dnych zachwytów, unikaj?c tym samym bana?ów, na które nara?eni s? podró?nicy, przed którymi otwiera si? mo?liwo?? przenikni?cia do rzeczywisto?ci miejscowych. ?Saharyjskie dni” stanowi? jeden z ostatnich, je?li nie ostatni, zapis ?wiata, który znikn?? i ju? nigdy nie wróci. Pustynnych chwil, w ca?ej swojej okaza?o?ci – miejscami bezwzgl??dnych, kulturowo obcych, a jednocze?nie zjawiskowo pi?knych. Narzuca si? na my?l wspomnienie fatamorgany, któr? Sanmao napotka?a w pierwszych dniach na Saharze – do?wiadczeniu przestrachu i niesamowito?ci, które towarzyszy?o pisarce i podró?niczce przez kolejne lata, a które najlepiej oddaje ogrom i tajemniczo?? pustyni.
?Saharyjskie dni” to nie tylko ju? klasyka literatury tajwańskiej, ale wyj?tkowa pozycja podró?nicza, która zachwyca, bawi i smuci, oddaj?c ducha nie tylko samej pustyni, ale te? kobiety, która zdecydowa?a si? j? opisa?. Sanmao.
Sanmao by?a prawdziw? obserwatork? pustynnego ?wiata, ale sama te? w pe?ni umia?a podda? si? jego urokowi. Sta?a si? cz??ci? swojej ma?ej spo?eczno?ci, do tego stopnia, ?e niewiele umyka?o jej uwadze. Wszystkie swoje przygody, do?wiadczenia, smutki i rado?ci przelewa?a na papier, zachwycaj?c czytelników nieznanymi do tej pory detalami. Mia?a smyka?k? do opisywania ?ycia takim jakie jest – bez zb?dnych zachwytów, unikaj?c tym samym bana?ów, na które nara?eni s? podró?nicy, przed którymi otwiera si? mo?liwo?? przenikni?cia do rzeczywisto?ci miejscowych. ?Saharyjskie dni” stanowi? jeden z ostatnich, je?li nie ostatni, zapis ?wiata, który znikn?? i ju? nigdy nie wróci. Pustynnych chwil, w ca?ej swojej okaza?o?ci – miejscami bezwzgl??dnych, kulturowo obcych, a jednocze?nie zjawiskowo pi?knych. Narzuca si? na my?l wspomnienie fatamorgany, któr? Sanmao napotka?a w pierwszych dniach na Saharze – do?wiadczeniu przestrachu i niesamowito?ci, które towarzyszy?o pisarce i podró?niczce przez kolejne lata, a które najlepiej oddaje ogrom i tajemniczo?? pustyni.
?Saharyjskie dni” to nie tylko ju? klasyka literatury tajwańskiej, ale wyj?tkowa pozycja podró?nicza, która zachwyca, bawi i smuci, oddaj?c ducha nie tylko samej pustyni, ale te? kobiety, która zdecydowa?a si? j? opisa?. Sanmao.
February 13, 2025
A very good novel consisting of chapters of short stories. I think some of the phasing & language throughout the book sounded awkward maybe because of inaccurate translation. I wish I could have read the novel in Chinese but my Chinese level is not good enough. I felt the first half of the book was a much more interesting read. The stories of the last chapters were honestly kind of boring…. Overall, not bad.
July 17, 2018
?Nunca me he sentido parte de ninguna mayoría, y a menudo tomo caminos diferentes de los que toman los demás, y hago cosas que me resultan difíciles de explicar al resto de la gente?.
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Hay autoras que te llegan sin grandes aspavientos, sin gritar tu nombre, sin enredarte en ninguna tela. Aparecen y te susurran sus historias, te sirven un té y te invitan a escucharlas. Al poco rato te das cuenta de que ha saltado la magia y deseas abrazarlas. Me pasó con Lucia Berlin, con #miNaty, con Silvia Plath (por sólo nombrar algunas). Y ahora me pasa con esta mujer rebelde, auténtica, contradictoria, libre, apasionada, generosa. ?Qué hace una mujer de origen chino en el Sáhara de 1974 cuando aún era colonia espa?ola? ?Cómo logró sobrevivir? ?Cómo lo hizo para dejar huella en cada una de las personas, y no fueron pocas, con las que se encontró? ?
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Sanmao fue recogiendo en relatos esa relación ambivalente que tuvo con su hermoso-salvaje desierto y con su amado-odiado pueblo saharaui. Al comenzar a publicarse en Taiwan, se convirtió en un auténtico referente para su generación y las posteriores. ?El truco? Ser ella misma, la cuentacuentos que desde peque?a fue. Con su sentido del humor sutil nos hace soltar carcajadas en ?Pescadores de domingo?; con su narración misteriosa nos hace temblar en ?El colgante?; con su inmensa sensibilidad nos emociona en ?Una mu?eca vestida de novia?; con su ansia por comprometerse con lo que le rodea nos rompe con ?El esclavo mudo? y nos deja sin aliento con ?El llanto de los camellos?.
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Un libro sencillamente maravilloso, genuino, un oasis, un soplo de viento fresco que cumple con todos los requisitos de un buen libro: entretener, profundizar, obligar a reflexionar, emocionar. Obviamente, ha pasado a ser una #joyita de mi biblioteca particular. No podía ser de otra manera. Gracias, @srta.pizca, por ponerlo en mi camino ?
#Sanmao #DiariosdelSáhara #LeoAutoras #Librosparaelalma #Testimoniosúnicos
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Hay autoras que te llegan sin grandes aspavientos, sin gritar tu nombre, sin enredarte en ninguna tela. Aparecen y te susurran sus historias, te sirven un té y te invitan a escucharlas. Al poco rato te das cuenta de que ha saltado la magia y deseas abrazarlas. Me pasó con Lucia Berlin, con #miNaty, con Silvia Plath (por sólo nombrar algunas). Y ahora me pasa con esta mujer rebelde, auténtica, contradictoria, libre, apasionada, generosa. ?Qué hace una mujer de origen chino en el Sáhara de 1974 cuando aún era colonia espa?ola? ?Cómo logró sobrevivir? ?Cómo lo hizo para dejar huella en cada una de las personas, y no fueron pocas, con las que se encontró? ?
?
?
Sanmao fue recogiendo en relatos esa relación ambivalente que tuvo con su hermoso-salvaje desierto y con su amado-odiado pueblo saharaui. Al comenzar a publicarse en Taiwan, se convirtió en un auténtico referente para su generación y las posteriores. ?El truco? Ser ella misma, la cuentacuentos que desde peque?a fue. Con su sentido del humor sutil nos hace soltar carcajadas en ?Pescadores de domingo?; con su narración misteriosa nos hace temblar en ?El colgante?; con su inmensa sensibilidad nos emociona en ?Una mu?eca vestida de novia?; con su ansia por comprometerse con lo que le rodea nos rompe con ?El esclavo mudo? y nos deja sin aliento con ?El llanto de los camellos?.
?
?
?
Un libro sencillamente maravilloso, genuino, un oasis, un soplo de viento fresco que cumple con todos los requisitos de un buen libro: entretener, profundizar, obligar a reflexionar, emocionar. Obviamente, ha pasado a ser una #joyita de mi biblioteca particular. No podía ser de otra manera. Gracias, @srta.pizca, por ponerlo en mi camino ?
#Sanmao #DiariosdelSáhara #LeoAutoras #Librosparaelalma #Testimoniosúnicos
April 12, 2011
The biggest inspiration in my life. This is what makes me the way I am. I can never thank her enough. Tragically, she is not with us anymore. I really want to stand in front of her, holding her hands and say thank you! You changed my life!
Echo was extremely famous in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan back when the days she was still alive. There is no need for me to introduce her or this book to a Chinese. But for those who are from another corners of the globe, I welcome you to the world of Echo, where nature before metropolis, love before money, people before everything. The Story of The Sahara is the first book of the many books of breathtaking adventures that had been written. A great spirit like hers should never cease. Let us relive her journey and feel the flooding emotions in the world of Echo!
Echo was extremely famous in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan back when the days she was still alive. There is no need for me to introduce her or this book to a Chinese. But for those who are from another corners of the globe, I welcome you to the world of Echo, where nature before metropolis, love before money, people before everything. The Story of The Sahara is the first book of the many books of breathtaking adventures that had been written. A great spirit like hers should never cease. Let us relive her journey and feel the flooding emotions in the world of Echo!
August 25, 2022
It lacked the variety of stories that I expected. Still, it is the first book I've read about Western Sahara, and I'm interested to learn more.
> ‘Gueiga, let me ask you. Can you go around to all the neighboring women and ask what, besides my toothbrush and husband, you’re not interested in borrowing?’ She seemed to wake from a dream, hearing this. ‘What does your toothbrush look like?’ she asked immediately. ‘Get out,’ I cried in agitation. ‘Get out.’ Gueiga kept speaking as she stepped backwards. ‘I just want to look at your toothbrush. I do not want your husband. Really—’
> The crowd stepped aside as the Jeep began to go. The silhouette of the mute slave gradually disappeared into the sunset. His family members didn’t cry or scream. They held each other in a tight embrace, shrinking into the big red blanket like three stones formed in a sandstorm.
> ‘Gueiga, let me ask you. Can you go around to all the neighboring women and ask what, besides my toothbrush and husband, you’re not interested in borrowing?’ She seemed to wake from a dream, hearing this. ‘What does your toothbrush look like?’ she asked immediately. ‘Get out,’ I cried in agitation. ‘Get out.’ Gueiga kept speaking as she stepped backwards. ‘I just want to look at your toothbrush. I do not want your husband. Really—’
> The crowd stepped aside as the Jeep began to go. The silhouette of the mute slave gradually disappeared into the sunset. His family members didn’t cry or scream. They held each other in a tight embrace, shrinking into the big red blanket like three stones formed in a sandstorm.
January 19, 2020
One of the most inspiring books I have read in a while. Sanmao's personal tone tangled with her openness, honesty, sensitivity and observations are frankly unique. I cannot emphasize enough how much I enjoyed to bear witness of her tales of adventure. Certainly I tried to keep in mind the book was first published in 1976 (translated to English first time in 2019) and "despite the profound empathy with which the writer viewed almost everyone in her life" there are several instances where she may come off as derogatory, misogynist, or racist at worst but nevertheless in her actions through out the whole book her empathy thrives. Out of 20 stories I would say only one did not resonate well with me in a way I was not able to wrap my head around comparisons and humor used in it (which may be the consequence of my lack of knowledge around the cultural and literary allusions used). Nonetheless, I would love to read more of her work and I honestly hope Over River and Mountain (which talks about her adventures in Latin America) will be translated to English soon.
April 26, 2021
Un libro que ha emocionado y ilusionado a varias generaciones de jóvenes chinos, y que ha sido desconocido en occidente hasta que Rata books, y más concretamente su editora (Iolanda Batallé), decidió publicarlo.
Son las crónicas de esta joven de Taiwan (Maoping Chen, o más bien Sanmao, su nombre artístico) durante sus a?os en el Sahara espa?ol. Una mujer culta, que procedía de una familia de intelectuales, y que había viajado y vivido en diferentes países. Y que, por circunstancias de la vida, y por su pasión por el desierto, recabó en el Sahara junto su marido (el espa?ol 闯辞蝉é Quero).
Nos habla de su vida cotidiana: sus experiencias, sus relaciones con los vecinos, sus anécdotas, su aclimatación a la zona.... . Pero lo hace de forma entretenida, y muy accesible.
A mi parecer, lo mejor del libro es cómo nos presenta a una mujer libre, que hizo de su vida lo que deseó, que disfrutó al máximo del contacto con el desierto y con las gentes que lo habitaban.
Y también nos hace un retrato de lo que era el Sahara espa?ol los últimos a?os antes de que se produjera la marcha verde por parte de Marruecos.
Son las crónicas de esta joven de Taiwan (Maoping Chen, o más bien Sanmao, su nombre artístico) durante sus a?os en el Sahara espa?ol. Una mujer culta, que procedía de una familia de intelectuales, y que había viajado y vivido en diferentes países. Y que, por circunstancias de la vida, y por su pasión por el desierto, recabó en el Sahara junto su marido (el espa?ol 闯辞蝉é Quero).
Nos habla de su vida cotidiana: sus experiencias, sus relaciones con los vecinos, sus anécdotas, su aclimatación a la zona.... . Pero lo hace de forma entretenida, y muy accesible.
A mi parecer, lo mejor del libro es cómo nos presenta a una mujer libre, que hizo de su vida lo que deseó, que disfrutó al máximo del contacto con el desierto y con las gentes que lo habitaban.
Y también nos hace un retrato de lo que era el Sahara espa?ol los últimos a?os antes de que se produjera la marcha verde por parte de Marruecos.
January 8, 2022
台湾最有名的旅游作家应该属叁毛莫属吧，她是第一代的始祖啊，
1970年代就跑去北非的沙漠定居，当时那里还是西班牙的殖民地!
50年前的台湾，与我已经隔了两代了!
完全无法想像当年的社会，资讯不发达，
叁毛的文字必然能引起读者的强烈好奇心吧!
她的文章至今读来，感受依然强烈，满足我们生活在远方的一种想像。
叁毛已经成為华人世界的一个传奇，她的生命似乎太过精彩，
之前有一個新聞，加那利群島(Canary Islands)甚至還推出三毛的觀光行程，
叁不五时在东森电视台的关键时刻或现代啟示录，
叁毛甚至会被牵扯到一些灵异的故事等等的，这种事情真的蛮神奇的…
“沙哈拉的故事”是我第一次读她的文字，因為是几十年前的写作，
相对来说比较有古韵，另外她的文字充满深情啊，
字裡行间洋溢着对丈夫荷西的爱词读起来感觉很幸福词
基本上叁毛当家管，荷西為了维持在沙漠裡生活，也是很拼命在赚钱。
书中纪录了沙漠生活的点点滴滴，这种生活其实不容易啊，
物质的匱乏、文化的衝击…辛酸血泪在叁毛的笔下，
都成了读者体会他乡际遇的”乐趣”。
她真挚的文字，纪录了那个时空下异乡的神奇体验，
自由自在的女性灵魂，又有爱情相左右，交织了一趟动人的旅程。
2018.8.8 新竹
1970年代就跑去北非的沙漠定居，当时那里还是西班牙的殖民地!
50年前的台湾，与我已经隔了两代了!
完全无法想像当年的社会，资讯不发达，
叁毛的文字必然能引起读者的强烈好奇心吧!
她的文章至今读来，感受依然强烈，满足我们生活在远方的一种想像。
叁毛已经成為华人世界的一个传奇，她的生命似乎太过精彩，
之前有一個新聞，加那利群島(Canary Islands)甚至還推出三毛的觀光行程，
叁不五时在东森电视台的关键时刻或现代啟示录，
叁毛甚至会被牵扯到一些灵异的故事等等的，这种事情真的蛮神奇的…
“沙哈拉的故事”是我第一次读她的文字，因為是几十年前的写作，
相对来说比较有古韵，另外她的文字充满深情啊，
字裡行间洋溢着对丈夫荷西的爱词读起来感觉很幸福词
基本上叁毛当家管，荷西為了维持在沙漠裡生活，也是很拼命在赚钱。
书中纪录了沙漠生活的点点滴滴，这种生活其实不容易啊，
物质的匱乏、文化的衝击…辛酸血泪在叁毛的笔下，
都成了读者体会他乡际遇的”乐趣”。
她真挚的文字，纪录了那个时空下异乡的神奇体验，
自由自在的女性灵魂，又有爱情相左右，交织了一趟动人的旅程。
2018.8.8 新竹
August 25, 2021
“我每想你一次，天上便落下一粒沙，从此便有了撒哈拉。”
很早以前读到这个句子时，便被包含其中的深情深深震撼。该是怎样的女子才写得出这样绝美独特的句子？直到翻开了这本《撒哈拉的故事》答案才渐渐清晰起来。
这个浪漫、真性情、勇敢潇洒的人，仅凭一张照片感应到的前世的乡愁，便决定搬去沙漠定居。在撒哈拉这片世界上最广阔的大漠中，在与世隔绝的世界的尽头，在这原始得一如天地洪荒的地方，叁毛用力地生活，努力去克服精神和物质上的双重困难。
以前听说她的种种故事，尤其是听说她用丝袜自缢，直觉她是个倔强孤僻、不被人理解、内心忧郁的人。但我看这本书的时候，却感到她从字里行间传达出的正能量，她对荷西说的那些稀奇古怪的话，让人感到她独特的富有诗意的魅力。
她把那间简陋不堪的小屋布置得像沙漠中的一片世外桃源，吸引了外国记者来参观，甚至有设计师说要以此作为在沙漠中造房的参考。她就这样用她那颗艺术的心，给荒凉的大漠添上了一抹明丽的色彩。
书中记叙最多的，是她那些撒哈拉威邻居、朋友以及碰到的各种陌生人。那些人让她又爱又恨，让她心生怜悯，让她想起自己的亲人，让她悲恸不已却又无力解救。
在这片荒凉的土地上，几乎百分之九十的人甚至不知道自己几岁。传统的封建的宗教习俗在他们的头脑中根深蒂固，他们“拒绝”文明，固守着自己头顶那片写满“宗教”的天空，容不得一点“异端”。那是个比新旧交替时期的中国社会更惨不忍睹的地方，有过之而无不及。
但是生性正直爱憎分明的叁毛，才不去管那些，她只知道人人平等这个道理。她和所有谈得来的人交朋友，这其中包括地主、奴隶、军人、警察、普通的撒哈拉威人、妓女和小偷等等。她甚至觉得自己并不比那些关在监狱里的人高尚多少。
撒哈拉教会了叁毛坚强和乐观。她看到如桌大一片小水池旁尚有黄色小花，“心中受到很大的启示，芥草在沙漠中，尚且依水欣欣向荣，而我们为人者，环境的挫折一来，就马上低头，这都是没有了解生命奥秘的人所处的心境”。
但是撒哈拉也让叁毛无奈和痛心，她亲眼目睹了自己的好友沙伊达——一个像钻石般绝世而善良的姑娘——的悲惨死状。这个并无过错的人，就因为与撒哈拉威的传统观念不容，落魄地倒在了像熔化的铁片一样滚烫的大漠烈日下，再也没有站起来。只有骆驼嘶叫的悲鸣充满整个天空，“像雷鸣似的罩下来”。
于是叁毛发出这样的感慨：“乱世，才会有这种没有天理的事情啊。”
于是叁毛只能用一篇文字来记录这场发生在无情天地的惨剧以示抗议。
还有明知道自己被骗依然义无反顾奔向自己的“妻子”的可怜人沙仑，以及因为种族歧视而世代作奴隶的聪明的哑奴，这些鲜活的生命都在叁毛的脑海里久久挥之不去。
他们就是单调沙漠中，一朵娇艳明媚的花，灿烂地依水而活，哪怕只有一瞬间，也带给人美的体验。
在撒哈拉那个一切都无比落后古老，仿佛被造物主遗忘的地方，无论其物质上怎样贫乏，那里的人们还是有一颗追寻美好的内心，还是有作为一个人最纯粹的情感和本能——爱。
这个与生俱来的能力，让凄凉大漠里的人们在拥抱家人之时，也像尝到了欢乐的泉源，那么再苦也是温暖的，因为一个幸福的家就是最宝贵的财富。
写下这篇文字的时候，已是下午七点。盛夏炙烈的橙色阳光仍然铺满着整片天空，金色的光芒宛如温柔的触手，攀住高高的窗棂，投影在雪白的墙壁上。
我想，沙伊达和叁毛交谈时也该是这样美好的光景。所以叁毛才说：“这儿有什么吸引我？天高地阔、烈日、风暴，孤寂的生活有欢喜，有悲伤，连这些无知的人，我对他们一样有爱有恨，混淆不清，唉！我自己也搞不清楚。”
就是这样的叁毛，让我深深觉得她是一朵盛放在苍茫大漠中的红艳的天堂鸟，一心向往不羁，终要飞回天堂。
也许生活本身就是一片广袤的沙漠，需得我们自己用心装点自己的小世界，营造一片世外桃源??这样我们也便是一朵美丽的沙漠之花。
很早以前读到这个句子时，便被包含其中的深情深深震撼。该是怎样的女子才写得出这样绝美独特的句子？直到翻开了这本《撒哈拉的故事》答案才渐渐清晰起来。
这个浪漫、真性情、勇敢潇洒的人，仅凭一张照片感应到的前世的乡愁，便决定搬去沙漠定居。在撒哈拉这片世界上最广阔的大漠中，在与世隔绝的世界的尽头，在这原始得一如天地洪荒的地方，叁毛用力地生活，努力去克服精神和物质上的双重困难。
以前听说她的种种故事，尤其是听说她用丝袜自缢，直觉她是个倔强孤僻、不被人理解、内心忧郁的人。但我看这本书的时候，却感到她从字里行间传达出的正能量，她对荷西说的那些稀奇古怪的话，让人感到她独特的富有诗意的魅力。
她把那间简陋不堪的小屋布置得像沙漠中的一片世外桃源，吸引了外国记者来参观，甚至有设计师说要以此作为在沙漠中造房的参考。她就这样用她那颗艺术的心，给荒凉的大漠添上了一抹明丽的色彩。
书中记叙最多的，是她那些撒哈拉威邻居、朋友以及碰到的各种陌生人。那些人让她又爱又恨，让她心生怜悯，让她想起自己的亲人，让她悲恸不已却又无力解救。
在这片荒凉的土地上，几乎百分之九十的人甚至不知道自己几岁。传统的封建的宗教习俗在他们的头脑中根深蒂固，他们“拒绝”文明，固守着自己头顶那片写满“宗教”的天空，容不得一点“异端”。那是个比新旧交替时期的中国社会更惨不忍睹的地方，有过之而无不及。
但是生性正直爱憎分明的叁毛，才不去管那些，她只知道人人平等这个道理。她和所有谈得来的人交朋友，这其中包括地主、奴隶、军人、警察、普通的撒哈拉威人、妓女和小偷等等。她甚至觉得自己并不比那些关在监狱里的人高尚多少。
撒哈拉教会了叁毛坚强和乐观。她看到如桌大一片小水池旁尚有黄色小花，“心中受到很大的启示，芥草在沙漠中，尚且依水欣欣向荣，而我们为人者，环境的挫折一来，就马上低头，这都是没有了解生命奥秘的人所处的心境”。
但是撒哈拉也让叁毛无奈和痛心，她亲眼目睹了自己的好友沙伊达——一个像钻石般绝世而善良的姑娘——的悲惨死状。这个并无过错的人，就因为与撒哈拉威的传统观念不容，落魄地倒在了像熔化的铁片一样滚烫的大漠烈日下，再也没有站起来。只有骆驼嘶叫的悲鸣充满整个天空，“像雷鸣似的罩下来”。
于是叁毛发出这样的感慨：“乱世，才会有这种没有天理的事情啊。”
于是叁毛只能用一篇文字来记录这场发生在无情天地的惨剧以示抗议。
还有明知道自己被骗依然义无反顾奔向自己的“妻子”的可怜人沙仑，以及因为种族歧视而世代作奴隶的聪明的哑奴，这些鲜活的生命都在叁毛的脑海里久久挥之不去。
他们就是单调沙漠中，一朵娇艳明媚的花，灿烂地依水而活，哪怕只有一瞬间，也带给人美的体验。
在撒哈拉那个一切都无比落后古老，仿佛被造物主遗忘的地方，无论其物质上怎样贫乏，那里的人们还是有一颗追寻美好的内心，还是有作为一个人最纯粹的情感和本能——爱。
这个与生俱来的能力，让凄凉大漠里的人们在拥抱家人之时，也像尝到了欢乐的泉源，那么再苦也是温暖的，因为一个幸福的家就是最宝贵的财富。
写下这篇文字的时候，已是下午七点。盛夏炙烈的橙色阳光仍然铺满着整片天空，金色的光芒宛如温柔的触手，攀住高高的窗棂，投影在雪白的墙壁上。
我想，沙伊达和叁毛交谈时也该是这样美好的光景。所以叁毛才说：“这儿有什么吸引我？天高地阔、烈日、风暴，孤寂的生活有欢喜，有悲伤，连这些无知的人，我对他们一样有爱有恨，混淆不清，唉！我自己也搞不清楚。”
就是这样的叁毛，让我深深觉得她是一朵盛放在苍茫大漠中的红艳的天堂鸟，一心向往不羁，终要飞回天堂。
也许生活本身就是一片广袤的沙漠，需得我们自己用心装点自己的小世界，营造一片世外桃源??这样我们也便是一朵美丽的沙漠之花。
March 24, 2022
2.5
When I first learned about this book, I was very intrigued by it. I had never heard of Sanmao and her importance for the Chinese speakers in the late 20th century. She lived an incredible life, full of discovery and knowledge, and shared it through her writing. It is really fascinating.
Despite all this, I thought Stories of the Sahara was very disappointing. Some of the stories we got to read were not that interesting, and I was always wishing we could read about Sanmao’s travelling through the desert with the nomads. The way the stories unfolded was not my favourite thing and how they were organised in the book seemed very random and meaningless. Moreover, I found Sanmao to be slightly annoying, foolish and passive.
All in all, it was interesting to read about the reality of Western Sahara at that time (Spanish Sahara, the following independence and starting war), particularly through the eyes of a non-European or North American person. I believe it would be very compelling to write a paper or thesis on how Orientalism plays a part in this book, especially comparing to other works from that time and considering Sanmao’s peculiar perspective.
“There is no other place in the world like the Sahara. This land demonstrates its majesty and tenderness only to those who love it. And that love is quietly reciprocated in the eternity of its land and sky, a serene promise and assurance, a wish for your future generations to be born in its embrace.”
When I first learned about this book, I was very intrigued by it. I had never heard of Sanmao and her importance for the Chinese speakers in the late 20th century. She lived an incredible life, full of discovery and knowledge, and shared it through her writing. It is really fascinating.
Despite all this, I thought Stories of the Sahara was very disappointing. Some of the stories we got to read were not that interesting, and I was always wishing we could read about Sanmao’s travelling through the desert with the nomads. The way the stories unfolded was not my favourite thing and how they were organised in the book seemed very random and meaningless. Moreover, I found Sanmao to be slightly annoying, foolish and passive.
All in all, it was interesting to read about the reality of Western Sahara at that time (Spanish Sahara, the following independence and starting war), particularly through the eyes of a non-European or North American person. I believe it would be very compelling to write a paper or thesis on how Orientalism plays a part in this book, especially comparing to other works from that time and considering Sanmao’s peculiar perspective.
“There is no other place in the world like the Sahara. This land demonstrates its majesty and tenderness only to those who love it. And that love is quietly reciprocated in the eternity of its land and sky, a serene promise and assurance, a wish for your future generations to be born in its embrace.”
February 24, 2020
If I treat it as a work of literary fiction, I find it easier to appreciate Sanmao’s writing—and then it’s wonderfully fun to read, with stories of djinns and curses and sandstorms and resourcefulness in the desert; also easier to accept the author as a period character, with all the prejudices of the period. As nonfiction, I appreciate Sanmao’s overall unconventional and bold approach to life, but her melodramatic recountings of herself as protagonist, much less.
January 10, 2023
"Рано-вранц? пустеля така чиста, немов ?? вимили водою, а темно-син? небо без жодно? хмаринки. Н?жн? п?щан? дюни безперервно простягалися так далеко, як т?льки сягав з?р. У так? мит? пустеля нагадувала мен? величезне т?ло сплячо? д?вчини — усе немов п?д?ймалося й опускалося в?д ?? пов?льного дихання".
Саме так опису? Сахару тайванська письменниця Саньмао, яка жила там разом з? сво?м чолов?ком Хосе у 73-76 рр. В?дв?дати Сахару було ?? мр??ю дитинства, тож у дорослому житт? вона не забарилася ?? вт?лити.
"?стор?я Сахари" — це зб?рка опов?дань щонайр?зноман?тн?шого настрою. Деяк? з них меланхол?йн? ? повн? захопленням краси мит? та всього св?ту.
П?сля вечер? ми пол?зли на дах. Т??? ноч? не було в?тру. Хосе попросив мене запалити лампу. Коли вогонь загор?вся, то в?дразу злет?лася зграя комах. Вони безперестанку кружляли над св?тлом, немов це була ?дина р?ч у житт?, у яку вони в?рили. Ми обо? дивилися на миготливих комах.
— Про що ти дума?ш? — запитав Хосе.
— Думаю, що метелик, мабуть, насправд? щасливий т?льки тод?, коли летить на вогонь.
Деяк? — абсолютно побутов?. Про сус?дську козу, яка забиралася ?м на дах ? провалювала його, про набридливих сахарав? без в?дчуття кордон?в, як? позичали все, що можливо, а то й брали ?хн? реч? зовс?м без дозволу. Про знайомство з? свекрухою як про велику битву за вс?ма правилами Сунь-цзи.
"А також зрозум?ла, що нав?ть на краю св?ту д?вчата люблять красу, а д?ти — ?жу. Тому купила багато скляного намиста, дешевих каблучок ? ц?лу гору блискучих ключ?в. На додачу — рибну волос?нь, цукор, сухе молоко й цукерки".
? коли цього замало, Саньмао пропону? поринути заледве не м?стичн? ?стор?? з проклятими тал?сманами та духами. А подекуди й натрапля?ш на ц?лий трилер: з утечею в?д поганц?в, боротьбою та порятунком.
Деяк? ?стор?? й геть тривожн?, адже Саньмао жила там в останн? роки ?спансько? колон?зац?? ? застала часи повстань. Ситуац?я з САДР п?сля того дос? залиша?ться дещо напруженою, адже на ?? територ??, як ? тод?, претенду? Марокко.
Мен? здалося, що Саньмао не займа? ч?тко? пол?тично? позиц?? в цьому конфл?кт?, а лиша?ться сторонн?м спостер?гачем до к?нця. Та попри це вона висловлю? глибоке захоплення тим кра?м:
"У св?т? нема? ?ншо? Сахари. Вона проявля? свою красу й н?жн?сть лише до тих, хто ?? любить. А ця любов, яка ще з давн?х-давен була м?ж цим небом ? землею, поверта?ться тоб? навза?м. В?чна, гарантована об?цянка, у як?й нав?ть тво? наступне покол?ння народиться в ?? об?ймах".
P.S. Я б насправд? хот?ла пор?вняти погляди Саньмао та Соф?? Яблонсько?, однак останню я т?льки надкусила. Моя пром?жна думка — вони абсолютно р?зн? в спогляданн?. Саньмао у сво?х текстах дивиться на чужий св?т б?льше сво?ми очима, через власн? почуття. Яблонська, хоч ? не приховуючи власно? думки, намага?ться зрозум?ти, як дивляться на нього м?сцев?.
Саме так опису? Сахару тайванська письменниця Саньмао, яка жила там разом з? сво?м чолов?ком Хосе у 73-76 рр. В?дв?дати Сахару було ?? мр??ю дитинства, тож у дорослому житт? вона не забарилася ?? вт?лити.
"?стор?я Сахари" — це зб?рка опов?дань щонайр?зноман?тн?шого настрою. Деяк? з них меланхол?йн? ? повн? захопленням краси мит? та всього св?ту.
П?сля вечер? ми пол?зли на дах. Т??? ноч? не було в?тру. Хосе попросив мене запалити лампу. Коли вогонь загор?вся, то в?дразу злет?лася зграя комах. Вони безперестанку кружляли над св?тлом, немов це була ?дина р?ч у житт?, у яку вони в?рили. Ми обо? дивилися на миготливих комах.
— Про що ти дума?ш? — запитав Хосе.
— Думаю, що метелик, мабуть, насправд? щасливий т?льки тод?, коли летить на вогонь.
Деяк? — абсолютно побутов?. Про сус?дську козу, яка забиралася ?м на дах ? провалювала його, про набридливих сахарав? без в?дчуття кордон?в, як? позичали все, що можливо, а то й брали ?хн? реч? зовс?м без дозволу. Про знайомство з? свекрухою як про велику битву за вс?ма правилами Сунь-цзи.
"А також зрозум?ла, що нав?ть на краю св?ту д?вчата люблять красу, а д?ти — ?жу. Тому купила багато скляного намиста, дешевих каблучок ? ц?лу гору блискучих ключ?в. На додачу — рибну волос?нь, цукор, сухе молоко й цукерки".
? коли цього замало, Саньмао пропону? поринути заледве не м?стичн? ?стор?? з проклятими тал?сманами та духами. А подекуди й натрапля?ш на ц?лий трилер: з утечею в?д поганц?в, боротьбою та порятунком.
Деяк? ?стор?? й геть тривожн?, адже Саньмао жила там в останн? роки ?спансько? колон?зац?? ? застала часи повстань. Ситуац?я з САДР п?сля того дос? залиша?ться дещо напруженою, адже на ?? територ??, як ? тод?, претенду? Марокко.
Мен? здалося, що Саньмао не займа? ч?тко? пол?тично? позиц?? в цьому конфл?кт?, а лиша?ться сторонн?м спостер?гачем до к?нця. Та попри це вона висловлю? глибоке захоплення тим кра?м:
"У св?т? нема? ?ншо? Сахари. Вона проявля? свою красу й н?жн?сть лише до тих, хто ?? любить. А ця любов, яка ще з давн?х-давен була м?ж цим небом ? землею, поверта?ться тоб? навза?м. В?чна, гарантована об?цянка, у як?й нав?ть тво? наступне покол?ння народиться в ?? об?ймах".
P.S. Я б насправд? хот?ла пор?вняти погляди Саньмао та Соф?? Яблонсько?, однак останню я т?льки надкусила. Моя пром?жна думка — вони абсолютно р?зн? в спогляданн?. Саньмао у сво?х текстах дивиться на чужий св?т б?льше сво?ми очима, через власн? почуття. Яблонська, хоч ? не приховуючи власно? думки, намага?ться зрозум?ти, як дивляться на нього м?сцев?.
May 25, 2017
Cuando mi padre me preguntó qué estaba leyendo, le ense?é este libro. Vio el título y este inmediatamente captó su interés.
"Déjamelo cuando lo termines."
"No sé si te va a gustar", le contesté.
No porque el libro fuera malo, en absoluto. Simplemente, el título puede dar lugar a malentendidos y equívocos. Es evidente que los lectores espa?oles no saben quién es Sanmao. Pues la noción de la existencia de un libro sobre en espa?ol sobre el Sáhara en la década de los 70 solo puede significar una cosa: la Marcha Verde, la Legión, Marruecos, el Acuerdo Tripartito. En cierto sentido, se puede entender por qué la gente espera un ensayo o una crónica sobre dichos sucesos.
Historia.
El libro no va en absoluto de nada de eso.
Sí, algo cuenta, pero no es lo principal.
Muestra lo cotidiano, lo costumbrista, el choque de culturas desde una perspectiva muy cercana, llana y terrenal, aunque con una mentalidad no menos extraordinaria. Estamos hablando de Sanmao, una mujer china casada con un espa?ol en la capital del Sáhara, El Aaiún. Es difícil encontrar una mezcla tan variopinta y con tantos contrastes, pero funciona.
La autora viene de la otra punta del mundo, de China. Un país que no ha sido conocido precisamente por su apertura al mundo durante el transcurrir de los siglos. Es una china que explora, que siente curiosidad, que hasta el más nimio detalle puede llamar su atención y servir como un escalón más en la compresión del ser humano y de la vida.
En el momento en que se viven las experiencias en el Sáhara, la cultura occidental ya no le es tan extra?a, después de a?os y a?os viviendo en países europeos. Pero el norte de ?frica seguía siendo por entonces una incógnita para mucha gente (supongo que las cosas no habrán cambiado tanto a día de hoy).
Al inicio del libro hay un prólogo sobre la experiencia para traducir y publicar este libro en Espa?a por parte de la editorial. No fue cosa fácil, lo que resulta llamativo, debido a la proximidad que la propia autora tenía hacia nuestro propio país. Es un misterio que haya pasado tanto tiempo desde que el primer manuscrito se escribió. Posteriormente aparece una carta de la propia autora, donde avistamos un poco de su propia personalidad. Es emotiva la humildad con la que se dirige a sus lectores y seguidores. Era una mujer con los pies muy en la tierra, que aún buscaba su propia respuesta y su propia paz de espíritu.
Al final del libro disponemos de algunas fotografías de Sanmao en el desierto, bien en solitario, bien con su marido 闯辞蝉é María. De vez en cuando las hojeaba durante mi lectura, pues no se puede negar que esos paisajes y objetos y personas son un buen método para sumergirte en las experiencias que va relatando.
Los capítulos no están ordenados de manera cronológica. Cada uno de ellos son como un peque?o cuento que escoge como protagonista un determinado tema. Puede ser una cámara de fotos o una boda o unos ba?os públicos o un colgante que la autora encontró delante de su casa. Por eso mismo, muchos episodios se solapan unos con otros, y encontramos repeticiones y coincidencias de sucesos.
El estilo de Sanmao es muy simple y fácil de seguir. La gran humanidad que muestra hacia el género humano en general es admirable y muy valiente. Eso no significa que a la autora le guste y acepte todo lo que oye o ve. Sin embargo, ella es consciente de que lo mismo ocurre cuando una persona la observa y juzga sus propias costumbres. Todo aporta un sentimiento increíblemente liberador, que traspasa las páginas y se transmite al lector. Hay tantas cosas que no comprendemos del mundo, y, sin embargo, ahí siguen, en lo bueno y en lo malo, transformándose con el tiempo.
La vida de Sanmao en el Sáhara no es un camino de rosas. Ella y 闯辞蝉é María no son precisamente ricos, y en la época y lugar en que se encuentran, tienen que renunciar a muchas comodidades y aprender a vivir con la escasez (o ausencia) de todo, o de casi todo. Te hace empezar a apreciar las peque?as cosas y a valorar lo realmente importante.
También hay momentos especialmente peligrosos, de esos que te hacen pensar que no verás ningún ma?ana. Adrenalina pura, no apta para cardíacos.
Otros instantes son realmente divertidos, yo misma rompí a carcajadas en más de una ocasión.
Sin embargo, es importante resaltar Sanmao no es la Indiana Jones asiática. Ella no se embarca a la aventura con el fin de vivir emociones extremas. Más bien busca expandir sus horizontes, contestar a una llamada en su interior que la insta a seguir caminando, a llenar ese vacío y esa soledad que es inherente al ser humano, y con la que ella busca aprender a convivir.
Viajando, conociendo, y aprendiendo.
Manteniendo viva esa capacidad de asombro que muchas veces se nos muere en la infancia.
"Déjamelo cuando lo termines."
"No sé si te va a gustar", le contesté.
No porque el libro fuera malo, en absoluto. Simplemente, el título puede dar lugar a malentendidos y equívocos. Es evidente que los lectores espa?oles no saben quién es Sanmao. Pues la noción de la existencia de un libro sobre en espa?ol sobre el Sáhara en la década de los 70 solo puede significar una cosa: la Marcha Verde, la Legión, Marruecos, el Acuerdo Tripartito. En cierto sentido, se puede entender por qué la gente espera un ensayo o una crónica sobre dichos sucesos.
Historia.
El libro no va en absoluto de nada de eso.
Sí, algo cuenta, pero no es lo principal.
Muestra lo cotidiano, lo costumbrista, el choque de culturas desde una perspectiva muy cercana, llana y terrenal, aunque con una mentalidad no menos extraordinaria. Estamos hablando de Sanmao, una mujer china casada con un espa?ol en la capital del Sáhara, El Aaiún. Es difícil encontrar una mezcla tan variopinta y con tantos contrastes, pero funciona.
La autora viene de la otra punta del mundo, de China. Un país que no ha sido conocido precisamente por su apertura al mundo durante el transcurrir de los siglos. Es una china que explora, que siente curiosidad, que hasta el más nimio detalle puede llamar su atención y servir como un escalón más en la compresión del ser humano y de la vida.
En el momento en que se viven las experiencias en el Sáhara, la cultura occidental ya no le es tan extra?a, después de a?os y a?os viviendo en países europeos. Pero el norte de ?frica seguía siendo por entonces una incógnita para mucha gente (supongo que las cosas no habrán cambiado tanto a día de hoy).
Al inicio del libro hay un prólogo sobre la experiencia para traducir y publicar este libro en Espa?a por parte de la editorial. No fue cosa fácil, lo que resulta llamativo, debido a la proximidad que la propia autora tenía hacia nuestro propio país. Es un misterio que haya pasado tanto tiempo desde que el primer manuscrito se escribió. Posteriormente aparece una carta de la propia autora, donde avistamos un poco de su propia personalidad. Es emotiva la humildad con la que se dirige a sus lectores y seguidores. Era una mujer con los pies muy en la tierra, que aún buscaba su propia respuesta y su propia paz de espíritu.
Al final del libro disponemos de algunas fotografías de Sanmao en el desierto, bien en solitario, bien con su marido 闯辞蝉é María. De vez en cuando las hojeaba durante mi lectura, pues no se puede negar que esos paisajes y objetos y personas son un buen método para sumergirte en las experiencias que va relatando.
Los capítulos no están ordenados de manera cronológica. Cada uno de ellos son como un peque?o cuento que escoge como protagonista un determinado tema. Puede ser una cámara de fotos o una boda o unos ba?os públicos o un colgante que la autora encontró delante de su casa. Por eso mismo, muchos episodios se solapan unos con otros, y encontramos repeticiones y coincidencias de sucesos.
El estilo de Sanmao es muy simple y fácil de seguir. La gran humanidad que muestra hacia el género humano en general es admirable y muy valiente. Eso no significa que a la autora le guste y acepte todo lo que oye o ve. Sin embargo, ella es consciente de que lo mismo ocurre cuando una persona la observa y juzga sus propias costumbres. Todo aporta un sentimiento increíblemente liberador, que traspasa las páginas y se transmite al lector. Hay tantas cosas que no comprendemos del mundo, y, sin embargo, ahí siguen, en lo bueno y en lo malo, transformándose con el tiempo.
La vida de Sanmao en el Sáhara no es un camino de rosas. Ella y 闯辞蝉é María no son precisamente ricos, y en la época y lugar en que se encuentran, tienen que renunciar a muchas comodidades y aprender a vivir con la escasez (o ausencia) de todo, o de casi todo. Te hace empezar a apreciar las peque?as cosas y a valorar lo realmente importante.
También hay momentos especialmente peligrosos, de esos que te hacen pensar que no verás ningún ma?ana. Adrenalina pura, no apta para cardíacos.
Otros instantes son realmente divertidos, yo misma rompí a carcajadas en más de una ocasión.
Sin embargo, es importante resaltar Sanmao no es la Indiana Jones asiática. Ella no se embarca a la aventura con el fin de vivir emociones extremas. Más bien busca expandir sus horizontes, contestar a una llamada en su interior que la insta a seguir caminando, a llenar ese vacío y esa soledad que es inherente al ser humano, y con la que ella busca aprender a convivir.
Viajando, conociendo, y aprendiendo.
Manteniendo viva esa capacidad de asombro que muchas veces se nos muere en la infancia.
August 3, 2024
Heel interessante berichten van een vrijgevochten Taiwaneese vrouw die ontzettend krachtig en avontuurlijk is maar haarzelf ook ziet als het bezit van haar man en zich na het huwelijk toelegt op een rol als (avontuurlijke) huisvrouw. Daarnaast was een Aziaat in de Sahara toen der tijd erg uniek (e.g. noch katoliek, noch moslim), wat haar samen met haar open karakter in staat stelde met zowel de Spanjaarden (kolonisten) als de Sahrawi (gekoloniseerden) hechte banden te vormen en bijzonderen belevenissen mee te maken.
Sanmao vertelt heel open en vaak grappig over alles wat ze meemaakt. De Sahara is zowel prachtig als wreed en soms gebeuren er nare dingen, maar het naarste vindt toch plaatst door mensen, aan het einde van haar leven daar, wanneer de dekolonisatie plaatsvindt.
Voor lezers van Het verhaal van de steen: Leuk was dat er Sanmao's berichten veel verwijzingen naar dit boek zaten, maar er zaten ook spoilers in!
Sanmao vertelt heel open en vaak grappig over alles wat ze meemaakt. De Sahara is zowel prachtig als wreed en soms gebeuren er nare dingen, maar het naarste vindt toch plaatst door mensen, aan het einde van haar leven daar, wanneer de dekolonisatie plaatsvindt.
Voor lezers van Het verhaal van de steen: Leuk was dat er Sanmao's berichten veel verwijzingen naar dit boek zaten, maar er zaten ook spoilers in!
September 5, 2020
Me acerqué a este libro atraído por la leyenda que envuelve a la autora: la de una vida excepcional y trágica, donde el don de vivir encontró una correspondencia con un don también excepcional de la escritura. Una expectativa de lectura que se vio aumentada por la de los propios involucrados en esta primera versión al espa?ol de las obras de Sanmao: el escritor Gabi Martínez (a quien ya conocía por su magnífico libro “Los mares de Wang”) encargado del prólogo; su traductora, Inés Tor Carroggio, y su editora, Iolanda Batallé, quienes han escrito sendas cartas de amor a la autora taiwanesa genial, amada, viuda y suicida (la de Inés Tor Carroggio acompa?a el segundo tomo, “Diarios de las Canarias”. La de Iolanda Batallé cierra los “Diarios del Sáhara").
Confieso que tuve el temor de que las expectativas se defraudaran y quedaran atrapadas por el deseo de la traductora y de la editora por justificar lo que no sucede con frecuencia en el mundo editorial: tener entre manos y ofrecer a los lectores un verdadero descubrimiento.
Sin embargo, bastaron unas pocas páginas para comprobar que, en efecto, estaba yo entrando a un mundo desconocido y fascinante, sabio y conmovedor, duro y tierno. Recorridas las 448 paginas del más acogedor de los desiertos, el mundo de Sanmao es ya un paisaje interior mío. Un tesoro secreto que ahora, como a cada nuevo lector, me toca compartirlo. Si antes el desierto del Sahara para mí estaba irremediablemente surcado por la sombra del avión de Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, ahora esa imagen ha quedado parcialmente eclipsada por la sombra más terrestre, ruidosa y cercana del jeep de Sanmao que atraviesa las dunas para llevar y traer a 闯辞蝉é María Quero, su esposo, que desde ya se le iba escapando de las manos, como un pu?ado de arena.
Confieso que tuve el temor de que las expectativas se defraudaran y quedaran atrapadas por el deseo de la traductora y de la editora por justificar lo que no sucede con frecuencia en el mundo editorial: tener entre manos y ofrecer a los lectores un verdadero descubrimiento.
Sin embargo, bastaron unas pocas páginas para comprobar que, en efecto, estaba yo entrando a un mundo desconocido y fascinante, sabio y conmovedor, duro y tierno. Recorridas las 448 paginas del más acogedor de los desiertos, el mundo de Sanmao es ya un paisaje interior mío. Un tesoro secreto que ahora, como a cada nuevo lector, me toca compartirlo. Si antes el desierto del Sahara para mí estaba irremediablemente surcado por la sombra del avión de Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, ahora esa imagen ha quedado parcialmente eclipsada por la sombra más terrestre, ruidosa y cercana del jeep de Sanmao que atraviesa las dunas para llevar y traer a 闯辞蝉é María Quero, su esposo, que desde ya se le iba escapando de las manos, como un pu?ado de arena.
July 29, 2022
"Усе, що я можу сказати, — це банальне ?дякую?" — приблизно так? у мене враження, п?сля прочитання ц??? книжки.
Оц?нка: 5+/5
"?стор?? Сахари" Саньмао виявилися для мене досить ц?кавим експериментом. Ще на початку повномасштабного вторгнення, я зовс?м випадково натрапила на видавництво Сафран. Дал? все було як в туман? ? я прийшла до тями вже дочитуючи ?х, першу для мене, книжку "Хрон?ки поцуплених ровер?в" Ву М?н'? /детальн?ший в?дгук на не? шукайте в мо?му гудр?дз/.
?стор?я дал? склалась так, що я замовила в них також "?стор?? Сахари" чогось вперто переконаною, що це роман. Сюрпризом для мене виявилося, що це зб?рка ?стор?й, й до всього ж, ц?лком реальних, про ж?нку Саньмао, що пере?хала жити в Сахару з? сво?м чолов?ком Хосе. ? найнеоч?куван?ший факт: мен? страшенно сподобалося. Загалом у книжц? ? 21 ?стор?я, з яких мен? не сподобалася т?льки 1, що також диву?, бо вс? ми зна?мо як важко оц?нювати зб?рки, коли щось на 10/5, а ?нше й до нуля не дотягу?.
Читаючи цю книжку, в мене щоразу було в?дчуття, що я сиджу поряд з Саньмао та слухаю ??, пов?льно попиваючи чай та затуляючи оч? рукою в?д п?ску й пилу пустел?. Наст?льки ц? зам?тки з реального життя були живими та ц?кавими. Мен? сподобалося як авторка багато роздуму? над темами життя, смерт?, любов?, в?дданост? та в?дчуття власного м?сця в сусп?льств?. ?, якщо я думала, що це щось штибу тревел-блогу, то щораз дал? це в?дчуття зникало, висуваючи на перший план б?льш глибок? думки.
Ц?кавий факт — англомовний св?т побачив цю книгу в 2019 роц? (перше видання було в 1976), у нас ж вона вийшла в 2021, що не може не т?шити. Я дуже вдячна видавництву Сафран, яке взялося за нелегке завдання: видавати л?тературу Сходу, яка не обмежу?ться т?льки Харук? Муракам?.
Оц?нка: 5+/5
"?стор?? Сахари" Саньмао виявилися для мене досить ц?кавим експериментом. Ще на початку повномасштабного вторгнення, я зовс?м випадково натрапила на видавництво Сафран. Дал? все було як в туман? ? я прийшла до тями вже дочитуючи ?х, першу для мене, книжку "Хрон?ки поцуплених ровер?в" Ву М?н'? /детальн?ший в?дгук на не? шукайте в мо?му гудр?дз/.
?стор?я дал? склалась так, що я замовила в них також "?стор?? Сахари" чогось вперто переконаною, що це роман. Сюрпризом для мене виявилося, що це зб?рка ?стор?й, й до всього ж, ц?лком реальних, про ж?нку Саньмао, що пере?хала жити в Сахару з? сво?м чолов?ком Хосе. ? найнеоч?куван?ший факт: мен? страшенно сподобалося. Загалом у книжц? ? 21 ?стор?я, з яких мен? не сподобалася т?льки 1, що також диву?, бо вс? ми зна?мо як важко оц?нювати зб?рки, коли щось на 10/5, а ?нше й до нуля не дотягу?.
Читаючи цю книжку, в мене щоразу було в?дчуття, що я сиджу поряд з Саньмао та слухаю ??, пов?льно попиваючи чай та затуляючи оч? рукою в?д п?ску й пилу пустел?. Наст?льки ц? зам?тки з реального життя були живими та ц?кавими. Мен? сподобалося як авторка багато роздуму? над темами життя, смерт?, любов?, в?дданост? та в?дчуття власного м?сця в сусп?льств?. ?, якщо я думала, що це щось штибу тревел-блогу, то щораз дал? це в?дчуття зникало, висуваючи на перший план б?льш глибок? думки.
Ц?кавий факт — англомовний св?т побачив цю книгу в 2019 роц? (перше видання було в 1976), у нас ж вона вийшла в 2021, що не може не т?шити. Я дуже вдячна видавництву Сафран, яке взялося за нелегке завдання: видавати л?тературу Сходу, яка не обмежу?ться т?льки Харук? Муракам?.
March 31, 2020
This book is just incredible. The stories are written with wit, knowledge, and open mindedness.
I had good hopes. I knew Sanmao as an early female travel writer, and her books were recommended to me numerous times by Taiwanese friends before a translation was available. Reading it now, finally, I couldn't believe the freshness of her writing, and I wonder how this must have come across in the dictatorships of KMT Taiwan or CCP China in the 70s and 80s. Sanmao's (real life) stories are amazing, not only by her almost nihilist rejection of conventions but mostly by her zealously staying true to her heart throughout.
Talking about a different culture, especially in occupied territory (Western Sahara is still under occupation ?) can be problematic, but Sanmao's adventures almost never stray. In fact, the humanity is just jumping off the pages.
I had good hopes. I knew Sanmao as an early female travel writer, and her books were recommended to me numerous times by Taiwanese friends before a translation was available. Reading it now, finally, I couldn't believe the freshness of her writing, and I wonder how this must have come across in the dictatorships of KMT Taiwan or CCP China in the 70s and 80s. Sanmao's (real life) stories are amazing, not only by her almost nihilist rejection of conventions but mostly by her zealously staying true to her heart throughout.
Talking about a different culture, especially in occupied territory (Western Sahara is still under occupation ?) can be problematic, but Sanmao's adventures almost never stray. In fact, the humanity is just jumping off the pages.
July 17, 2021
Життя в пустел? Сахара очима китаянки. Багато коротких опов?док, що вповн? розкривають вс? нюанси побуту, в?рувань, звича?в народу Сахарав?, а ще шаленого характеру само? Саньмао, яка просто взяла ? по?хала в пустелю, бо закорт?ло. Л?кувати ж?нок, як? не можуть п?ти до л?каря-чолов?ка? Навчати зв?дки беруться д?ти неосв?чених матер?в? Разом з чолов?ком-?спанцем д?литися вс?м надбаним з найзлиденн?шими? Застрягати посеред ноч? в зибучому п?ску, ледь не бути з?валтованою рятувальниками, навчатися вод?нню ? складати ?спит перед згра?ю в’язн?в? Зда?ться в ц?й книз? ? все. Трохи п?дкачала мова, але зда?ться з лакон?чно? китайсько? важко перекладати адекватно, ? також посм?шили зноски, як? ведуть в н?куди)) але рада, що почитала таку ц?каву книгу, сл?дкуймо за видавництвом Сафран ? дал?
May 12, 2020
A rare but very fascinating excursion into life in the Sahara desert through the experience of a foreigner, a Chinese lady, who calls herself Sanmao. Most people, used to urban living, will not find the arid desert - its searing heat, golden sand dunes, and barrenness - alluring but she did and spent many years living there with her Spanish husband.
Told with humour, and seriousness at times, her stories cover a wide range of experiences: with the desert inhabitants, places, political tensions, evil spirits. She writes with candor, emotion and empathy.
Overall, its a good read for me.
Told with humour, and seriousness at times, her stories cover a wide range of experiences: with the desert inhabitants, places, political tensions, evil spirits. She writes with candor, emotion and empathy.
Overall, its a good read for me.
December 3, 2014
My third read but this book never gets old! 读懂了三毛，读懂了人生--this statement still stands.
November 10, 2018
4.75
Second read:
the only reason I took that long to finish off this reread was only due to the fact that I couldn't bear the thought of reading that last sad part of the story :'(
Second read:
the only reason I took that long to finish off this reread was only due to the fact that I couldn't bear the thought of reading that last sad part of the story :'(
Read
August 13, 2024Me ha gustado muchísimo leer a Sanmao. En este libro nos cuenta su vida en el Sáhara, siendo una mujer taiwanesa que se casa con un espa?ol y vive en el desierto en los 70'. Se trata de un compendio de relatos autobiográficos en el que nos narra la dureza de generar una vida de cero en un lugar inhóspito, a la vez que los momentos de felicidad y la sensación de libertad, estando siempre presentes las distancias provenientes de las culturas y la forma en el que estas nos hacen mirar el mundo. En este sentido creo que tiene mucha riqueza antropológica y podemos ver los sesgos machistas, colonialistas, gordofobos, etc tanto de la propia Sanmao como de los saharauis y de los espa?oles que aparecen como personajes secundarios. Me ha gustado mucho la historia con su marido 闯辞蝉é, porque creo que se ven las sinergias pero también las distancias que existen cuando amas a alguien. Está escrito de forma muy simple, Sanmao se consideraba cuentista y lo que hace es contar relatos de su vida, quedando al final todos estos episodios en tu memoria cuando lees el libro. De fondo podemos conocer la historia del Sáhara, sobre todo en el trepidante final cuando ocurre el horrible episodio de la Marcha Verde y la falta de reacción de Espa?a. Al principio me costó un poco entrar, ya que los primeros relatos son bastante tristes y su manera de escribir tan directa me chocó, pero poco a poco me atrapó hasta el punto de que me parece una experiencia inmersiva. Su mirada llevó Occidente a China así que hay que leerla.
La edición de Rata es chulísima, me costó muchísimo encontrarla pero si podéis conseguirla no dudéis en hacerlo. Tiene un prólogo que explica la increíble vida de Sanmao, textos al final escritos por su hermano, personas que han trabajado para traer su historia a Espa?a, etc.
Muy contenta de haberme topado con ella ??
La edición de Rata es chulísima, me costó muchísimo encontrarla pero si podéis conseguirla no dudéis en hacerlo. Tiene un prólogo que explica la increíble vida de Sanmao, textos al final escritos por su hermano, personas que han trabajado para traer su historia a Espa?a, etc.
Muy contenta de haberme topado con ella ??
March 28, 2021
I’ve recently started reading in “blocks,” and my selection of Taiwanese literature couldn’t do without Stories of the Sahara. It is probably the best-loved book by a Taiwan-based author in the Chinese-speaking world and beyond, with a Spanish translation predating the English one by several years. Having little experience with “non-fiction,” I didn’t know what to expect from a work that was, according to Wikipedia, “part memoir and part travelogue.” A revealing story of San Mao and 闯辞蝉é’s love life? Practical tips to find your way in the desert? A witness’s account of Western Sahara’s occupation by Morocco? Instead of any of that, the book is like a collection of short stories that at times read like essays. Had it been published today, it would probably be called “auto-fiction.”
There is a fine line between non-fiction and auto-fiction: sometimes the whole difference might boil down to just marketing. We fictionalize when we remember the past, and we do it again when we tailor stories for a specific audience. But a few of the pieces in Stories of the Sahara go way beyond that. Set during the 1975 Green March, "Crying Camels" uses Sahrawi nationalist leader Muhammad Bassiri, who was executed by the Spanish Legion in 1970, as a character. In "Night in the Wasteland," danger rises to action film levels before the narrator saves the day like a movie heroine. "Sergeant Salva" features a similarly implausible combination of dramatic events.
Despite these plot elements bordering on the cliche and the occasional repetitive prose (e.g., 闯辞蝉é “staring blankly” at San Mao or things happening “suddenly”), most of the stories work well. They feel satisfying the way a good three-chord song does. The book’s vignettes of marital life resonate like hilarious comic strips. While San Mao doesn’t always show cultural sensitivity towards the Sahrawi, she’s a very witty observer who also takes aim at the Spanish colonizers. Proud of her own heritage, she often quotes the Chinese classics and her humor seems to be sometimes based on chengyu (four-character idiomatic expressions), many of which Mike Fu manages to translate more or less literally in a way that’s understandable for English-language readers.
At the same time, San Mao the author took a different path from the one laid out for women at the time and became an inspiration for many. San Mao the character serves to reinforce the author’s image as an intrepid and resourceful adventurer: she’s the brains in her relationship and also puts herself on the line for 闯辞蝉é; she’s undaunted by the desert and outsmarts both Spanish policemen and marauding thugs; she can earn an extra income catching fish or whip up meals out of the most random ingredients—passing them off as traditional Chinese dishes with tongue in cheek. Yet the most moving stories are the ones that, like “Child Bride,” balance this out with glimpses of the narrator’s vulnerability and powerlessness in the face of social injustice.
There is a fine line between non-fiction and auto-fiction: sometimes the whole difference might boil down to just marketing. We fictionalize when we remember the past, and we do it again when we tailor stories for a specific audience. But a few of the pieces in Stories of the Sahara go way beyond that. Set during the 1975 Green March, "Crying Camels" uses Sahrawi nationalist leader Muhammad Bassiri, who was executed by the Spanish Legion in 1970, as a character. In "Night in the Wasteland," danger rises to action film levels before the narrator saves the day like a movie heroine. "Sergeant Salva" features a similarly implausible combination of dramatic events.
Despite these plot elements bordering on the cliche and the occasional repetitive prose (e.g., 闯辞蝉é “staring blankly” at San Mao or things happening “suddenly”), most of the stories work well. They feel satisfying the way a good three-chord song does. The book’s vignettes of marital life resonate like hilarious comic strips. While San Mao doesn’t always show cultural sensitivity towards the Sahrawi, she’s a very witty observer who also takes aim at the Spanish colonizers. Proud of her own heritage, she often quotes the Chinese classics and her humor seems to be sometimes based on chengyu (four-character idiomatic expressions), many of which Mike Fu manages to translate more or less literally in a way that’s understandable for English-language readers.
At the same time, San Mao the author took a different path from the one laid out for women at the time and became an inspiration for many. San Mao the character serves to reinforce the author’s image as an intrepid and resourceful adventurer: she’s the brains in her relationship and also puts herself on the line for 闯辞蝉é; she’s undaunted by the desert and outsmarts both Spanish policemen and marauding thugs; she can earn an extra income catching fish or whip up meals out of the most random ingredients—passing them off as traditional Chinese dishes with tongue in cheek. Yet the most moving stories are the ones that, like “Child Bride,” balance this out with glimpses of the narrator’s vulnerability and powerlessness in the face of social injustice.
March 22, 2021
Po ?Saharyjskie dni” si?gn??am zach?cona opisem na ok?adce, przedstawiaj?cym ten zbiór autobiograficznych reporta?y, jako ?klasyk? literatury tajwańskiej”.?
Autorka, Sanmao, a w zasadzie Chen Mao Ping, urodzi?a si? w Chinach w latach 40, jej zamo?na i preferuj?ca zachodni styl ?ycia rodzina uciek?a przed komunistami na Tajwan, a ona sama, jako dwudziestolatka przenios?a si? do Europy. My?l?, ?e gdyby nie wst?p, ok?adkowy teaser i samoidentyfikacja pisarki, nie domy?li?abym si?, ?e pochodzi ona z odmiennego kr?gu kulturowego. Nie czu? tego ani w jej sposobie pisania, ani te? odbioru ?wiata, w którym z wyboru si? znalaz?a. Sanmao czuje si? cz?onkini? ??wiata cywilizowanego” i jej sposób patrzenia na lud Sahrawi, zamieszkuj?cy teren Sahary jest mocno protekcjonalny i przesi?kni?ty poczuciem wy?szo?ci .
Niewiele z jej ?reporta?y” dowiemy si? o ?yciu ludzi pustyni. Poznajemy przygody Sanmao na tle egzotycznego t?a i ludzkich rekwizytów. Ale w zasadzie powinnam by?a si? tego spodziewa?, gdybym tylko nie zatrzyma?a si? na pierwszym ok?adkowym zdaniu i doczyta?a dalej wszystko mówi?c? informacj?: ?W 1979 roku ?Reader’s Digest” opublikowa? w pi?tnastu j?zykach Opowie?? o Chince na pustyni”.? Do przeczytania, jako ciekawostka.?
Autorka, Sanmao, a w zasadzie Chen Mao Ping, urodzi?a si? w Chinach w latach 40, jej zamo?na i preferuj?ca zachodni styl ?ycia rodzina uciek?a przed komunistami na Tajwan, a ona sama, jako dwudziestolatka przenios?a si? do Europy. My?l?, ?e gdyby nie wst?p, ok?adkowy teaser i samoidentyfikacja pisarki, nie domy?li?abym si?, ?e pochodzi ona z odmiennego kr?gu kulturowego. Nie czu? tego ani w jej sposobie pisania, ani te? odbioru ?wiata, w którym z wyboru si? znalaz?a. Sanmao czuje si? cz?onkini? ??wiata cywilizowanego” i jej sposób patrzenia na lud Sahrawi, zamieszkuj?cy teren Sahary jest mocno protekcjonalny i przesi?kni?ty poczuciem wy?szo?ci .
Niewiele z jej ?reporta?y” dowiemy si? o ?yciu ludzi pustyni. Poznajemy przygody Sanmao na tle egzotycznego t?a i ludzkich rekwizytów. Ale w zasadzie powinnam by?a si? tego spodziewa?, gdybym tylko nie zatrzyma?a si? na pierwszym ok?adkowym zdaniu i doczyta?a dalej wszystko mówi?c? informacj?: ?W 1979 roku ?Reader’s Digest” opublikowa? w pi?tnastu j?zykach Opowie?? o Chince na pustyni”.? Do przeczytania, jako ciekawostka.?
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