Memoirs

Pablo Neruda's "Memoirs" is not a comprehensive autobiographical document. It is a personal memoir, recounted as if the author were sitting around a table, with good friends and a bottle of excellent Chilean wine, telling tales of the people, anecdotes and incidents that were so important in his life. "Confieso Que He Vivido," means I confess that I have lived. And Sr. Neruda certainly did that...with zest, zeal and so much talent. I read Neruda's book in Spanish, but feel more comfortable writing this review in English. The translation by Hardie St. Martin is a good one, but it does not do justice to Neruda's extraordinary writing skills. He romances the Spanish language, like no other, even with his prose. Neruda was born, the son of a railroad worker, in the then frontier wilderness of Southern Chile in 1904. He led a bohemian lifestyle, dressing in black "like the true poets of the last century," during his university years in Santiago. His shyness, the "kink in the soul,"...especially of women, took him a while to overcome. He describes the people and places of that period with great 'carino' (love). His political ideology began to form at that time also, and politics became an integral part of his writing. The Student Federation, student demonstrations and the subsequent repression, had a great impact on the young intellectual. Neruda led a rich and fascinating life. World traveled, he served as Chilean consul in Burma, Ceylon, and Java. He was the consul in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, and during this time "Nine Love Poems" from "Veinte Poemas de Amor y Una Cancion Desesperada" was published. It was at this time also, that his friend Federico Garcia Lorca was killed. Neruda was present in Paris to organize a worldwide anti-Facist congress of writers that would be held in Madrid. His writing about Spain during the war is heartbreaking. Returning to Chile in 1938, he found a burgeoning Fascist movement in his own beloved land. I particularly enjoyed his account of the time he spent in Mexico, as consul. He tells of his encounters with the great Mexican painters there. After returning home, Neruda ran for political office and was elected to Chile's Senate in 1945. He was later removed from his Senate seat after joining the Communist Party. His friends included: Garcia Lorca, Ehrenburg, Picasso, Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, Octavio Paz, Miguel Angel Asturias, Gandhi, Nehru, Mao, Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and most sadly, Salvador Allende. Pablo Neruda's death, just weeks after the brutal murder of Chile's President Allende, is something I will never forget. I was living in Colombia at that time, and remember where I was and what I was doing when I learned of Allende's death, and later heard of Neruda's passing. It called to mind, then and now, my recollections, as a young girl, when President Kennedy's assassination was announced. I always thought Neruda died of a broken heart. This is an exceptionally good memoir, told with g

Memoirs by Pablo Neruda was simply the most beautifully written autobiography i have ever laid eyes on... Not only does he talk about his exceptional journey through life, from his childhood in the forest to his worldwide travels as a chilean diplomat (and encounters with famous personalities along the way), but his abundant observations and insights on life are an inspiration to anyone who has cruised through life while wondering where they are headed. Beautiful language and keen observations. Reading it made me wish I knew Spanish...Here's my favorite quote from the book: "It lies not in our power to love or hate, for will in us is overruled by fate"

Although not a fan of autobiographies, Neurda's Memoirs is a must. Memoirs traces his life and adventures from rural Chile to such places as India and pre-world war two Europe. Not only did he visit such wonderful places, but his timing and the role he plays in events is absolutly amazing. Moreover, one gets to see such events through the eye of a poet making Memoirs a rich and stirring read. Reading this not only gives perspective on where Neurda's passion for life came from, but his values and his poetry.

Autobiografía de Pablo Neruda donde el poeta nos cuenta lo cotidiano de su existencia. Es deslumbrante como el poeta convierte en mágico a través de sus metáforas poéticas los sucesos más cotidianos, la lluvia, el pasar del tren, los campesinos, el ruido del mar, etc. Esta claro que el poeta supo entender y disfrutar de cada momento de la vida más que cualquier un mortal normal. El lector puede introducirse y casi revivir los sentimientos de Neruda durante los momentos más importantes de su vida, su primer libro, sus amores, sus amigos, etc. En otra parte del libro nos hace conocer sus ideas comunistas extremas como por ejemplo que considera la Unión Soviética "el país de los sueños intentados y conseguidos", y su admiración por los líderes políticos comunistas.

The autobiography of a man who not only wrote some of the best poetry ever written in Spanish language, but lived his life poetically. A real traveller and observer.Picasso, Garcia Lorca, Stalin are just some of the names that had reletionship with this Chilean Nobel Prize at some point of his life.This book is amazing. The best one I ever read.