You are here
Advanced Book Seminar - "El principio del placer y otros cuentos"
Course Description: In this highly-interactive seminar-style course, students will enjoy the opportunity to read and discuss the book “El principio del placer” comprised by a short novel and a collection of short stories by the great Mexican writer Jose Emilio Pacheco (1939-2014).
El principio del placer, Pacheco’s third book of short stories, was published in 1972, nine years before his most famous novella “Las batallas en el desierto”. The stories in “El principio del placer” encompass a wide range of themes, from exploring universal facets of life like childhood, the loss of innocence, love, friendship, and aging to the transcendence of specific historical moments, the fantastical, and the corruption of individuals and society. A constant theme in Jose Emilio Pacheco’s work is the passage of time, leading readers to question whether we as a society learn from our own history or are condemned to repeat the same mistakes.
The writing style that Jose Emilio Pacheco employs in his narratives tends to be succinct, without great elaboration, so much so that the impactful messages and images he can portray with few words inspire awe. In this set of short stories, he tells things as they are, exposing truths about life with clarity and openness; nevertheless, we may be caught off guard by a shade of darkness under the surface -historical, psychological, mythical, ghostly- a treachery that alters destiny and provides an unexpected ending to the story.
Designed for students with advanced reading and speaking skills in Spanish, this course will give you the opportunity to continue polishing your comprehension and conversational fluidity while we enjoy stimulating discussion with other enthusiastic students.
Where to get the book: Amazon link Ediciones Era (digital version)
Best suited for: Spanish Advanced I or equivalent