Bernardo Atxaga
Author of Obabakoak
About the Author
Image credit: Bernardo Atxaga - 2009
Series
Works by Bernardo Atxaga
Lista de locos y otros alfabetos/ Insane list and other alphabets (Libros Del Tiempo) (Spanish Edition) (1998) 22 copies
Las bambulisticas historias de Bambulo. La crisis [Paperback] [Jan 01, 1998] Bernardo Atxaga (1998) 6 copies
Ata Pank eta Ate Punk 3 copies
Asini Rock 3 copies
20 cuentos de cine 1 copy
Kilker bat autopistan 1 copy
LOS POLLITOS Y BAKARTY JAMES 1 copy
Un burro en el hipódromo 1 copy
Identitats 1 copy
Gogoetak euskal literaturaz 1 copy
De Gernika a GUERNICA 1 copy
Tilattu tarina 1 copy
Alemaniar literatura 1 copy
Diarios : [antología] . [I] 1 copy
Literatura fantastikoa 1 copy
L'ottava casa 1 copy
Associated Works
The Origins of Desire: Modern Spanish Short Stories (Modern European Short Stories) (1993) — Contributor — 14 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Atxaga, Bernardo
- Legal name
- Irazu Garmendia, Joseba
- Other names
- Atxaga, Bernardo
- Birthdate
- 1951-07-27
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- Basque
Spain - Country (for map)
- Spain
- Birthplace
- Asteasu, Gipuzkoa, Spain
- Places of residence
- Reno, Nevada, USA
- Education
- University of Bilbao (diploma, Economics)
University of Barcelona (Philosophy) - Occupations
- economist
bookseller
professor of Basque
publisher
writer, radio scriptwriter - Organizations
- Stanford University
- Short biography
- Bernardo Atxaga werd in 1951 geboren als José Irzu Garmendia in Asteasu, Guipúzcoa, in Spaans Baskenland. Hij studeerde economie aan de Universiteit van Bilbao en filosofie aan de Universiteit van Barcelona. Hij behoort tot de generatie schrijvers die in plaats van in het Spaans in het Baskisch (Euskera) begonnen te publiceren.
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Reviews
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 107
- Also by
- 7
- Members
- 2,010
- Popularity
- #12,807
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 80
- ISBNs
- 314
- Languages
- 21
- Favorited
- 2
The novel comprises linked short stories of varying length, beginning in 1972, shifting back and forth in time almost to the present day. The first story introduces Elias, a troubled boy sent to live in his uncle's village after an incident at school. He has become an elective mute after a shock. His mother hopes that the different pace of life in the village will help him to recover.
In some ways Water over Stones reminded me of Scenes from Village Life (2011) by Israeli author Amos Oz and translated by Nicholas de Lange. (See my review). The books share the same unhurried pace of life, the homage to the traditional way of doing things (especially in the bakery), and the interconnectedness of the community. But there is also the same sense of a place in transition as village life declines, and a similar sense of unease because of geopolitical issues. In Water over Stones there is mention of the separatist group ETA, there is industrial unrest, a mine is bombed and people get killed. So while these events are not the focus of the story, this is not a story of idyllic village life because external events intrude.
In the second story the lives of young men Eliseo, Donato, Celso and Calaco are on hold as they do their time as reluctant conscripts in the army. In the 1970s the dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975) was still in power and under his conservative rule hunting rights are denied to the ordinary people of the village. Only General Franco and Prince Juan Carlos can hunt in the large forest called El Pardo, and there is resentment about this. The young men like to go hunting too...
One common thread in all these stories is friendship. Elias becomes friends with other boys in the village; his twin cousins Luís and Martín accept his silences and they bond over the making of toy boats. The young conscripts banter but their loyalty is to each other.
Another thread is the love of animals: one of the young men befriends a magpie, and uses its call to enchant the woman he desires.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2023/08/10/water-over-stones-2019-by-bernardo-atxaga-tr...… (more)