Books
Austen for technophiles
Feb 4th
I recently came across a version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that tells the classic story using emoticons. No, honestly, I really did. What’s more, I’m recommending it to everyone:
http://bookshop.livejournal.com/1010612.html
As a quick summary of the plot it’s brilliant (I imagine it would be useful for anyone who has never really understood what was going on) and it made me laugh no end.
Pride and Prejudice is called Orgullo y Prejuicio in Spanish. Unfortunately I seem completely unable to pronounce the Spanish version of the title, and so challenge other non-Spaniards to practice their pronunciation by giving it a go. 
Claire Huston
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
May 7th
Would you like to improve your Spanish? Besides following a course at Route 66, why don’t you try to read a book? Yes, I know it’s difficult to understand a book in another language but as a teacher I recommend you do it. You don’t have to look up all the words that you don’t know, just try to understand the concepts and the story in general. Perhaps, at the beginning it’s a bit difficult but after a while it won’t be.
If your level of Spanish is upper-intermediate, there’s no doubt, this is your book: Sin noticias de Gurb by Eduardo Mendoza (published by Seix Barral). This novel is very funny and easy to read because it’s written as a diary.
This book is about an alien who gets lost in Barcelona and narrates the adventures that he experiences together with his friend.
I hope you like it!