Okay family: So most of my life I've spoken Spanish very well.  Practically fluently (maybe even just fluently).  However I've always regretted that I never really got into reading or writing Spanish.  I would like to start correcting this, beginning with reading. I can read and understand some things in Spanish, like signs on buses about saving the front seats, or menus or things like that but I have no real experience reading books in Spanish.  So, especially to those who know me and have conversed with me in Spanish, do you have any recommendations for a book I might select to begin building on my Spanish reading capabilities? Thanks!

Nena, Few better places to begin than Garcia Lorca.  He touches the Spanish soul like few do.   Actually I suffer from the same problem with a difference being that I am in my waning years and do not have the time to correct the problem while you do. Love to all, Danding From: Lillian Wolf [mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ] Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 11:32 PM To: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Subject: {First Principles} Looking for input on reading Spanish Okay family: So most of my life I've spoken Spanish very well.  Practically fluently (maybe even just fluently).  However I've always regretted that I never really got into reading or writing Spanish.  I would like to start correcting this, beginning with reading. I can read and understand some things in Spanish, like signs on buses about saving the front seats, or menus or things like that but I have no real experience reading books in Spanish.  So, especially to those who know me and have conversed with me in Spanish, do you have any recommendations for a book I might select to begin building on my Spanish reading capabilities? Thanks!

For starters, how about Garcia Marquez or Isabel Allende. Especially helpful if you've read them in English already. - Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -

My only question is, given my (I think) rather rudimentary Spanish reading skills, is that too ambitious as a beginning place?

Same question as for Tito Danding on his recommendation... Too ambitious? However, I've been thinking that there are some books with which I'm very familiar.  Like the Harry Potter books or the Hobbit.  What if I grabbed some of those in Spanish?  Might that be a decent starting place with the idea that I'll eventually be reading things like Lorca and Allende and Garcia Marquez????

From: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Subject: Re: {First Principles} Looking for input on reading Spanish To: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Date: Saturday, November 14, 2009, 10:32 PM For starters, how about Garcia Marquez or Isabel Allende. Especially helpful if you've read them in English already.