Writing Styles

Ola amigos,

                So any new happenings in the stereotypic life? Well, I just got the news that my Favourite author has finished written yet another book. If you haven’t guessed it yet, I am talking about, ‘The Aleph’, by Paulo Coelho. I just came across this article which mentioned the Aleph and I clicked on some hyperlinks, jumping from one page to the other and reading about this new book that Paulo has written. Just as an FYI, I am a very huge fan of Paulo’s and also try to read his blog whenever I am in a pondering mode. I want you guys to have a look at it too. So the link to his blog is: http://paulocoelhoblog.com. Do drop by.

So while reading some of the reviews of the book, and some of the interviews that Paulo has given about the book, I came to a place, where Paulo was asked whether his book has anything to do with the one written by Jorge Luis Borges, as Borges had written a book titled, ‘The Aleph’ a long time ago. Paulo’s reply to this question is what made me research this guy. Paulo replied, “No this book has nothing to do with Borges’ The Aleph, however he is surely the icon of my times”. Reading this, I thought, whoa, Jorge Luis Borges, is Paulo Coelho’s Icon? I surely have to read this guy’s work. Anyhoo,  you would be amazed to know what I found out about him. Borges is a man who wrote legendary (Yes, this is in reference to Barney using this word in How I Met Your Mother) essays and short stories. He did not write novels, but he wrote essays which would shake you to the core. One of his essays titled ‘A new Refutation of Time’, took me by surprise. It had a sense of physics in it which, I’m sure you guys know is something which I cannot resist. So I read about him on Wikipedia, and download an English translation of this essay (He originally wrote in Spanish).

Reading that article shook me, I was amazed, I mean it is like impossible to understand, it was 3 pages printed, and I can say this confidently, it would take you over a week of insight, intricate reading and several hour long thinking sessions for it to make any sense at all. At the end of which you would definitely spend another hour admiring this guy’s writing style.

After reading this specific essay for like a dozen times, I sat to wonder, I mean out of the tiniest experience have with books, I have seen some very different writing styles. I mean there is Paulo Coelho, who talks, simple like in Eleven minutes to thought provoking, like in the Alchemist. There is Dan Brown, who writes to show that he has finished his homework. I mean, he is thorough with the facts before he starts writing, be it the ‘Masonry Museum’, or the secrets of the hidden cults of Catholic Church. I have seen Ayn Rand, which you must know from my last post, but this guy, Borges, he would make you wonder. I find his writing style too impeccable to be imitated by myself and so I shall not quote or paraphrase anything from the essay. I would however be deeply joyous if anyone would like to have a read. Just like the last post, leave your email id and I shall email you the English translation of his essay.

Sziasztok,

Avid Reader.