Reader’s Den

"The Shadow of the Wind:" The Reader's Den Discussion Continues by Ursula MurphyFebruary 22, 2010

More discussion questions from the Reader's Den, please feel free to comment on one or more questions.

 Hispania.,Spain., Digital ID 1632137, New York Public Library
How does the setting of Barcelona in the midst of its Civil War add to the novel?
 
The author uses excerpts from letters, rememberances of people involved and other devices that relate part of the story from another person's point of view.  Do you find the technique successful in propelling the story? Why or why not?
 
“This book is obviously an ode to books and to the art of reading. You have Bea state that "the art of reading is slowly dying, that it's an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror that only offers us what we already carry inside us, that when we read, we do it with all our heart and mind, and great readers are becoming more scarce by the day" (p. 484). Do you believe this to be true? Do you share Fermín's disdain for television?”
 
This last question was taken from the Penguin Reader’s Guide online.
 
 
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TV is a rollercoaster, a book is a patient friend

Submitted by (not verified) on February 27, 2010 - 11:02am

I do share some of Fermin's disdain for television, although I think it has its merits. Television is a ride we can't control. It's a passive amusement that we share equally well with an empty room as with a room full of people. Books are intimate, as Bea says; you can't share a reading experience with a crowd. It's you and the words, and if your mind strays to analyze a plot point or connect an image with a personal memory, you can do that without missing something. I never thought of reading as an art before "In the Shadow of the Wind," but I love thinking of it that way.

tv is a roller coaster

Submitted by (not verified) on March 6, 2010 - 9:51pm

I'm sorry I missed this comment until now. Great point, I share your opinion as well. I think the author's reverence of reading is evident in this novel. Thanks for sharing!