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Свещена билка: Тайният бележник на Фрида Кало
Митът Фрида Кало, мексиканската икона, дъщерята на Мексиканската революция, една от легендите на XX век… Много и все силни са определенията за художничката Фрида Кало (1907-1954), това кълбо от страсти, тази горда сапотекска кралица, която съдбата подлага на неимоверни физически и духовни изпитания, но и обсипва с бурни преживявания, споделени с обкръжение, дадено не всекиму. Талантът й избликва от страданието, творбите й са огледало на болката. И тъкмо талантът я среща и обвързва с колоритния стенописец и бохем Диего Ривера, дар и проклятие за нея. Сред личностите, които Фрида докосва с изкуството си и с горещата си женска натура, са Джорджия О’Кийфи, Лев Троцки, Андре Брьотон, Марсел Дюшан, Ърнест Хемингуей, Джон Дос Пасос, Хенри Милър, Салвадор Дали, Пабло Пикасо.
И както подобава на героинята, мексиканският писател Ф. Г. Хагенбек (р. 1965 г.) поднася не обикновена биография, а магическо, чувствено пътуване в интимната й вселена. Нишката на Ариадна е „Книгата на свещената билка“, таен бележник, в който тя излива съкровени мисли за спътниците си в горчиви и в блажени мигове и записва екзотични рецепти, плод на много въображение и любов. Магнетизмът на рисуването и алхимията на кухнята са двете опори, които крепят разтрошеното й тяло и душа. Те придават цвят, аромат и апетит за предизвикателства на всеки неин ден, дори и на общението й с жената с воала, защото за мексиканците смъртта, подобно на живота, е „и скръб, и радост; трагедия и забавление“.
Нестандартната биография е преведена на 17 езика и е номинирана за престижната литературна награда „Планета-Каса де Америка“ за 2009 година.
И както подобава на героинята, мексиканският писател Ф. Г. Хагенбек (р. 1965 г.) поднася не обикновена биография, а магическо, чувствено пътуване в интимната й вселена. Нишката на Ариадна е „Книгата на свещената билка“, таен бележник, в който тя излива съкровени мисли за спътниците си в горчиви и в блажени мигове и записва екзотични рецепти, плод на много въображение и любов. Магнетизмът на рисуването и алхимията на кухнята са двете опори, които крепят разтрошеното й тяло и душа. Те придават цвят, аромат и апетит за предизвикателства на всеки неин ден, дори и на общението й с жената с воала, защото за мексиканците смъртта, подобно на живота, е „и скръб, и радост; трагедия и забавление“.
Нестандартната биография е преведена на 17 езика и е номинирана за престижната литературна награда „Планета-Каса де Америка“ за 2009 година.
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
F.G. Haghenbeck
48 books76 followersFrancisco Gerardo Haghenbeck nació en 1965, en Ciudad de México. Estudió arquitectura en la Universidad La Salle y trabajó en museos, y posteriormente en Televisa como creativo y productor. Fundó Costal de huesos, editorial dedicada al cómic mexicano.
En conjunto con Brian Augustyn y Oscar Pinto escribió el guion de Crimson, una serie de cómics de fantasía y horror, primero publicada por Image Comics y después como parte de la línea Wildstorm de DC Comics, entre 1999 y 2001.1 Su siguiente obra fue Alternation, publicada por Image Comics en el año 2004. Además creó el guion con Oscar Pinto y Brian K. Vaughan para una versión de Superman de DC Comics en 2002.
Editó y escribió Los 7 pecados capitales para el gobierno de la Ciudad de México, serie de cómics destinada a la denuncia y prevención de delitos, Los Chidos una historieta sobre control natal para emigrantes mexicanos y la colección Clásicos universales en comic de la Editorial Clío. En 2010 escribió la antología de comic Un mexicano en cada hijo te dio en Editorial Altea, de Grupo Santillana y el cuento para niños Santa vs los vampiros y los hombres lobo con Tony Sandoval para Editorial Norma.
Escribió las novelas Trago amargo, El código nazi y Solamente una vez: toda la pasión y melancolía en la vida de Agustín Lara. La primera es una novela policial ambientada durante el rodaje de la película La noche de la iguana, la segunda presenta una historia de espionaje en México durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, mientras que la última es una biografía novelada de Agustín Lara, publicada por la Editorial Planeta. En 2009 escribió la novela Hierba Santa, una biografía en código de realismo mágico sobre Frida Kahlo publicada por la Editorial Planeta, traducida a varios idiomas. En 2010 publicó el thriller Aliento a muerte, ubicado en la guerra del segundo imperio mexicano en la editorial Salto de Página. En 2011 publicó la novela El Diablo me obligó donde narra las aventuras de Elvis Infante, un "diablero" o cazador de demonios, en un mundo donde es habitual la caza y tráfico de ángeles y demonios. En este mismo año, volvió a presentar un caso del detective Sunny Pascal, en la novela El caso tequila.
F.G. Haghenbeck is a novelist, historian and comic-book writer. Has a degree in Architecture, LaSalle University Mexico city. He worked as museum designer, television producer and architect, until he was devoted to his literature career taking in full time job. Haghenbeck now is a well know fiction novelist on many countries. Is famous by his Noir-books, like the bestseller Trago Amargo (Bitter Drink), book winner of "Vuelta de tuerca award" for Best Mystery Novel 2006. Published on France (Denöel Edit.), Spain (Roca) and USA (Amazon Crossing). And bios of Mexican artists like Frida Kahlo: The secret book of Frida Kahlo (Atria) published on Germany, Holland, Brazil, USA, China, France, Serbia and Italy. Also wrote the books El Diablo me obligó, Aliento a Muerte and El Código Nazi.
On Comic books, he was the co-creator and co-writer of Crimson for DC Comics (1999-2002); creator and writer of Alternation (Image Comics, 2003); and the only professional Mexican writer in a Superman title (DC Comics). He wrote the graphic novel Corre democracia, corre with the artist Micro and Un mexicano en cada hijo. Also, the creator of the children's books Santa vs. los vampiros, and Niña Mar with the artist Tony Sandoval.
The author lives in Tehuacan, Puebla with a beautiful chef (his wife), a young anarchist (his daughter), and Brandy (his dog).
source
En conjunto con Brian Augustyn y Oscar Pinto escribió el guion de Crimson, una serie de cómics de fantasía y horror, primero publicada por Image Comics y después como parte de la línea Wildstorm de DC Comics, entre 1999 y 2001.1 Su siguiente obra fue Alternation, publicada por Image Comics en el año 2004. Además creó el guion con Oscar Pinto y Brian K. Vaughan para una versión de Superman de DC Comics en 2002.
Editó y escribió Los 7 pecados capitales para el gobierno de la Ciudad de México, serie de cómics destinada a la denuncia y prevención de delitos, Los Chidos una historieta sobre control natal para emigrantes mexicanos y la colección Clásicos universales en comic de la Editorial Clío. En 2010 escribió la antología de comic Un mexicano en cada hijo te dio en Editorial Altea, de Grupo Santillana y el cuento para niños Santa vs los vampiros y los hombres lobo con Tony Sandoval para Editorial Norma.
Escribió las novelas Trago amargo, El código nazi y Solamente una vez: toda la pasión y melancolía en la vida de Agustín Lara. La primera es una novela policial ambientada durante el rodaje de la película La noche de la iguana, la segunda presenta una historia de espionaje en México durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, mientras que la última es una biografía novelada de Agustín Lara, publicada por la Editorial Planeta. En 2009 escribió la novela Hierba Santa, una biografía en código de realismo mágico sobre Frida Kahlo publicada por la Editorial Planeta, traducida a varios idiomas. En 2010 publicó el thriller Aliento a muerte, ubicado en la guerra del segundo imperio mexicano en la editorial Salto de Página. En 2011 publicó la novela El Diablo me obligó donde narra las aventuras de Elvis Infante, un "diablero" o cazador de demonios, en un mundo donde es habitual la caza y tráfico de ángeles y demonios. En este mismo año, volvió a presentar un caso del detective Sunny Pascal, en la novela El caso tequila.
F.G. Haghenbeck is a novelist, historian and comic-book writer. Has a degree in Architecture, LaSalle University Mexico city. He worked as museum designer, television producer and architect, until he was devoted to his literature career taking in full time job. Haghenbeck now is a well know fiction novelist on many countries. Is famous by his Noir-books, like the bestseller Trago Amargo (Bitter Drink), book winner of "Vuelta de tuerca award" for Best Mystery Novel 2006. Published on France (Denöel Edit.), Spain (Roca) and USA (Amazon Crossing). And bios of Mexican artists like Frida Kahlo: The secret book of Frida Kahlo (Atria) published on Germany, Holland, Brazil, USA, China, France, Serbia and Italy. Also wrote the books El Diablo me obligó, Aliento a Muerte and El Código Nazi.
On Comic books, he was the co-creator and co-writer of Crimson for DC Comics (1999-2002); creator and writer of Alternation (Image Comics, 2003); and the only professional Mexican writer in a Superman title (DC Comics). He wrote the graphic novel Corre democracia, corre with the artist Micro and Un mexicano en cada hijo. Also, the creator of the children's books Santa vs. los vampiros, and Niña Mar with the artist Tony Sandoval.
The author lives in Tehuacan, Puebla with a beautiful chef (his wife), a young anarchist (his daughter), and Brandy (his dog).
source
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
February 1, 2017
For recipes 5*
Overall 3.5*
Overall 3.5*
April 3, 2017
I saw the cover of this book across the bookstore and was intrigued. The jacket liner said this book was based on the "secret" Hierba Santa Book and now lost. That sparked a further interest as a few years ago I had read Frida's Notebook. positioned nicely between chapters were authentic Frida recipes that sounded awfully sensuous too. The author is a Mexican who had won an award (for another book) and perhaps he might have some more insight so I thought, "Why not?"
It was fun. This is basically a retelling of Frida's life so there were few surprizes. Haghenbeck uses magic realism by way of a godmother, the messenger on a white horse to foresee her future life. The symbolism of death is repeated numerous times to overstate Frida's painful life. However, the magic realism worked well in the scene where one of her paintings with monkeys and skeletons come alive. Haghenbeck also writes for comics but in some ways, he makes Frida almost too cartoonish and yet, everywhere one goes in Mexico, you see her images so I can't even find fault here. Frida has become a mythical hero and he reinforces her myth.
What can one say about the fabulous myth of Frida Kahlo and retold using magic realism? Sit back and enjoy the ride. It is short, an easy read and entertaining. Nothing too deep here and apart from some tasty sounding recipes, it takes me away from my cold climate.
It was fun. This is basically a retelling of Frida's life so there were few surprizes. Haghenbeck uses magic realism by way of a godmother, the messenger on a white horse to foresee her future life. The symbolism of death is repeated numerous times to overstate Frida's painful life. However, the magic realism worked well in the scene where one of her paintings with monkeys and skeletons come alive. Haghenbeck also writes for comics but in some ways, he makes Frida almost too cartoonish and yet, everywhere one goes in Mexico, you see her images so I can't even find fault here. Frida has become a mythical hero and he reinforces her myth.
What can one say about the fabulous myth of Frida Kahlo and retold using magic realism? Sit back and enjoy the ride. It is short, an easy read and entertaining. Nothing too deep here and apart from some tasty sounding recipes, it takes me away from my cold climate.
April 30, 2022
Precioso... maravilloso.
Video reseña completa en:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CcDsaLKF7s7/
Video reseña completa en:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CcDsaLKF7s7/
August 24, 2012
Frida, Frida, horny chiquita.
She didn't get to have a very long life, but she made sure she didn't get shortchanged when it came to physical pleasure. Considering the decades of relentless, excruciating pain she had to endure, it's no surprise that she wanted to drown that pain with carnal delights.
3.5 stars
She didn't get to have a very long life, but she made sure she didn't get shortchanged when it came to physical pleasure. Considering the decades of relentless, excruciating pain she had to endure, it's no surprise that she wanted to drown that pain with carnal delights.
3.5 stars
April 1, 2016
Книгата ми достави голямо удоволствие. Потопи ме изцяло в екзотичния свят на Фрида Кало, с интересен мексикански привкус. Авторът ме впечатли с дълбокото си разбиране на същността на художничката, на най-съкровените й емоции и мисли. Книгата е наситена с много чувственост между редовете. Конструкцията е оригинална. Много добре се вписва магическият реализъм. Препоръчвам я на всички фенове на Фрида.
September 23, 2015
Фрида Кало – живот като съновидение
Цялото ревю тук: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.bg/2015/0...
„Мексиканците се надсмиваме над смъртта. Всеки повод е добър да се празнува. Раждането и смъртта са най-важните мигове в живота ни. Смъртта е и скръб, и радост; трагедия и забавление. Съжителстваме със сетния си час, приготвяйки хляб, украсен със захаросани кости, кръгъл като цикъла на живота; а в центъра е черепът. Сладък, но заоблен. Такава съм и аз.“
Едва ли някой си е представял, че една биография на Фрида Кало може да бъде обикновена. Заглавието и дори корицата на тази книга подсказват, че мексиканската художничка е имала невероятно интересен и труден живот, съпътстван от любов и трагедии. И смъртта е част от него – нейна постоянна придружителка, която се намесва често и с трагични последици. Ето защо Фрида избира да живее истински и неподправено, с толкова плам и жар в душата и в осакатеното си тяло. Аз всъщност не знаех почти нищо за нея, преди да прочета „Свещена билка. Тайният бележник на Фрида Кало“ („Колибри, 2015, с превод на Даниела Радичкова) и хич не съжалявам, че го направих. Да, книгата представлява доста творческо пресъздаване на образа ѝ, но се съмнявам някой да се сърди на Хагенбек за решението му. Детство, израстване, сватба, художествени творби, смърт. Но далеч не е само това. Има един бележник, поел отговорността да събере част от вътрешното „Аз“ на Фрида и духът на Мексико, претворен в цяла палитра от традиционни за страната гозби.
Наличието на рецепти е една екстравагантна странност за биография на художничка, но тук наистина странното е наличието на духовете от мексиканската митология. Още в детството си Фрида се запознава с „отвъдното“ – свят, населен с магически предмети и никога непрекъсващи ритуали. Близкият ѝ досег със смъртта сякаш я сприятелява с нея, създава дълбоко вкоренена връзка, която ще остане до края на живота ѝ. Фрида иска да продължи да живее, защото в нея има неудовлетворена страст – сексуална и революционна. Самата революция става реалност, когато Фрида е само на три и близкия досег с воюващите страни се запазва като неизбледняващ спомен. По-късно приема и идеите на комунизма. На шест я поваля полиомиелит, който осакатява единият ѝ крак. Но във Фрида гори страст, страстта на ранното и сексуално съзряване и опитите ѝ да бъде независима. Разочарование след разочарование, докато не се появява известният стенописец Диего Ривера. Кой би си представил крехката Фрида до „чудовището“ Диего? В книгата той е описан като най-нелицеприятния образ на мъж, който може да съществува. (Продължава в блога: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.bg/2015/0...)
Цялото ревю тук: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.bg/2015/0...
„Мексиканците се надсмиваме над смъртта. Всеки повод е добър да се празнува. Раждането и смъртта са най-важните мигове в живота ни. Смъртта е и скръб, и радост; трагедия и забавление. Съжителстваме със сетния си час, приготвяйки хляб, украсен със захаросани кости, кръгъл като цикъла на живота; а в центъра е черепът. Сладък, но заоблен. Такава съм и аз.“
Едва ли някой си е представял, че една биография на Фрида Кало може да бъде обикновена. Заглавието и дори корицата на тази книга подсказват, че мексиканската художничка е имала невероятно интересен и труден живот, съпътстван от любов и трагедии. И смъртта е част от него – нейна постоянна придружителка, която се намесва често и с трагични последици. Ето защо Фрида избира да живее истински и неподправено, с толкова плам и жар в душата и в осакатеното си тяло. Аз всъщност не знаех почти нищо за нея, преди да прочета „Свещена билка. Тайният бележник на Фрида Кало“ („Колибри, 2015, с превод на Даниела Радичкова) и хич не съжалявам, че го направих. Да, книгата представлява доста творческо пресъздаване на образа ѝ, но се съмнявам някой да се сърди на Хагенбек за решението му. Детство, израстване, сватба, художествени творби, смърт. Но далеч не е само това. Има един бележник, поел отговорността да събере част от вътрешното „Аз“ на Фрида и духът на Мексико, претворен в цяла палитра от традиционни за страната гозби.
Наличието на рецепти е една екстравагантна странност за биография на художничка, но тук наистина странното е наличието на духовете от мексиканската митология. Още в детството си Фрида се запознава с „отвъдното“ – свят, населен с магически предмети и никога непрекъсващи ритуали. Близкият ѝ досег със смъртта сякаш я сприятелява с нея, създава дълбоко вкоренена връзка, която ще остане до края на живота ѝ. Фрида иска да продължи да живее, защото в нея има неудовлетворена страст – сексуална и революционна. Самата революция става реалност, когато Фрида е само на три и близкия досег с воюващите страни се запазва като неизбледняващ спомен. По-късно приема и идеите на комунизма. На шест я поваля полиомиелит, който осакатява единият ѝ крак. Но във Фрида гори страст, страстта на ранното и сексуално съзряване и опитите ѝ да бъде независима. Разочарование след разочарование, докато не се появява известният стенописец Диего Ривера. Кой би си представил крехката Фрида до „чудовището“ Диего? В книгата той е описан като най-нелицеприятния образ на мъж, който може да съществува. (Продължава в блога: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.bg/2015/0...)
November 4, 2012
Though I appreciate Frida's art work, I've never really been a "Frida-phile". So when my father gifted me with this book, I wasn't sure if I'd truly enjoy it. From the first page, though, I was hooked; and as the story progressed, I found myself absolutely swimming in its images, smells, sounds, and emotions. Haghenbeck created such a rich, detailed magical world for Frida Kahlo. I could feel what Frida was feeling about Diego, about his lovers, about her lovers, about her pain, and about those brief moments of happiness the author describes. When I had to take a pause in reading, there would be a momentary forgetfulness about where I was--it took a few moments to "come back" to my reality. I had to keep reminding myself that it was a work of fiction, and not a biography! This is definitely a re-read and share novel.
September 2, 2015
Absolutely by chance I found this book, but it definitely grabbed my attention. The book could be read in few hours. Who hasn’t heard about Frida Kahlo? Definitely a very interesting life filled with all sorts of events and meetings with more interesting people like Salvador Dali, Henry Miller, Picasso, Hemingway, etc. As far as I know the book purports to be a biography of Frida. For me Frida deserves far better biography than this and one idea more serious book! In this book for me was hard to understand which things are true and which are author’ fiction, especially the many passages about her visions of Death and the meetings with The Man on a horse.
August 15, 2019
Trebuie să recunosc că această carte mi-a mâncat puțin sufletul și zilele, dar asta nu înseamnă decât că îmi va rămâne în memorie mult timp de aici înainte.
După cum spune și descrierea sa, volumul de față este o biografie fictivă a prea binecunoscutei pictorițe (și nu numai!) Frida Kahlo, îndrăgită de întreg Mexicul la vremea ei și rămasă drept simbol al feminismului în zilele noastre. Felul în care a abordat Haghenbeck întreaga poveste m-a dus cu gândul la filmul Coco (2017), o producție animată despre Halloween, sărbătorit în Mexic. Protagonistul filmului ajunge pe lumea cealaltă în timpul acestei sărbători, iar ceva extrem de similar, printre nenumăratele conversații cu Moartea (zisă "Nașa"), are loc în romanul nostru. Dacă v-am băgat prea tare în ceață, aflați că această biografie fictivă are multe elemente de realism magic în cadrul ei, menite să o pună pe Frida într-o postură de-a dreptul miraculoasă, lucru ce ar explica într-un fel modul în care ea și-a trăit viața și a ajuns să aibă succes cu tablourile ei.
Exceptând primul capitol, din care deja aflăm despre moartea timpurie a Fridei după ce a fost răpusă de durerile fizice îngrozitoare care au urmărit-o pe întreg parcursul vieții, restul poveștii ne este expusă cronologic, din copilărie și până la moartea finală a artistei. Spun "moartea finală" fiindcă întreaga viața i se schimbă în adolescență, când bara dintr-un tramvai îi perforează abdomenul, iar numai un miracol o putea readuce la viață după acest eveniment. Aici autorul a introdus conceptul de învoială cu Moartea, întruchipată sub forma unei femei cu văl pe față. Frida acceptă o viață în care să sufere enorm în schimbul unei a doua șanse la existență. Urmează în scurt timp să-l cunoască și să se căsătorească cu Diego, un muralist extrem de celebru pe atunci, alături de care rămâne până la sfârșitul zilelor. Aceasta ar fi povestea în mare, pe care probabil oricine ar putea-o afla citind o biografie non-fictivă despre Frida, însă Haghenbeck a continuat să-și lase amprenta în fiecare metaforă spectaculoasă din carte și asupra fiecărui eveniment relatat din incredibila ei viață.
Cele mai frumoase mi s-au părut legendele pe care Frida le-ar fi auzit de la diverși cunoscuți, legende locale despre Moarte sau suferință, cu tâlcuri adânci. De asemenea, capitolul meu preferat a fost cel în care Frida a stat la masă cu suprarealiștii francezi, cu Henry Miller și Anais Nin și mulți alți artiști cunoscuți ai vremii, totul într-o cârciumă din Paris. M-am simțit ca făcând parte exact din acel peisaj, având în vedere că am citit câte ceva de la majoritatea persoanelor celebre din scenă. Mi-au mai plăcut și scenele erotice dintre Frida și anumite femei, de obicei amante ale lui Diego. Multe astfel de imagini viu colorate și pline de fantezie îmi vor rămâne în minte de aici înainte când voi încerca să-mi amintesc cine a fost de fapt Frida Kahlo. Autorul chiar a reușit să integreze și mici povești, mai mult sau mai puțin adevărate, care să explice inspirația pictoriței pentru cele mai cunoscute tablouri ale sale. Am avut sentimentul că am citit conținutul a sute de pagini din biografiile scrise despre Frida, cu atâtea informații strânse în aceste 320 de pagini. Nu pot decât să ajung la concluzia că Frida a fost portretizată perfect de autor, care i-a cuprins adevărata esență, cu toate calitățile și defectele sale în acest roman.
Cu toate acestea, drumul pentru a parcurge lectura a fost unul anevoios, odată pentru că foarte multe detalii culturale erau incluse printre pagini și-n al doilea rând, fiindcă nu am fost chiar cea mai mare fană a intervențiilor imaginației Fridei în contextul realismului magic menționat mai sus; de pildă, nu m-a încântat deloc penultimul capitol, în care Moartea îi arată cum ar fi arătat viața ei dacă murea în acel accident de tramvai din adolescență și o pune să aleagă între o viață plină de chinuri fizice și emoționale sau nimic. Consider că restul poveștii Fridei, fără Mesager, Nașă, Cucurigu sau femei-fantomă ar fi rămas la fel de magic oricum, fiindcă ne putem da seama de la început că ea nu a fost niciodată o persoană banală. Faptul că Frida mereu s-a întors la burtosul Diego, mereu înfometat și cu zeci de amante rămâne o frustrare personală pentru mine, însă nu pun asta în cârca autorului. Cred că a fost o lectură anevoioasă doar pentru că prea mult "awesome" a trebuit (și a reușit!) să fie captat în paginile acestei cărticele. După cum am menționat, stilul narațiunii și metaforele întâlnite aici, ca să nu mai vorbim despre descrierea personajelor și dialoguri, provin dintr-un talent rar întâlnit și au menirea de a te introduce direct în poveste. Probabil că nici nu există vreun mod prin care această poveste fascinantă să nu te obosească puțin totuși.
Mai trebuie menționat și că întreaga idee a cărții pornește de la un caiet adevărat cu rețete păstrat de pictoriță în sertarul de lângă patul ei, care însă a dispărut în mod misterior după ce locuința i-a fost transformată în muzeu, deschis pentru publicul larg. Personal, am sărit peste părțile de la finalul tuturor capitolelor în care existau rețete pentru diferite preparate mexicane, în care Frida era expertă, bineînțeles. Recomand această carte tuturor celor care vor să înțeleagă cine a fost cu adevărat această femeie și prin câte chinuri a trecut pentru a deveni artista pe care încă o preaslăvim astăzi. Vă îndemn să vă înarmați cu multă răbdare și spațiul mintal pentru a savura din plin toate aventurile din viața Fridei și vă urez să vă simțiți la fel de inspirați precum mine la finalul lecturii!
După cum spune și descrierea sa, volumul de față este o biografie fictivă a prea binecunoscutei pictorițe (și nu numai!) Frida Kahlo, îndrăgită de întreg Mexicul la vremea ei și rămasă drept simbol al feminismului în zilele noastre. Felul în care a abordat Haghenbeck întreaga poveste m-a dus cu gândul la filmul Coco (2017), o producție animată despre Halloween, sărbătorit în Mexic. Protagonistul filmului ajunge pe lumea cealaltă în timpul acestei sărbători, iar ceva extrem de similar, printre nenumăratele conversații cu Moartea (zisă "Nașa"), are loc în romanul nostru. Dacă v-am băgat prea tare în ceață, aflați că această biografie fictivă are multe elemente de realism magic în cadrul ei, menite să o pună pe Frida într-o postură de-a dreptul miraculoasă, lucru ce ar explica într-un fel modul în care ea și-a trăit viața și a ajuns să aibă succes cu tablourile ei.
Exceptând primul capitol, din care deja aflăm despre moartea timpurie a Fridei după ce a fost răpusă de durerile fizice îngrozitoare care au urmărit-o pe întreg parcursul vieții, restul poveștii ne este expusă cronologic, din copilărie și până la moartea finală a artistei. Spun "moartea finală" fiindcă întreaga viața i se schimbă în adolescență, când bara dintr-un tramvai îi perforează abdomenul, iar numai un miracol o putea readuce la viață după acest eveniment. Aici autorul a introdus conceptul de învoială cu Moartea, întruchipată sub forma unei femei cu văl pe față. Frida acceptă o viață în care să sufere enorm în schimbul unei a doua șanse la existență. Urmează în scurt timp să-l cunoască și să se căsătorească cu Diego, un muralist extrem de celebru pe atunci, alături de care rămâne până la sfârșitul zilelor. Aceasta ar fi povestea în mare, pe care probabil oricine ar putea-o afla citind o biografie non-fictivă despre Frida, însă Haghenbeck a continuat să-și lase amprenta în fiecare metaforă spectaculoasă din carte și asupra fiecărui eveniment relatat din incredibila ei viață.
Cele mai frumoase mi s-au părut legendele pe care Frida le-ar fi auzit de la diverși cunoscuți, legende locale despre Moarte sau suferință, cu tâlcuri adânci. De asemenea, capitolul meu preferat a fost cel în care Frida a stat la masă cu suprarealiștii francezi, cu Henry Miller și Anais Nin și mulți alți artiști cunoscuți ai vremii, totul într-o cârciumă din Paris. M-am simțit ca făcând parte exact din acel peisaj, având în vedere că am citit câte ceva de la majoritatea persoanelor celebre din scenă. Mi-au mai plăcut și scenele erotice dintre Frida și anumite femei, de obicei amante ale lui Diego. Multe astfel de imagini viu colorate și pline de fantezie îmi vor rămâne în minte de aici înainte când voi încerca să-mi amintesc cine a fost de fapt Frida Kahlo. Autorul chiar a reușit să integreze și mici povești, mai mult sau mai puțin adevărate, care să explice inspirația pictoriței pentru cele mai cunoscute tablouri ale sale. Am avut sentimentul că am citit conținutul a sute de pagini din biografiile scrise despre Frida, cu atâtea informații strânse în aceste 320 de pagini. Nu pot decât să ajung la concluzia că Frida a fost portretizată perfect de autor, care i-a cuprins adevărata esență, cu toate calitățile și defectele sale în acest roman.
Cu toate acestea, drumul pentru a parcurge lectura a fost unul anevoios, odată pentru că foarte multe detalii culturale erau incluse printre pagini și-n al doilea rând, fiindcă nu am fost chiar cea mai mare fană a intervențiilor imaginației Fridei în contextul realismului magic menționat mai sus; de pildă, nu m-a încântat deloc penultimul capitol, în care Moartea îi arată cum ar fi arătat viața ei dacă murea în acel accident de tramvai din adolescență și o pune să aleagă între o viață plină de chinuri fizice și emoționale sau nimic. Consider că restul poveștii Fridei, fără Mesager, Nașă, Cucurigu sau femei-fantomă ar fi rămas la fel de magic oricum, fiindcă ne putem da seama de la început că ea nu a fost niciodată o persoană banală. Faptul că Frida mereu s-a întors la burtosul Diego, mereu înfometat și cu zeci de amante rămâne o frustrare personală pentru mine, însă nu pun asta în cârca autorului. Cred că a fost o lectură anevoioasă doar pentru că prea mult "awesome" a trebuit (și a reușit!) să fie captat în paginile acestei cărticele. După cum am menționat, stilul narațiunii și metaforele întâlnite aici, ca să nu mai vorbim despre descrierea personajelor și dialoguri, provin dintr-un talent rar întâlnit și au menirea de a te introduce direct în poveste. Probabil că nici nu există vreun mod prin care această poveste fascinantă să nu te obosească puțin totuși.
Mai trebuie menționat și că întreaga idee a cărții pornește de la un caiet adevărat cu rețete păstrat de pictoriță în sertarul de lângă patul ei, care însă a dispărut în mod misterior după ce locuința i-a fost transformată în muzeu, deschis pentru publicul larg. Personal, am sărit peste părțile de la finalul tuturor capitolelor în care existau rețete pentru diferite preparate mexicane, în care Frida era expertă, bineînțeles. Recomand această carte tuturor celor care vor să înțeleagă cine a fost cu adevărat această femeie și prin câte chinuri a trecut pentru a deveni artista pe care încă o preaslăvim astăzi. Vă îndemn să vă înarmați cu multă răbdare și spațiul mintal pentru a savura din plin toate aventurile din viața Fridei și vă urez să vă simțiți la fel de inspirați precum mine la finalul lecturii!
November 3, 2012
As I was reading this book, it constantly reminded me of grading fourth grade essays. Extravagant use of literary device just for the sake of literary devices. Too many similes on a page for me. I couldn't get through it. On to something else.
September 18, 2019
Cartea e o biografie fictivă, cu multe elemente de realism magic. Ea aduce un omagiu Fridei Kahlo, acestui personaj extrem de enigmatic, plin de pasiune și suferință, ruptă parcă dintr-o lume fermecată, ce ajunge să faca un pact cu însăși Moartea.
Frida apare în rol de soție înșelată, amantă bisexuală focoasă, pictoriță talentată și bucătăreasă iscusită ce încântă cu maximă intensitate simțurile oricărui degustător gurmand. O viață cu nopți reci și zile numărate.
Sunt multe imagini extrem de expresive, pline de fantezie, stropite din plin cu savoare și culoare, însă altele ...chiar plictisesc, acesta fiind și motivul notei slăbuțe.
Frida apare în rol de soție înșelată, amantă bisexuală focoasă, pictoriță talentată și bucătăreasă iscusită ce încântă cu maximă intensitate simțurile oricărui degustător gurmand. O viață cu nopți reci și zile numărate.
Sunt multe imagini extrem de expresive, pline de fantezie, stropite din plin cu savoare și culoare, însă altele ...chiar plictisesc, acesta fiind și motivul notei slăbuțe.
July 20, 2017
Kakva priča, kakvi likovi! Knjiga je prava poslastica za one koji vole da uživaju u svim zadovoljstvima koje nam život pruža i koja nas podseća koliko je taj isti život kratak i da ga treba proživeti kao da je svaki dan poslednji!
June 28, 2013
Last summer I was happy to receive books from Atria Books Galley Alley and this was one. I was reading The Lacuna and thought this would continue my background on Frida, art, history of the '20s to the '50s, etc. Unfortunately it was no comparison--to continue with the food thread of this book, it would be the same if someone offered a saltine after having a Mississippi Mud pie.
Maybe I'm hungry. But it can't be because of the recipes and food descriptions in this book. Even after reading the recipes of mole, I still have no idea what it is. Some of the recipes are written reflecting the times ("let sit in the sun for awhile"--really? What about the bugs?) or not (really, they had blenders back in Frida's grandmother's time? according to the pineapple corn drink recipes.)
Writers are always told to show, don't tell...but this book was all "tell". First I thought after a page or two that it was written for a YA audience. And then came the sex scenes, so no, can't be YA. Where Barbara Kingsolver would explain the background of say, Communism and Stalin/Trotsky, Haghenbeck doesn't, so you don't know the whole story.
A map would have been helpful as well as some of Kahlo's art work.
As for the actual storyline--hey, Frida lived a roller coaster of a life. I don't think it needed jazzing up with the Godmother of Death and the lone horseman. Maybe using a Mexican everywoman of the time would have been just as effective than a world figure.
Maybe I'm hungry. But it can't be because of the recipes and food descriptions in this book. Even after reading the recipes of mole, I still have no idea what it is. Some of the recipes are written reflecting the times ("let sit in the sun for awhile"--really? What about the bugs?) or not (really, they had blenders back in Frida's grandmother's time? according to the pineapple corn drink recipes.)
Writers are always told to show, don't tell...but this book was all "tell". First I thought after a page or two that it was written for a YA audience. And then came the sex scenes, so no, can't be YA. Where Barbara Kingsolver would explain the background of say, Communism and Stalin/Trotsky, Haghenbeck doesn't, so you don't know the whole story.
A map would have been helpful as well as some of Kahlo's art work.
As for the actual storyline--hey, Frida lived a roller coaster of a life. I don't think it needed jazzing up with the Godmother of Death and the lone horseman. Maybe using a Mexican everywoman of the time would have been just as effective than a world figure.
April 2, 2013
Great book. It added another layer of color to Frida's already colorful tapestry of life. It brought colors and wonders to the paintings of Kahlo. After reading the book, one will never see her paintings the same way again. Though fictional, the references to Frida's life events are real.
June 20, 2019
a very interesting mix of mysticism and recipes that create a sense of home and hope, despite Frida’s tragic life, health problems and depression.
May 13, 2015
Magical realism lends itself well to this imaginative story of the life of Frida Kahlo, an artist who, to me, was already larger than life. I was in tears as the book drew to its inevitable conclusion.
May 23, 2015
This was a strange and eerie book that made me want a good mole.
December 29, 2023
TAJNA BELEŽNICA FRIDE KALO-FRANSISKO HAGENBEK
😁Ovo nije biografija Fride Kalo u pravom smislu reči
😁Ovo je roman o Fridi,ali još više o Meksiku,o običajima,mirisima,bojama i najvažnije-hrani🤤
😁Time završavam čitalačku godinu a vi,ako ne želite tradicionalno za praznike evo malo hot spicy kuhije da se zagrejete i iznutra i spolja 🌶🔥
✒️SANGRITA
SANGRITA
Ovaj recept za sangritu dobila sam na jednom putovanju s Muraijem. To je bilo kada me je učio da tekilu treba piti uz neko gorkoslatko piće. Volim da pijem tekilu i sama, kao i muškarci, a uvek mije dobro služila da impresioniram gringose koji su dolazili kod Dijega.
2 veće ljute papričice,
2 kašike seckanog crnog luka,
2 šolje soka od narandže,
1/2 šolje soka od zelenog limuna i so.
Pečene ljute papričice, oguljene i očišćene od semenki, kuvati 2 minuta, a zatim ih ostaviti da predahnu 10 minuta. Pomešati crni luk, sok od narandže i pola šolje soka zelenog limuna, a onda, zajedno s paprikom, sve dobro samleti u blenderu i posoliti. Može se dodati još soka od narandže, limuna ili paradajza.
Sangrita je žena. Ona što miriše na začine i luk. Ona što daje boju i ljutinu muškoj tekili. Njih dvoje, zajedno, prava su idila.
✒️UŠTIPCI SA SIRUPOM OD BRAON ŠEĆERA BUÑUELOS Y MIEL DE PILONCILLO
500 g prosejanog brašna,
125 g svinjske masti,
1/2 kašičice anisa rastvorenog u šolji vode,
500 g svežeg krem sira i kukuruzno ulje za prženje.
Dobro zameslti brašno s mašću i vodom u kojoj ste rastvorili anis, sve dok se ne dobije glatko testo koje se lako može razvući. Testo ostaviti da predahne sat vremena, zatim napraviti loptice, poredati ih po stolu (površinu obavezno posuti brašnom da se ne lepe) i razvijati oklagijom dok ne budu lepo okrugle. Zagrejati dosta ulja i u njemu pržiti uštipke dok ne dobiju zlatnu boju. Treba ih izvaditi na papir, da upiju višak masnoće. Serviraju se poredani na tanjiru i premazani umućenim krem sirom. Mogu se preliti i sledećim sirupom: u jednu šerpu staviti da proključa 1 litar vode, 500 grama braon šećera, 1 veći štapić cimeta, 4 guave i 3 jabuke. Sirup se kuva dok se ne zgusne.
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#7sensesofabook #bookstagram #knjige #literature #readingaddict
😁Ovo nije biografija Fride Kalo u pravom smislu reči
😁Ovo je roman o Fridi,ali još više o Meksiku,o običajima,mirisima,bojama i najvažnije-hrani🤤
😁Time završavam čitalačku godinu a vi,ako ne želite tradicionalno za praznike evo malo hot spicy kuhije da se zagrejete i iznutra i spolja 🌶🔥
✒️SANGRITA
SANGRITA
Ovaj recept za sangritu dobila sam na jednom putovanju s Muraijem. To je bilo kada me je učio da tekilu treba piti uz neko gorkoslatko piće. Volim da pijem tekilu i sama, kao i muškarci, a uvek mije dobro služila da impresioniram gringose koji su dolazili kod Dijega.
2 veće ljute papričice,
2 kašike seckanog crnog luka,
2 šolje soka od narandže,
1/2 šolje soka od zelenog limuna i so.
Pečene ljute papričice, oguljene i očišćene od semenki, kuvati 2 minuta, a zatim ih ostaviti da predahnu 10 minuta. Pomešati crni luk, sok od narandže i pola šolje soka zelenog limuna, a onda, zajedno s paprikom, sve dobro samleti u blenderu i posoliti. Može se dodati još soka od narandže, limuna ili paradajza.
Sangrita je žena. Ona što miriše na začine i luk. Ona što daje boju i ljutinu muškoj tekili. Njih dvoje, zajedno, prava su idila.
✒️UŠTIPCI SA SIRUPOM OD BRAON ŠEĆERA BUÑUELOS Y MIEL DE PILONCILLO
500 g prosejanog brašna,
125 g svinjske masti,
1/2 kašičice anisa rastvorenog u šolji vode,
500 g svežeg krem sira i kukuruzno ulje za prženje.
Dobro zameslti brašno s mašću i vodom u kojoj ste rastvorili anis, sve dok se ne dobije glatko testo koje se lako može razvući. Testo ostaviti da predahne sat vremena, zatim napraviti loptice, poredati ih po stolu (površinu obavezno posuti brašnom da se ne lepe) i razvijati oklagijom dok ne budu lepo okrugle. Zagrejati dosta ulja i u njemu pržiti uštipke dok ne dobiju zlatnu boju. Treba ih izvaditi na papir, da upiju višak masnoće. Serviraju se poredani na tanjiru i premazani umućenim krem sirom. Mogu se preliti i sledećim sirupom: u jednu šerpu staviti da proključa 1 litar vode, 500 grama braon šećera, 1 veći štapić cimeta, 4 guave i 3 jabuke. Sirup se kuva dok se ne zgusne.
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#7sensesofabook #bookstagram #knjige #literature #readingaddict
September 26, 2020
⭐: 4,5/5
Frida es una artista que admiro por su espíritu libre, su autenticidad, por ser controversial, no fue indiferente a los problemas sociales y rompió estereotipos con su belleza propia, llevando su identidad mexicana en alto tanto en su vestimenta como en su sazón..
En este libro el escritor nos ofrece una visión de lo que encierra esas recetas de tradición mexicana que Frida escribió entorno a su vida.
Un libro que vale la pena, sobre todo si eres seguidor de Frida. El relato envuelve, es una lectura entretenida de mucho aprendizaje donde exploraremos lo más intimo de una mujer singular en todos los aspectos.🌺
"𝐘𝐨 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐞ñ𝐨𝐬 𝐧𝐢 𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬. 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐢 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐝."
Frida es una artista que admiro por su espíritu libre, su autenticidad, por ser controversial, no fue indiferente a los problemas sociales y rompió estereotipos con su belleza propia, llevando su identidad mexicana en alto tanto en su vestimenta como en su sazón..
En este libro el escritor nos ofrece una visión de lo que encierra esas recetas de tradición mexicana que Frida escribió entorno a su vida.
Un libro que vale la pena, sobre todo si eres seguidor de Frida. El relato envuelve, es una lectura entretenida de mucho aprendizaje donde exploraremos lo más intimo de una mujer singular en todos los aspectos.🌺
"𝐘𝐨 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐞ñ𝐨𝐬 𝐧𝐢 𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬. 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐢 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐝."
August 24, 2018
Es un must!! Buenísimo!! 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼
August 14, 2018
Desde que lo vi, me enamoré. Una historia onírica donde saboreas cada receta a la par de cada episodio de vida de esta diva. Con reflexiones tan profundas hacia la vida y el dolor, toca tu corazón y te identificas con un alma llena de misticismo y amor a mexico. Lo he disfrutado de principio a fin.
March 27, 2020
Για να μπορέσει κάποιος να καταλάβει «Το κρυφό βιβλίο της Φρίντα Κάλο», θεωρώ ότι πρέπει να ξέρει 2-3 βασικά πράγματα για την ίδια και τη ζωή της. Η Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Calderón ή όπως είναι γνωστή Φρίντα Κάλο (προφέρεται Φρίδα), είναι Μεξικανή ζωγράφος, η οποία είναι πασίγνωστη για τα πολύχρωμα, με έντονα σχέδια και γραμμές έργα της. Το στυλ της ζωγραφικής της Κάλο, αν και πρωτίστως είναι επηρεασμένο από τους πολιτισμούς που έζησαν κι αναπτύχθηκαν στο Μεξικό, εν τούτοις έχει λάβει και επιρροές από ευρωπαϊκά ρεύματα όπως ο ρεαλισμός κι ο συμβολισμός. Πολλά από τα έργα για τα οποία έγινε γνωστή, είναι αυτοπροσωπογραφίες, μέσα από τις οποίες ξεχειλίζουν ο πόνος που ένοιωθε όλη της τη ζωή μα και η υπέρμετρη σεξουαλικότητά της.
Όταν ήταν μόλις 6 ετών η Φρίντα έπαθε πολιομυελίτιδα, η οποία είχε ως αποτέλεσμα το ένα της πόδι να μείνει ατροφικό και δυσλειτουργικό. Ωστόσο, ούτε σαν παιδί αλλά ούτε κι αργότερα, ως ενήλικη, άφησε η Φρίντα αυτό της το «ελάττωμα» να επηρεάσει αρνητικά τη ζωή της, αν και ποτέ δεν έπαψε να δέχεται επιθέσεις και παρενοχλήσεις σχετικά με αυτό.
Η ατυχία ξαναχτύπησε την πόρτα της Φρίντα το 1925, οπότε σε ένα τροχαίο ατύχημα τραυματίστηκε βαριά, ενώ έχασε και την ικανότητά της να τεκνοποιήσει. Ακολούθησε ένας μεγάλος αριθμός χειρουργικών επεμβάσεων αλλά δεν ανέκαμψε ποτέ από τα βαρύτατα τραύματά της. Έκτοτε, η ζωή της Φρίντα Κάλο στιγματίστηκε από τον πόνο στο κορμί και τη ψυχή της.
Το 1929 η Φρίντα Κάλο παντρεύτηκε το Μεξικάνο τοιχογράφο Ντιέγκο Ριβέρα, με τον οποίο μοιράζονταν τις ίδιες πολιτικές απόψεις. Ο Ριβιέρα ήταν μάλιστα αυτός που πρώτος αναγνώρισε το υπέρμετρο ταλέντο της Φρίντα και την προώθησε μέσω των γνωριμιών του. Το 1939 η Φρίντα και ο Ντιέγκο αποφάσισαν να μείνουν για λίγο καιρό χωριστά. Στα χρόνια του γάμου της με τον Ριβιέρα, η Μεξικάνα ζωγράφος διατηρούσε εξωσυζυγική σχέση, με τον φωτογράφο Νίκολας Μάρεϊ, για τον οποίο και πήρε διαζύγιο από τον Ριβιέρα. Ωστόσο, σύντομα το μετάνιωσε και ξαναγύρισε στον πρώτο της σύζυγο με τον οποίο και παντρεύτηκαν για δεύτερη φορά. «Με τον Ντιέγκο παντρεύτηκα για δεύτερη φορά. Δεν ήταν το ίδιο. Δεν ήταν καλύτερα, δεν ήταν χειρότερα. Ο Ντιέγκο ανήκει σε όλους, ποτέ δεν θα είναι δικός μου.» φαίνεται πως είπε αναφορικά με την επανένωσή της με τον Ριβέρα. Ο Μάρεϊ όμως δεν ήταν η μοναδική ερωτική περιπέτεια της Φρίντα. Καθ’ όλη την διάρκεια της ζωής της η Φρίντα επιδόθηκε σε στιγμές αχαλίνωτου πάθους με επιφανείς άνδρες της εποχής, μα και γυναίκες! Και με δεδομένο ότι οι μέρες της ήταν γεμάτες από αμείλικτο πόνο, δεν είναι να αναρωτιέται κανείς που τον έπνιγε στις σαρκικές απολαύσεις.
Η Φρίντα έζησε το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της ζωής το στο «Γαλάζιο Σπίτι» της ( La Casa Azul), στην περιοχή Coyoacán. To 1957 και μετά τον θάνατο της Φρίντα ο Ντιέγκο Ριβέρα δώρισε το "Γαλάζιο Σπίτι" της στην Πόλη του Μεξικού, όπου λειτουργεί πλέον ως μουσείο, όπου εκτίθενται προσωπικά αντικείμενα της Φρίντα.
Γνωρίζοντας αυτά τα λίγα πράγματα για την προσωπικότητα και το εκρηκτικό ταπεραμέντο της Φρίντα, ο αναγνώστης μπορεί πολύ πιο εύκολα να κατανοήσει τα όσα περιλαμβάνονται στο Κρυφό της Βιβλίο, ή όπως το ονόμαζε η ίδια, «Το βιβλίο της Γέρμπα Σάντα». Το βιβλιαράκι αυτό δεν είναι τίποτα άλλο παρά μια συλλογή από όλες τις αγαπημένες συνταγές της ζωγράφου, τις οποίες χρησιμοποιούσε στους περίφημους βωμούς της προς τιμήν των νεκρών της. Το παράξενο είναι ότι ενώ το σημειωματάριο αυτό βρέθηκε ανάμεσα στα υπάρχοντα της Φρίντα κι θεωρήθηκε ένα πολύτιμο εύρημα, όταν εκτέθηκε στα μάτια του κοινού για πρώτη φορά εξαφανίστηκε κι έκτοτε δεν βρέθηκε ποτέ.
«Ο Ντιέγκο είναι δικός μου σε δόσεις», Φρίντα Κάλο
Στο βιβλίο του με τίτλο «Το κρυφό βιβλίο της Φρίντα Κάλο» ο Χάγκενμπεγκ κατορθώνει με έναν πολύ έξυπνο τρόπο να συνδυάσει τα ιστορικά στοιχεία της βιογραφίας της Φρίντα, με τις συνταγές που υπήρχαν στο σημειωματάριό της. Ουσιαστικά από ιστορικής πλευράς αυτό που κάνει ο συγγραφέας είναι να αναπαράγει τον βίο της ζωγράφου, οπότε δεν είχαμε κάποια ιδιαίτερη έκπληξη σε σχέση με αυτό. Αυτό όμως που επέλεξε να προσθέσει στην ιστορία του ο Haghenbeck και εξυψώνει κατά μία έννοια το έργο του, είναι ο συμβολισμός. Εισάγει μια περσόνα, για την οποία προσωπικά δεν έχω ξανακούσει να γίνεται λόγος, σε κείμενα που αφορούν την Φρίντα, η οποία είναι απολύτως παραβολική και συμβολική. Αυτός είναι ο αγγελιοφόρος του θανάτου, που έρχεται στο πλευρό της Φρίντα για να προβλέψει το μέλλον της. Δεν μιλάει ποτέ αλλά τα λέει όλα. Κι επισκέπτεται την Αζτέκα «πριγκίπισσα» επανειλημμένως στη ζωή της, ιδίως όταν εκείνη είναι στο κρεβάτι του πόνου, με τον πόνο να σακ��τεύει το ασθενικό της κορμί ή όταν κάποιο αγαπημένο της πρόσωπο εγκαταλείπει τα εγκόσμια. Πρέπει να πούμε ότι ο αγγελιοφόρος κάνει την εμφάνισή του με διάφορες μορφές. Κάποιες με την μορφή ενός θεωρητικού άντρα, πάνω σε περήφανο άλογο και κάποιες άλλες με τη μορφή αγαπημένου προσώπου, όπως αυτό της νονάς θανάτου (από το παραμύθι των αδελφών Γκριμ). Ένας άγγελος θανάτου. Ο συνοδός στον Άδη.
Συμπληρωματικά, ο συγγραφέας χρησιμοποιεί στο κείμενό του ως λογοτεχνικό «όπλο» τον μαγικό ρεαλισμό, ο οποίος λειτούργησε άψογα, ιδιαιτέρως στη σκηνή όπου ζωντανεύει ένας από τους πίνακες της Φρίντα και πετάγονται έξω από την κορνίζα σκελετοί, πίθηκοι και άλλες παρουσίες. Κάπου εδώ έδωσε και στην Φρίντα μια καρτουνίστικη υπόσταση, πράγμα το οποίο από τη μια με ξένισε και θα εξηγήσω παρακάτω γιατί αλλά από την άλλη, με δεδομένο ότι παντού στο Μεξικό μα και σε ολάκερο τον κόσμο, υπάρχουν σκίτσα, καρικατούρες και προσωπογραφίες της Φρίντα, θεωρώ ότι απλώς βοήθησε στο να εξαπλωθεί παραπάνω ο θρύλος της ζωγράφου.
Ούσα λάτρης της ίδιας της Φρίντα και της τέχνης της, το σημείο που προανέφερα ότι ο συγγραφέας την καρτουνοποιεί , με ενόχλησε εκ πρώτης. Υπήρξε μια στιγμή που ένοιωσα έλλειψη σεβασμού από το μέρος του. Ωστόσο, αναγνωρίζω ότι δεν είναι έτσι. Αντίθετα ξέρω ότι αυτό που προσπάθησε να δώσει ο Χάγκενμπεγκ είναι μια άλλη πλευρά της Μεξικάνας ζωγράφου. Εκείνη της καθημερινής, πονεμένης γυναίκας, που φροντίζει και τιμά τους νεκρούς της και που συλλέγει νόστιμες συνταγές ειδικά για την Ημέρα των Νεκρών (Dias de los muertos). Κάτι ακόμα που θα καταλόγιζα στο βιβλίο, από πλευράς έκδοσης είναι η ελαφρώς απρόσεκτη επιμέλεια. Παρατήρησα αρκετά λαθάκια, τα περισσότερα εκφραστικά τα οποία πιθανό είναι να έχουν να κάνουν και με τη μετάφραση. Ότι τίποτα σημαντικό είναι η αλήθεια, απλά κάποιες φορές έπρεπε να διαβάσω δυο και τρεις φορές κάποια πρόταση για να βγάλω νόημα.
«Η Φρίντα έφυγε και ποτέ δεν μπόρεσα να της πω, πόσο πολύ μου άρεσε η γέρμπα σάντα». Ντιέγκο Ριβιέρα
Όσον αφορά στις συνταγές που αναφέρονται στο βιβλίο, πρέπει να πούμε ότι δένουν εξαιρετικά με το κείμενο κι αποτελούν αναπόσπαστο μέρος του. Πρόκειται για αρκετά «κραυγαλέες» συνταγές, που συνάδουν πολύ με το σαρωτικό χαρακτήρα της Φρίντα. Από πλευράς νοστιμιάς, φαίνονται να είναι πραγματικά μία και μία! Όχι μόνο καθαρόαιμες μεξικάνικες κάποιες είναι και από άλλες χώρες της Λατινικής Αμερικής και κάποιες άλλες έχουν ιταλική προέλευση. Όλες όμως υπόσχονται να μας προσφέρουν μια έκρηξη γεύσεων που θα ικανοποιήσουν και τον πιο απαιτητικό ουρανίσκο. Οφείλω να ομολογήσω ότι θα ήθελα πολύ να δοκιμάσω μερικά από αυτά τα πιάτα, μα περισσότερο θα ήθελα να τα μαγειρέψω. Το κακό όμως είναι ότι κάποια από τα υλικά όχι μόνο είναι εντελώς άγνωστα στην ελληνική γαστριμαργική πραγματικότητα αλλά και αδύνατον να τα βρεις στην αγορά. Ως εκ τούτου, νομίζω ότι η παροιμία που ταιριάζει στην περίπτωσή μου, είναι η «Φάτε μάτια ψάρια…»
Εν κατακλείδι, «Το κρυφό βιβλίο της Φρίντα Κάλο» ένα πολύ ενδιαφέρον μείγμα βιογραφίας, μυστικισμού και παραδοσιακών μεξικάνικων (κυρίως) συνταγών, που προσομοιάζουν της αίσθησης θαλπωρής του σπιτιού και της ελπίδας και βοηθούν τον αναγνώστη να «ξεχάσει» για λίγο την τραγική ζωή της Frida, τα προβλήματα υγείας και την κατάθλιψη που τη μάστιζε.
Οι συνταγές...
Δυο από τις συνταγές που ξεχώρισα ( και που γνωρίζω τα υλικά για να τις φτιάξω 😊 ) είναι οι ακόλουθες:
Πολβορόνες με πορτοκάλι
Υλικά:
50 γραμ. αλεύρι
125 γραμ φυτικό λοίπος
100 γραμ. ζάχαρη
Χυμός και ξύσμα από 1 πορτοκάλι
1 κρόκος αυγού και
¼ κ.γλ. σόδα
Εκτέλεση:
Χτυπάτε στο μίξερ το λίπος με τη ζάχαρη μέχρι το μείγμα να μουσκέψει, στη συνέχεια προσθέτετε τον κρόκο, τον χυμό και το ξύσμα. Σε αυτό το μείγμα ρίχνεται αργά το αλεύρι με τη σόδα. Ζυμώνετε και ανοίγετε με τον πλάστη ένα φύλλο πάχους μισού εκατοστού. Κόβετε σε ροδέλες και τις βάζετε ρε λαδωμένο ταψί. Ψήνετε στους 200 βαθμούς , μέχρι να ροδίσουν. Όταν κρυώσουν ο πολβορόνες, πασπαλίζετε με ζάχαρη.
Ψαρονέφρι με τεκίλα
Υλικά:
1 κιλό ψαρονέφρι
15 σαρδέλες χωρίς κόκκαλα
Ροδέλες από τσίλι
Ροδέλες κόκκινης γλυκιάς πιπεριάς
4 σκελίδες σκόρδο θρυμματισμένες
1 ποτήρι τεκίλα που την έχουμε αφήσει να «αναπνεύσει»
1 κουταλιά βούτυρο
1 κουταλιά σιταρένιο αλεύρι
Αλάτι και πιπέρι
Εκτέλεση:
Γεμίζετε το κρέας με τις σαρδέλες, τα τσίλι και τις ροδέλες πιπεριάς. Κατόπιν ρίχνετε τα σκορδα, αλάτι και πιπέρι. Το βάζετε σε μια πιατέλα με ένα φλυτζάνι νερό, το σκεπάζετε και το ψήνετε στους 180 βαθμούς για 1μιση ώρα. Λίγο πριν γίνει, το περιχύνετε με την τεκίλα και το ξαναβάζετε στο φούρνο. Ανακατεύετε τον ζωμό από το μαγείρεμα με το βούτυρο και το αλεύρι, για να το σερβίρετε μαζί με το φιλέτο.
Υγιαίνετε και αγαλλιάσθε!
Η άποψη αυτή πρωτοδημοσιεύτηκε στο βιβλιοφιλικό blog "ΒΙΒΛΙΟγραφικά"
Όταν ήταν μόλις 6 ετών η Φρίντα έπαθε πολιομυελίτιδα, η οποία είχε ως αποτέλεσμα το ένα της πόδι να μείνει ατροφικό και δυσλειτουργικό. Ωστόσο, ούτε σαν παιδί αλλά ούτε κι αργότερα, ως ενήλικη, άφησε η Φρίντα αυτό της το «ελάττωμα» να επηρεάσει αρνητικά τη ζωή της, αν και ποτέ δεν έπαψε να δέχεται επιθέσεις και παρενοχλήσεις σχετικά με αυτό.
Η ατυχία ξαναχτύπησε την πόρτα της Φρίντα το 1925, οπότε σε ένα τροχαίο ατύχημα τραυματίστηκε βαριά, ενώ έχασε και την ικανότητά της να τεκνοποιήσει. Ακολούθησε ένας μεγάλος αριθμός χειρουργικών επεμβάσεων αλλά δεν ανέκαμψε ποτέ από τα βαρύτατα τραύματά της. Έκτοτε, η ζωή της Φρίντα Κάλο στιγματίστηκε από τον πόνο στο κορμί και τη ψυχή της.
Το 1929 η Φρίντα Κάλο παντρεύτηκε το Μεξικάνο τοιχογράφο Ντιέγκο Ριβέρα, με τον οποίο μοιράζονταν τις ίδιες πολιτικές απόψεις. Ο Ριβιέρα ήταν μάλιστα αυτός που πρώτος αναγνώρισε το υπέρμετρο ταλέντο της Φρίντα και την προώθησε μέσω των γνωριμιών του. Το 1939 η Φρίντα και ο Ντιέγκο αποφάσισαν να μείνουν για λίγο καιρό χωριστά. Στα χρόνια του γάμου της με τον Ριβιέρα, η Μεξικάνα ζωγράφος διατηρούσε εξωσυζυγική σχέση, με τον φωτογράφο Νίκολας Μάρεϊ, για τον οποίο και πήρε διαζύγιο από τον Ριβιέρα. Ωστόσο, σύντομα το μετάνιωσε και ξαναγύρισε στον πρώτο της σύζυγο με τον οποίο και παντρεύτηκαν για δεύτερη φορά. «Με τον Ντιέγκο παντρεύτηκα για δεύτερη φορά. Δεν ήταν το ίδιο. Δεν ήταν καλύτερα, δεν ήταν χειρότερα. Ο Ντιέγκο ανήκει σε όλους, ποτέ δεν θα είναι δικός μου.» φαίνεται πως είπε αναφορικά με την επανένωσή της με τον Ριβέρα. Ο Μάρεϊ όμως δεν ήταν η μοναδική ερωτική περιπέτεια της Φρίντα. Καθ’ όλη την διάρκεια της ζωής της η Φρίντα επιδόθηκε σε στιγμές αχαλίνωτου πάθους με επιφανείς άνδρες της εποχής, μα και γυναίκες! Και με δεδομένο ότι οι μέρες της ήταν γεμάτες από αμείλικτο πόνο, δεν είναι να αναρωτιέται κανείς που τον έπνιγε στις σαρκικές απολαύσεις.
Η Φρίντα έζησε το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της ζωής το στο «Γαλάζιο Σπίτι» της ( La Casa Azul), στην περιοχή Coyoacán. To 1957 και μετά τον θάνατο της Φρίντα ο Ντιέγκο Ριβέρα δώρισε το "Γαλάζιο Σπίτι" της στην Πόλη του Μεξικού, όπου λειτουργεί πλέον ως μουσείο, όπου εκτίθενται προσωπικά αντικείμενα της Φρίντα.
Γνωρίζοντας αυτά τα λίγα πράγματα για την προσωπικότητα και το εκρηκτικό ταπεραμέντο της Φρίντα, ο αναγνώστης μπορεί πολύ πιο εύκολα να κατανοήσει τα όσα περιλαμβάνονται στο Κρυφό της Βιβλίο, ή όπως το ονόμαζε η ίδια, «Το βιβλίο της Γέρμπα Σάντα». Το βιβλιαράκι αυτό δεν είναι τίποτα άλλο παρά μια συλλογή από όλες τις αγαπημένες συνταγές της ζωγράφου, τις οποίες χρησιμοποιούσε στους περίφημους βωμούς της προς τιμήν των νεκρών της. Το παράξενο είναι ότι ενώ το σημειωματάριο αυτό βρέθηκε ανάμεσα στα υπάρχοντα της Φρίντα κι θεωρήθηκε ένα πολύτιμο εύρημα, όταν εκτέθηκε στα μάτια του κοινού για πρώτη φορά εξαφανίστηκε κι έκτοτε δεν βρέθηκε ποτέ.
«Ο Ντιέγκο είναι δικός μου σε δόσεις», Φρίντα Κάλο
Στο βιβλίο του με τίτλο «Το κρυφό βιβλίο της Φρίντα Κάλο» ο Χάγκενμπεγκ κατορθώνει με έναν πολύ έξυπνο τρόπο να συνδυάσει τα ιστορικά στοιχεία της βιογραφίας της Φρίντα, με τις συνταγές που υπήρχαν στο σημειωματάριό της. Ουσιαστικά από ιστορικής πλευράς αυτό που κάνει ο συγγραφέας είναι να αναπαράγει τον βίο της ζωγράφου, οπότε δεν είχαμε κάποια ιδιαίτερη έκπληξη σε σχέση με αυτό. Αυτό όμως που επέλεξε να προσθέσει στην ιστορία του ο Haghenbeck και εξυψώνει κατά μία έννοια το έργο του, είναι ο συμβολισμός. Εισάγει μια περσόνα, για την οποία προσωπικά δεν έχω ξανακούσει να γίνεται λόγος, σε κείμενα που αφορούν την Φρίντα, η οποία είναι απολύτως παραβολική και συμβολική. Αυτός είναι ο αγγελιοφόρος του θανάτου, που έρχεται στο πλευρό της Φρίντα για να προβλέψει το μέλλον της. Δεν μιλάει ποτέ αλλά τα λέει όλα. Κι επισκέπτεται την Αζτέκα «πριγκίπισσα» επανειλημμένως στη ζωή της, ιδίως όταν εκείνη είναι στο κρεβάτι του πόνου, με τον πόνο να σακ��τεύει το ασθενικό της κορμί ή όταν κάποιο αγαπημένο της πρόσωπο εγκαταλείπει τα εγκόσμια. Πρέπει να πούμε ότι ο αγγελιοφόρος κάνει την εμφάνισή του με διάφορες μορφές. Κάποιες με την μορφή ενός θεωρητικού άντρα, πάνω σε περήφανο άλογο και κάποιες άλλες με τη μορφή αγαπημένου προσώπου, όπως αυτό της νονάς θανάτου (από το παραμύθι των αδελφών Γκριμ). Ένας άγγελος θανάτου. Ο συνοδός στον Άδη.
Συμπληρωματικά, ο συγγραφέας χρησιμοποιεί στο κείμενό του ως λογοτεχνικό «όπλο» τον μαγικό ρεαλισμό, ο οποίος λειτούργησε άψογα, ιδιαιτέρως στη σκηνή όπου ζωντανεύει ένας από τους πίνακες της Φρίντα και πετάγονται έξω από την κορνίζα σκελετοί, πίθηκοι και άλλες παρουσίες. Κάπου εδώ έδωσε και στην Φρίντα μια καρτουνίστικη υπόσταση, πράγμα το οποίο από τη μια με ξένισε και θα εξηγήσω παρακάτω γιατί αλλά από την άλλη, με δεδομένο ότι παντού στο Μεξικό μα και σε ολάκερο τον κόσμο, υπάρχουν σκίτσα, καρικατούρες και προσωπογραφίες της Φρίντα, θεωρώ ότι απλώς βοήθησε στο να εξαπλωθεί παραπάνω ο θρύλος της ζωγράφου.
Ούσα λάτρης της ίδιας της Φρίντα και της τέχνης της, το σημείο που προανέφερα ότι ο συγγραφέας την καρτουνοποιεί , με ενόχλησε εκ πρώτης. Υπήρξε μια στιγμή που ένοιωσα έλλειψη σεβασμού από το μέρος του. Ωστόσο, αναγνωρίζω ότι δεν είναι έτσι. Αντίθετα ξέρω ότι αυτό που προσπάθησε να δώσει ο Χάγκενμπεγκ είναι μια άλλη πλευρά της Μεξικάνας ζωγράφου. Εκείνη της καθημερινής, πονεμένης γυναίκας, που φροντίζει και τιμά τους νεκρούς της και που συλλέγει νόστιμες συνταγές ειδικά για την Ημέρα των Νεκρών (Dias de los muertos). Κάτι ακόμα που θα καταλόγιζα στο βιβλίο, από πλευράς έκδοσης είναι η ελαφρώς απρόσεκτη επιμέλεια. Παρατήρησα αρκετά λαθάκια, τα περισσότερα εκφραστικά τα οποία πιθανό είναι να έχουν να κάνουν και με τη μετάφραση. Ότι τίποτα σημαντικό είναι η αλήθεια, απλά κάποιες φορές έπρεπε να διαβάσω δυο και τρεις φορές κάποια πρόταση για να βγάλω νόημα.
«Η Φρίντα έφυγε και ποτέ δεν μπόρεσα να της πω, πόσο πολύ μου άρεσε η γέρμπα σάντα». Ντιέγκο Ριβιέρα
Όσον αφορά στις συνταγές που αναφέρονται στο βιβλίο, πρέπει να πούμε ότι δένουν εξαιρετικά με το κείμενο κι αποτελούν αναπόσπαστο μέρος του. Πρόκειται για αρκετά «κραυγαλέες» συνταγές, που συνάδουν πολύ με το σαρωτικό χαρακτήρα της Φρίντα. Από πλευράς νοστιμιάς, φαίνονται να είναι πραγματικά μία και μία! Όχι μόνο καθαρόαιμες μεξικάνικες κάποιες είναι και από άλλες χώρες της Λατινικής Αμερικής και κάποιες άλλες έχουν ιταλική προέλευση. Όλες όμως υπόσχονται να μας προσφέρουν μια έκρηξη γεύσεων που θα ικανοποιήσουν και τον πιο απαιτητικό ουρανίσκο. Οφείλω να ομολογήσω ότι θα ήθελα πολύ να δοκιμάσω μερικά από αυτά τα πιάτα, μα περισσότερο θα ήθελα να τα μαγειρέψω. Το κακό όμως είναι ότι κάποια από τα υλικά όχι μόνο είναι εντελώς άγνωστα στην ελληνική γαστριμαργική πραγματικότητα αλλά και αδύνατον να τα βρεις στην αγορά. Ως εκ τούτου, νομίζω ότι η παροιμία που ταιριάζει στην περίπτωσή μου, είναι η «Φάτε μάτια ψάρια…»
Εν κατακλείδι, «Το κρυφό βιβλίο της Φρίντα Κάλο» ένα πολύ ενδιαφέρον μείγμα βιογραφίας, μυστικισμού και παραδοσιακών μεξικάνικων (κυρίως) συνταγών, που προσομοιάζουν της αίσθησης θαλπωρής του σπιτιού και της ελπίδας και βοηθούν τον αναγνώστη να «ξεχάσει» για λίγο την τραγική ζωή της Frida, τα προβλήματα υγείας και την κατάθλιψη που τη μάστιζε.
Οι συνταγές...
Δυο από τις συνταγές που ξεχώρισα ( και που γνωρίζω τα υλικά για να τις φτιάξω 😊 ) είναι οι ακόλουθες:
Πολβορόνες με πορτοκάλι
Υλικά:
50 γραμ. αλεύρι
125 γραμ φυτικό λοίπος
100 γραμ. ζάχαρη
Χυμός και ξύσμα από 1 πορτοκάλι
1 κρόκος αυγού και
¼ κ.γλ. σόδα
Εκτέλεση:
Χτυπάτε στο μίξερ το λίπος με τη ζάχαρη μέχρι το μείγμα να μουσκέψει, στη συνέχεια προσθέτετε τον κρόκο, τον χυμό και το ξύσμα. Σε αυτό το μείγμα ρίχνεται αργά το αλεύρι με τη σόδα. Ζυμώνετε και ανοίγετε με τον πλάστη ένα φύλλο πάχους μισού εκατοστού. Κόβετε σε ροδέλες και τις βάζετε ρε λαδωμένο ταψί. Ψήνετε στους 200 βαθμούς , μέχρι να ροδίσουν. Όταν κρυώσουν ο πολβορόνες, πασπαλίζετε με ζάχαρη.
Ψαρονέφρι με τεκίλα
Υλικά:
1 κιλό ψαρονέφρι
15 σαρδέλες χωρίς κόκκαλα
Ροδέλες από τσίλι
Ροδέλες κόκκινης γλυκιάς πιπεριάς
4 σκελίδες σκόρδο θρυμματισμένες
1 ποτήρι τεκίλα που την έχουμε αφήσει να «αναπνεύσει»
1 κουταλιά βούτυρο
1 κουταλιά σιταρένιο αλεύρι
Αλάτι και πιπέρι
Εκτέλεση:
Γεμίζετε το κρέας με τις σαρδέλες, τα τσίλι και τις ροδέλες πιπεριάς. Κατόπιν ρίχνετε τα σκορδα, αλάτι και πιπέρι. Το βάζετε σε μια πιατέλα με ένα φλυτζάνι νερό, το σκεπάζετε και το ψήνετε στους 180 βαθμούς για 1μιση ώρα. Λίγο πριν γίνει, το περιχύνετε με την τεκίλα και το ξαναβάζετε στο φούρνο. Ανακατεύετε τον ζωμό από το μαγείρεμα με το βούτυρο και το αλεύρι, για να το σερβίρετε μαζί με το φιλέτο.
Υγιαίνετε και αγαλλιάσθε!
Η άποψη αυτή πρωτοδημοσιεύτηκε στο βιβλιοφιλικό blog "ΒΙΒΛΙΟγραφικά"
June 11, 2016
I can probably pick out a Frida Kahlo painting; they're pretty distinctive. But I definitely can't say that I know much about her life. So, I was instantly intrigued by the premise of The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo.
The titular secret book was found among her personal effects at La Casa Azul, her childhood home, and contained recipes for offerings on the Day of the Dead. The book mysteriously vanished the day it was supposed to be exhibited.
This is just one of the things that puzzled me. Did this book actually exist? Did it actually disappear? Were these her actual recipes?? While it seems that this is a biographical work, it is labeled as "a novel." So, where do facts cease and literary license begin? I really have no clue and I found that doubt and confusion clouding my enjoyment of the book.
As in many novels from that part of the world, I'm thinking of Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel or The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, there is an overt mysticism and a tangible connection between the spirit world and this world. For example, Frida regularly interacts with Death and the Messenger; her suicide attempt is even twarted by a woman who has been dead for many years.
Frida's identity could not easily be articulated. Artist, yes. Communist revolutionary, yes. Wife, yes. Lover, yes. I have to admit that her series of affairs, both heterosexual and homosexual, were a bit off-putting to me. And the explicitness of the sex scenes were also written in a decidedly juvenille way. I want to say it's a product of a poor translation more than poor writing. But I can't know for sure. What I can say is that if even half of the stories are true, she led a colorful life with her volatility and her passions.
The titular secret book was found among her personal effects at La Casa Azul, her childhood home, and contained recipes for offerings on the Day of the Dead. The book mysteriously vanished the day it was supposed to be exhibited.
This is just one of the things that puzzled me. Did this book actually exist? Did it actually disappear? Were these her actual recipes?? While it seems that this is a biographical work, it is labeled as "a novel." So, where do facts cease and literary license begin? I really have no clue and I found that doubt and confusion clouding my enjoyment of the book.
As in many novels from that part of the world, I'm thinking of Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel or The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, there is an overt mysticism and a tangible connection between the spirit world and this world. For example, Frida regularly interacts with Death and the Messenger; her suicide attempt is even twarted by a woman who has been dead for many years.
Frida's identity could not easily be articulated. Artist, yes. Communist revolutionary, yes. Wife, yes. Lover, yes. I have to admit that her series of affairs, both heterosexual and homosexual, were a bit off-putting to me. And the explicitness of the sex scenes were also written in a decidedly juvenille way. I want to say it's a product of a poor translation more than poor writing. But I can't know for sure. What I can say is that if even half of the stories are true, she led a colorful life with her volatility and her passions.
September 26, 2012
I became interested in Frida Kahlo when I was first introduced to Diego Rivera in an Art History class. I admit, I did not care for Diego's murals as much as I did Frida's honesty. I didn't understand why we didn't go more into Frida as we did Diego. To this day I still do not. I think she was actually the better painter of the two. Her work which has a surreal quality to it, often shows her pain in which she was plagued all of her life.
This book did remind me about the movie made of her life, Frida. So, you know that it kept close to her biography. What it also contained is some recipes. All delicious and tied to the chapter. You not only get authentic Mexican food, but a couple of Italian dishes as well. I can say, I would love to try some of these dishes... now I just need to find someone to cook! Trust me, Frida would throw me out of the kitchen and laugh at my feeble attempts at food. :)
I have to admit, I was hoping for a bit more of her philosophy. She was a woman of contradiction and I was wanting to see this within her head as we traveled with Frida in life. Although we do get a bit of philosophy, we do not go very deep. It skims on the surface of someone who dealt with death, pain, and betrayal on a constant basis and yet still found a zest for life. Still, I found the imagery within interesting and taken from her paintings.
I give this book 3 stars. If you are curious about her this is an interesting work of fiction about her life. I also think that it is worth the recipes within. I showed it to my mom and she just kept saying that everything looked so good. Just don't read it on an empty stomach. :)
This book did remind me about the movie made of her life, Frida. So, you know that it kept close to her biography. What it also contained is some recipes. All delicious and tied to the chapter. You not only get authentic Mexican food, but a couple of Italian dishes as well. I can say, I would love to try some of these dishes... now I just need to find someone to cook! Trust me, Frida would throw me out of the kitchen and laugh at my feeble attempts at food. :)
I have to admit, I was hoping for a bit more of her philosophy. She was a woman of contradiction and I was wanting to see this within her head as we traveled with Frida in life. Although we do get a bit of philosophy, we do not go very deep. It skims on the surface of someone who dealt with death, pain, and betrayal on a constant basis and yet still found a zest for life. Still, I found the imagery within interesting and taken from her paintings.
I give this book 3 stars. If you are curious about her this is an interesting work of fiction about her life. I also think that it is worth the recipes within. I showed it to my mom and she just kept saying that everything looked so good. Just don't read it on an empty stomach. :)
July 31, 2016
In my very early twenties, I was exposed to Kahlo's works at an exhibition at SMU. I was enthralled.
I had never seen anything so weird or wonderful.
Since that time and long ago art exhibit, I have been fascinated with the life and works of Frida Kahlo, the Mexican artist and personality who has perhaps over-shadowed her once more famous husband, Diego Rivera. Picking up The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F. G. Haghenbeck was a natural for me.
Haghenbeck discovered a small notebook belonging to Kahlo in one of her former Mexico City homes. It is unclear to me how he got his hands on this tiny recipe book but nonetheless it was his impetus to write a fictionalized work of Kahlo's weird and wonderful existence. He focuses throughout on her obsession with Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and her obsession with Diego. Just as Kahlo sprinkled fantastical folkloric elements into her style of painting (sometimes classified as surrealism), Haghenbeck uses magical realism with fantastical and mythical elements to describe Kahlo's pained existence and creative soul. Because his catalyst for writing The Secret Book was based on a slim volume of recipes, sprinkled throughout the narrative are instructions for everything from Pico de Gallo to Mango Tepozteco Ice Cream.
The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo: A Novel
Cook the Books is currently reading The Secret Book for the August/September 2016 round. You can find more about the selection and the club at http://cookthebooksclub.blogspot.com/.
I had never seen anything so weird or wonderful.
Since that time and long ago art exhibit, I have been fascinated with the life and works of Frida Kahlo, the Mexican artist and personality who has perhaps over-shadowed her once more famous husband, Diego Rivera. Picking up The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F. G. Haghenbeck was a natural for me.
Haghenbeck discovered a small notebook belonging to Kahlo in one of her former Mexico City homes. It is unclear to me how he got his hands on this tiny recipe book but nonetheless it was his impetus to write a fictionalized work of Kahlo's weird and wonderful existence. He focuses throughout on her obsession with Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and her obsession with Diego. Just as Kahlo sprinkled fantastical folkloric elements into her style of painting (sometimes classified as surrealism), Haghenbeck uses magical realism with fantastical and mythical elements to describe Kahlo's pained existence and creative soul. Because his catalyst for writing The Secret Book was based on a slim volume of recipes, sprinkled throughout the narrative are instructions for everything from Pico de Gallo to Mango Tepozteco Ice Cream.
The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo: A Novel
Cook the Books is currently reading The Secret Book for the August/September 2016 round. You can find more about the selection and the club at http://cookthebooksclub.blogspot.com/.
January 11, 2018
Jedno je sigurno – Frida Kalo je nadasve fascinantna žena. U ovoj neobišnoj knizi autor Francisco Haghenbeck nam priča o njenom životu, njenim snovima, njenom bolu.... Njen je život bio kratak, ali turbulentan.
„Među Fridinim ličnim stvarima nalazila se i mala crna beležnica koju je zvala „Knjiga o svetoj travi“ („Hierba Santa Book“. To je zbirka recepata za pripremu ponuda za Dan mrtvih. Prema predanju, pokojnici 2. novembra dobijaju odobrenje da posete zemlju i treba ih dočekati oltarom od nevena, slatkim hlebovima, fotografijama punim sete, ikonicama, mističnim mirisom tamjana, razigranim šećernim lobanjama, svećama koje obasjavaju put u drugi život i omiljenim jelima pokojnika. Kada je otkrivena među predmetima u muzeju u Londonskoj ulici, u predivnom kraju Kojoakana, postala je vredan dokument koji je trebalo da bude prikazan na monumentalnoj izložbi u Palati lepih umetnosti, povodom godišnjice Fridinog rođenja. Beležnica je svedočila o strasti i vremenu koje je Frida posvećivala podizanju svojih čuvenih oltara za mrtve. Na dan otvaranja izložbe, beležnica je misteriozno nestala.“
U toj je beležnici ona zapisivala recepte za jela koja je svake godine spravljala na Dan Mrtvih nakon pakta koji je sklopila sa Smrću (prikazana kao žena koju Frida zove Kuma i koja joj se javlja u kritičnim trenucima života kao priviđenje u snovima). Svako poglavlje završava karakterističnim detaljnim receptom za originalnu meksičku hranu, što knjizi daje poseban pečat. Meni se knjiga dopala.
„Među Fridinim ličnim stvarima nalazila se i mala crna beležnica koju je zvala „Knjiga o svetoj travi“ („Hierba Santa Book“. To je zbirka recepata za pripremu ponuda za Dan mrtvih. Prema predanju, pokojnici 2. novembra dobijaju odobrenje da posete zemlju i treba ih dočekati oltarom od nevena, slatkim hlebovima, fotografijama punim sete, ikonicama, mističnim mirisom tamjana, razigranim šećernim lobanjama, svećama koje obasjavaju put u drugi život i omiljenim jelima pokojnika. Kada je otkrivena među predmetima u muzeju u Londonskoj ulici, u predivnom kraju Kojoakana, postala je vredan dokument koji je trebalo da bude prikazan na monumentalnoj izložbi u Palati lepih umetnosti, povodom godišnjice Fridinog rođenja. Beležnica je svedočila o strasti i vremenu koje je Frida posvećivala podizanju svojih čuvenih oltara za mrtve. Na dan otvaranja izložbe, beležnica je misteriozno nestala.“
U toj je beležnici ona zapisivala recepte za jela koja je svake godine spravljala na Dan Mrtvih nakon pakta koji je sklopila sa Smrću (prikazana kao žena koju Frida zove Kuma i koja joj se javlja u kritičnim trenucima života kao priviđenje u snovima). Svako poglavlje završava karakterističnim detaljnim receptom za originalnu meksičku hranu, što knjizi daje poseban pečat. Meni se knjiga dopala.
March 4, 2021
I so wanted to love THE SECRET BOOK OF FRIDA KAHLO by F. G. Haghenbeck, but that didn't happen. I liked it well enough, but that only gets it a 3-star rating. (Confession: I almost gave it 4-stars just because I love Frida's visual art so much and there was plenty of detail about her life [quite a bit that I knew already - but lots more], but I decided that wasn't an honest opinion to put out there...). There's lots to like about the novel, but it was slow-going a good part of the time and, while I understood the reason why the author wanted to insert recipes between chapters, they were too much of a distraction for me (especially since I'd be unlikely to cook or bake from them, given all the "hot" spices, which I cannot tolerate on the tongue or digestively!). That being said, I will write about what I really liked about this art-focused, historical novel based on the life of an amazing woman artist's life and the times she lived in.
First of all, I tend to like Magical Realism quite a bit, and Frida's story includes a bundle of it - as I would expect and hope for in most fiction from/about any country south of the USA's border. I loved that I recognized many of the "characters" in her story, including artists, revolutionaries, writers, and more. Plus I learned additional info about the accident that almost killed her (and left her with terrible pain for the rest of her life), as well as her temporary time(s) in the USA and in Europe. The author's writing was well done, although sometimes the magical realism did confuse me a little (but one can catch on to it eventually!). What the author's words have prompted me to do - and I am now reminded that I have to check out the possibilities about - is to find a really good non-fiction book about Frida, one that goes beyond the magazine articles and blurbs read in art books over the years. But that's for another time. Right now, over the next few days, I have to catch up on rating and reviewing a ton of books read: there's this novel (magical realism), 4 other novels (2 mysteries, a novel from an international writer, & a fabulous novel that I re-read after first loving it well over a decade ago), 1 memoir by a writer/poet who won the Pulitzer Prize several years ago, an excellent YA book of short stories that is food-related and awesomely includes a diverse crowd of characters, and 5 children's books that I read before they get mailed to my "faux" grandchild who lives in another state (I always buy him books!). So the kiddo's books will be next ones added to my Goodreads list of books-read!
There is one recipe in the book that I might try baking: the Day of the Dead Bread called Pan de Muerto. I'll first compare it to another recipe I discovered in an excellent baking magazine put out by the King Arthur Flour folks last year. I don't usually do yeast breads, but it looks beautiful in the mag's photo! And I have always loved the Mexican tradition of honoring the Dead. I always thought that it was only for one day, but the article set me straight on that - it's a 3-day celebration of their departed loved ones.
If you love Frida Kahlo, as I do, you might love this book - might even rate it higher than I did. I suggest you try it! THE SECRET BOOK OF FRIDA KAHLO BY F.G. Haghenbeck.
First of all, I tend to like Magical Realism quite a bit, and Frida's story includes a bundle of it - as I would expect and hope for in most fiction from/about any country south of the USA's border. I loved that I recognized many of the "characters" in her story, including artists, revolutionaries, writers, and more. Plus I learned additional info about the accident that almost killed her (and left her with terrible pain for the rest of her life), as well as her temporary time(s) in the USA and in Europe. The author's writing was well done, although sometimes the magical realism did confuse me a little (but one can catch on to it eventually!). What the author's words have prompted me to do - and I am now reminded that I have to check out the possibilities about - is to find a really good non-fiction book about Frida, one that goes beyond the magazine articles and blurbs read in art books over the years. But that's for another time. Right now, over the next few days, I have to catch up on rating and reviewing a ton of books read: there's this novel (magical realism), 4 other novels (2 mysteries, a novel from an international writer, & a fabulous novel that I re-read after first loving it well over a decade ago), 1 memoir by a writer/poet who won the Pulitzer Prize several years ago, an excellent YA book of short stories that is food-related and awesomely includes a diverse crowd of characters, and 5 children's books that I read before they get mailed to my "faux" grandchild who lives in another state (I always buy him books!). So the kiddo's books will be next ones added to my Goodreads list of books-read!
There is one recipe in the book that I might try baking: the Day of the Dead Bread called Pan de Muerto. I'll first compare it to another recipe I discovered in an excellent baking magazine put out by the King Arthur Flour folks last year. I don't usually do yeast breads, but it looks beautiful in the mag's photo! And I have always loved the Mexican tradition of honoring the Dead. I always thought that it was only for one day, but the article set me straight on that - it's a 3-day celebration of their departed loved ones.
If you love Frida Kahlo, as I do, you might love this book - might even rate it higher than I did. I suggest you try it! THE SECRET BOOK OF FRIDA KAHLO BY F.G. Haghenbeck.
January 17, 2022
Esta fábula biográfica, como la describe su autor, nos retrata toda la vida y obra de Frida Kahlo, para todos los curiosos o no interesados en ella, de una manera muy pintoresca, coloquial y amena. Haghenbeck se basó en la popular leyenda del diario desaparecido de Kahlo conocido como El libro de la Hierba Santa, el cual nadie conoce su contenido pero su autor trata de representarlo y añadirle muchas recetas tradicionales de la cocina mexicana, que en lo personal me gustó mucho ese detalle pues me la pasaba buscando las imágenes de las recetas en Internet para ver como lucen. Sí sabía que la vida de la excéntrica artista era trágica e impactante pero en este libro conoces todos esos datos importantes que detallan como fue su vida tan movida, dolorosa y desoladora que tuvo pero no sin irse de la Tierra siendo una figura representante política, una mujer excepcional, digna de ser reconocida feminista, y una artista extraordinaria.
Recuerdo haber conocido a su autor en la Feria Internacional del Libro de Panamá en 2019 y su persona fue tan cordial y amable que me hizo que decidiera leerme esta obra autobiográfica, sin conocer su calidad literaria tan versátil y diversa.
Descansa en paz F.G. Haghenbeck.
Recuerdo haber conocido a su autor en la Feria Internacional del Libro de Panamá en 2019 y su persona fue tan cordial y amable que me hizo que decidiera leerme esta obra autobiográfica, sin conocer su calidad literaria tan versátil y diversa.
Descansa en paz F.G. Haghenbeck.
April 5, 2024
I really really wanted to like this book! Although I was aware of Frida Kahlo's personal challenges--polio as a child, permanent physiological/psychological trauma from a bus accident, a tempestuous marriage-divorce-remarriage to Diego Rivera, depression after a series of miscarriages, etc.--I always admired how one of Mexico's greatest artists was able to translate her painful life experiences into muy vibrante works of art.
And, in the translation from the original Spanish into English, something in this book was lost! In English, Frida's life story is all woodenly told, not dramatically shown as it deserves to be. The most interesting bits of text are the traditional Mexican recipes that are included at the end of each chapter--they amplify the bond between Frida's life experiences and the mystical symbolism inherent in Mesoamerican cuisine...can I offer a slice of surrealism to anyone?
And, in the translation from the original Spanish into English, something in this book was lost! In English, Frida's life story is all woodenly told, not dramatically shown as it deserves to be. The most interesting bits of text are the traditional Mexican recipes that are included at the end of each chapter--they amplify the bond between Frida's life experiences and the mystical symbolism inherent in Mesoamerican cuisine...can I offer a slice of surrealism to anyone?
April 9, 2021
Frida took my hand and invited me in a voyage in Mexico, to know better the country, the political movements, the social and cultural life and to taste the delicious and spicy Mexican food. (It was delicious!)
I really don't know what was real and what was described in a magical realism style, but it helped me to understand better the story and work of Frida Kahlo.
I know that in Latin America the worship of dead is a very important day. Each year El dia de los muertos celebrates at the same time the life and death. In fact this day is to constantly remember us the spirits of the loved ones who are no longer in this life; and I know that a person is definitely dead when no one remembers him - this is the real dead.
In this way Frida, like many other artists, will live forever through her art.
Have the courage to live because anyone can die.
I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.
I really don't know what was real and what was described in a magical realism style, but it helped me to understand better the story and work of Frida Kahlo.
I know that in Latin America the worship of dead is a very important day. Each year El dia de los muertos celebrates at the same time the life and death. In fact this day is to constantly remember us the spirits of the loved ones who are no longer in this life; and I know that a person is definitely dead when no one remembers him - this is the real dead.
In this way Frida, like many other artists, will live forever through her art.
Have the courage to live because anyone can die.
I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.
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