Initial Thoughts on Barcelona Trip - Part 3: The Books (2 cents)

Eventually, I will get to the sites themselves, don't worry. I am still hovering around the periphery.

As for the books, there are two categories, books read and books bought.

In keeping with my usual practice, I took with me several books that I found around the house that appeared to have the following qualities: they were paperback, they looked at least moderately interesting, I would never read them sitting around the house, and they weren't too long. I took three such books with me. It turned out to be a good selection and I read all three. None had anything to do with the trip.

First, I read a book that no one else reads (I am sure): "The Red Danube" by Bruce Marshall. This is a comic recounting of the British occupation of Vienna after WWII, centering on one somewhat hapless Colonel Nicobar, who is given the task of routing out hidden enemies, is housed in a convent, and wishes he were somewhere else. But who are the enemies? That is for him to find out. Are they Russians, or are the Russians (also victors, also occupiers of Vienna) allies? He does not know, and no one can tell him. And, when a famous Russian ballerina wants to defect to the west, and is hidden by the Mother Superior of the convent, what is he to do? (This was the going over book)

The second book was Berthold Brecht's "Three Penny Novel". Now, I knew of course Brecht's Three Penny Opera, a musical written with Kurt Weill. But I hadn't really known he had written a novel as well (the novel came last, not first), and did not know what to expect. It follows the complicated story of the Peachams and their business of selling supplies to beggars, of Coax who wants to defraud the government by selling it unseaworthy ships (at worthy ship prices with the help of his inside agent, Hale) to transport troops during the Boer War (and who convinces Peachem to invest), and of MacHeath, who supplies the "B Stores" with stolen goods and works to control not only all of the leading discount chains of London, but also the banks the fund them. And of course Polly Peachem ("The Peach") marries MacHeath (much to her father's displeasure, because he fears that MacHeath is, as rumor has it, the infamous Knife), and Peachem wants to annul the marriage so that she can marry Coax (who too late he discovers to be an out and out crook). Amidst it all, a clever critique of small scale capitalism, played out through the workings of extraordinarily clever and complex business deals by all three men. A lot of fun to read. (This was the Hotel Majestic rooftop deck book)

Finally, on the trip home, Thomas Mann's "Confessions of Felix Krull", a fictional memoir written by a clever and handsome young fellow who leaves his bankrupt family to make it first as a Paris hotel clerk taking advantage of its wealthy guests and then who trades places with a young nobleman to pretend he is the nobleman on a parent-sponsored world wide year long tour (so the man in question can remain in Paris with the girl of his dreams, the very girl his parents are providing the funds for him to escape from). But alas our hero only gets as far as Lisbon, where he too falls in love. (This was the flying home book)

And what did I buy? Well, in addition to a catalog of the collection of the Museum Mares (about more, later), I found and bought signed copies of books by people that few have heard of: Jose Luis de Villalonga, Rordigo Brunori, Enrique Nieto de Molina, and Yolanda Bedregat. Along with a signed copy of Andre Maurois' memoirs of the war years. None are in English. I will read none of them, but will feel fulfilled that I have them.