Customer Reviews

Happy Old Year: An Autobiography (Discoveries Latin American Literary Review Press)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marcelo turns what could be an endless soap opera into one of the most beautiful, delicate and funny books I've ever read.

He proves to be a strong, sensitive individual and integrates part of the history of Brazil during the dictatorship while developing this beautiful autobiography.

My only complaint is that I felt like I was left in the middle of something, the plot didn't offer enough of a closure.

I wish more people in the States knew about this book.

Marcelo had an accident while diving and was left quadriplegic at 20. One year after the accident he reviews his life and the events that left him on a wheelchair.

In spite of such a sad theme the book is funny, inspiring and uplifting. Marcelo manages to keep his sense of humor and his faith in life despite all odds.

A truly inspiring story.

I read this book in June the 2003 and I thought the book is very nice, interesting and special. The book is An Autobiography
by Marcelo Rubens Paiva (THE AUTHOR), his problems, his happy moments and sad moments. I loved it and I recomend it because this is a motivating book. It's a drama and one true story.

The best things in life. The worst nightmare you may ever wish to your enemies. Marcelo lives life with an open heart and excellent humor. His space-time coordinates: Brazil, during the military regime. In a fairly small number of pages the reader is kindly invited (in a way only few young writers would know how) to dive into Marcelo's view of existence - how unfair(!). If you have being reading too much Sartre or Kafka, that is a very good medication for the soul. I hope you were born on this planet, otherwise you would find difficult to identify yourself with Marcelo's story ... (? )

The trouble with this book is that the writer is not, basically, a likeable person. He writes with foul language all around, and his life before the accident was one of drugs and alcohol all the time. Also, his literary style is almost non-existent, I think a monkey could write this mess. I really don't know how this book was the huge success it was in Brazil.

Happy Old Year is realy a very good book, is a exemple of life, a true story. Good job Marcelo. I read this book in Portuguese, and I want to read in English.