Customer Reviews

Life Is a Dream/La Vida es Sueno: A Dual-Language Book (Dover Dual Language Spanish)

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I did not expect to like this book. However, reading Life is a Dream in the original Spanish was a delight. With the opposing translation it is even more enjoyable as the occasional unfamiliar idiom or obscure vocabulary within the text was easily cleared up. And the translation itself is solid throughout.

For those not familiar with the Spanish text, don't be discouraged; this is definitely the one of the most accessible Spanish classics. I would recommend it even to less advanced Spanish learners. (It's also short!)

This book is an excellent read and the format is easy to follow. You can compare the English and Spanish side-by-side, or read each one at a time. The story itself is one that still resonates in today's popular culture.

Have used this handy bi-lingual volume of 365-year-old Spanish play as bookend for Santa Fe Opera's 2010 premiere by same name: Life is a Dream (La Vida es Sueno). Our production was so super, it dazzled, leaving future delights listening to underlying composition by Pulitzer Prize winner, Lewis Spratlan.
For now, am extracting Segismundo and Rosaura's love story embedded in its dual-language dialogue. Hint: they meet with him as Beast, she as cross-dressing 'man' with sword!
It's a treat.