Near to the Wild Heart [Paperback]

Clarice Lispector (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1990

Clarice Lispector's first novel, Near to the Wild Heart (Perto do coraçao selvagem), was published in 1944, when ts author was only nineteen years old.

An immediate success, it became an acknowledged watershed in Brazilian literature, catapulting it into the literary arena of European modernism.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Portugese

About the Author

Clarice Lispector (1925-1977), the author of such works as Near to the Wild Heart, The Hour of the Star, and The Passion According to G. H., is the internationally acclaimed novelist and short-story writer from Brazil and the subject of Benjamin Moser’s magisterial biography Why This World.

Giovanni Pontiero (1932–1996) was the ablest translator of twentieth century literature in Portuguese and one of its most ardent advocates. He was the principal translator into English of the works of José Saramago and was awarded the Teixeira-Gomes Prize for his translation of The Gospel According to Jesus Christ. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: New Directions (November 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811211398
• ISBN-13: 978-0811211390
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,661,529 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too much introspection and non-linear self-absorbed thought, July 14, 2010

By 

Linda Linguvic (New York City) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Near to the Wild Heart: A Novel (Paperback)

This book was a choice for the reading group at my local bookstore. It is a Brazilian novel, written in 1944, when the author was only 19 years old. It's written in a stream-of consciousness style and covers the childhood and early adulthood of Joana, whose view of the world is one of sadness and introspection. There's a unique use of language and a few good moments but it was a struggle to read and, if it wasn't a reading assignment, I would have thrown the book in the garbage after the first few pages. There was just too much introspection for me and non-linear self-absorbed thought. Her inner life bored me completely and, even though she used language well, I was never moved. I was just bored.

That said, I must say that all the other members of the group, without exception, thought this was some sort of a masterpiece. Her angst-filled personality was meaningful to them, her words were unique expressions of wisdom. It was hard for me to believe how much they loved this book.

When I think about it the author did have a unique voice. She did use language in a way that evoked emotion. And there was a bit of literary art to it. But I never would have read it had it not be an assignment. And I really did hate it.