Customer Reviews

No Paso Nada/ Nothing Happens (Spanish Edition)

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Arriving a few days after the brutal coup of September 11, 1973 which claimed the life of democratically-elected Marxist-communist Salvador Allende (along with nearly 25% of the Chilean population within the first year of the takeover), 14-year old Lucho and his family relocate to West Berlin where he must adapt to a new culture and language.

Along the way, he manages to go through the adolescent pangs of girlfriends, fights, soccer (the title refers to the words Lucho yells at incoming forwards after quelling would-be attacks from his defensive position) and friends.

Written through the eyes of a 14-year old, the story is replete with german misspellings and teenage "chileanismos." No Paso Nada demonstrates how adaptation to a new culture doesn't necessarily require forsaking mother-country roots. Thoroughly entertaining and politically astute.

¡Bravo! to Antonio Skarmeta, the J.D. Salinger of Chile and his great work on "No pasó nada." It's a story of a family forcefully exiled to West Berlin from their native Chile in the 70's after the coup d'état of the military on Sept. 11, 1973 forces Allende to leave. Read about the struggles this chilean family goes through and the difficulty for the parents to adapt to the customs and language of Germany. Follow Lucho through his adventures of first loves, first fights, best friends and growing up in a new place and most of all, drowning his sorrows, happiness, pain in a game of soccer with his ethnically diverse friends!

I loved this book very much because it brought back memories of reading the renowned book by Salinger. It made me want to dig out my copy of Catcher in the Rye and read it all over again. Hail to all youth who struggle through adolescence!!!