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

~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca (Author), Stanley Appelbaum (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This seventeenth-century allegorical masterpiece by one of Spain's greatest dramatists incorporates the author's superb theatrical instincts, philosophical flair, and extraordinary imagination to probe the mysteries of human destiny. Exploring the conflict between free will and predestination, Calderon's most famous play tells of Segismundo, a Polish prince, imprisoned at birth by his father, the King, to thwart the predictions of astrologers. The dual-language edition features an excellent new literal translation on pages facing the original Spanish text and also includes the translator's informative introduction and notes.

Language Notes

Text: English, Spanish (translation)
Original Language: Spanish

Product Details

• Paperback: 203 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; Bilingual edition (December 6, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486424731
• ISBN-13: 978-0486424736
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #75,768 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Edition of a Classic, March 2, 2009

By	M. D. Fritz - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!)