Day 93: Critics Split on a Saltillo Saga
On a panel at the Guadalajara International Book Fair (the FIL), Edmundo (A), the host, discusses a debut novel about three generations of a bakery family in Saltillo with the critics Rebeca (B) and Lamberto (C) and the book blogger Paola (D); pan de pulque is a Saltillo bread made with fermented agave sap.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a Spanish word to see what it means.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Spanish, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning
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A
La novela “Pan de pulque”, que fue publicada por una editorial pequeña, ya va en su cuarta reimpresión. ¿Cómo lo explica, Rebeca?
The novel Pan de pulque, which was published by a small press, is already on its fourth reprint. How do you explain that, Rebeca?
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B
He de reconocer que la prosa es exquisita. Pero, francamente, a la novela le sobran cien páginas.
I must admit the prose is exquisite. But, frankly, the novel is a hundred pages too long.
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C
Coincido. Lloré con el capítulo de la abuela, pero de cansancio: sesenta páginas para amasar un pan.
I agree. I cried at the grandmother's chapter, but from exhaustion: sixty pages to knead one loaf.
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D
Pero ese es justamente el chiste: la novela fermenta despacio, como el pan de pulque.
But that's exactly the point: the novel ferments slowly, like pan de pulque.
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C
Que fermente, de acuerdo, pero un pan olvidado en el horno se quema, señorita.
Let it ferment, fine, but a loaf forgotten in the oven burns, young lady.
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D
Si todos pensaran como usted, este libro nunca habría sido publicado: seis editoriales lo rechazaron por largo.
If everyone thought like you, this book would never have been published: six publishers turned it down for being too long.
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A
Antes de que se nos queme el panel, Paola: si tuviera que quitarle un capítulo, ¿cuál sería?
Before this panel burns too, Paola: if you had to cut one chapter, which would it be?
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D
Ninguno. Bueno, he de admitir que el de la boda de la nieta se me hizo eterno.
None. Well, I have to admit the one about the granddaughter's wedding felt endless to me.
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A
Ahí está: hasta su defensora le quitaría algo. Y para que nadie se vaya enojado, hay pan de pulque a la salida.
There you have it: even its champion would cut something. And so that nobody leaves annoyed, there's pan de pulque on the way out.
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