Antología Abierta De Literatura Hispana
Julie Ann Ward, University of Oklahoma
Copyright Year: 2017
Publisher: Rebus Community
Language: Spanish; Castilian
Formats Available
Conditions of Use
Attribution
CC BY
Reviews
The text provides an interesting approach to literature. Each work in the anthology contains an introduction with some biographical and literary context for the works. Then there is a work itself, followed by a bibliography. The introduction is... read more
The text provides an interesting approach to literature. Each work in the anthology contains an introduction with some biographical and literary context for the works. Then there is a work itself, followed by a bibliography. The introduction is written in an understandable language and covers important information to put the text in context. In both the introduction and the work itself there are footnotes to explain complex words, new ideas, or other important elements that might be foreign to L2 readers. I find the editing thus refreshing and accessible to students.
The spread itself is broad but small: it covers iconic men and women writers from both Spain and Latin America from early periods to early 20th century. There is nothing newer than that (probably due in part to copyright limitations), but otherwise the spread of representations is strong. The editor(s) left room for growing the text and for collaboration with other writers. If this happens, I would like to see the inclusion of more works from the mid to late 20th century from both sides of the Atlantic, if possible.
The other weakness is that there is an emphasis on poetry and short stories, and no inclusion of other genres such as theater or essay. This is also something that could be expanded as the project grows.
The content seems well-researched for an undergraduate L2 text. There is a valuable bibliography after each author and the introduction and biographical information is accurate and relevant.
This is a strong point of the text with the authors and works presented. The authors are old, but the contextual information was added recently. It is relevant today. Furthermore, updating the text will be relatively easy: add a chapter with a new author and introduction will require little effort. This can allow the text to be updated with new authors and information as it becomes part of the canon over the coming years. Those authors included are iconic in literature studies, so there presence will not become obsolete either.
The weakness is that they do not include more modern writers, which I assume relates to copyright and licensing issues related to an OER.
This is also a strong point for this text. It was written through collaboration with students, so the language is accessible and accurate for and by students. In more traditional texts the contextual information tends to be jargon-filled and syntactically complicated—appropriate for a native-speaking educated audience. This is still accurate in content, but the language is much clearer for L2 students who do not have the deep experience and broad training to engage complicated texts.
The text follows a clear pattern of organization. Each text has a historical/biographical/thematic introduction for each work. Then the work itself is presented. Finally, there is a biography related to each author and work. The presentation is chronological: texts begin with early authors and then they are presented in order by birth date. The only consistency problem is on OTL database in which they downloadable versions are different than the web-based version (accessible through OTL) and the downloadable versions on the website. OTL has much older versions with inconsistent presentations and fewer texts than the updated web-based version. The library would need to update their links.
The modularity is obvious and useful. The structure allows for an independent study of the biography and context, even as a class alone. Then the text is its own unit. There is not much complication in topics, so any more modularity would break up the text too much. One potential additional module not included could be a discussion of genre if there were some reorganization of the overall textbook by genre.
They are ordered by birth year of author, which is the easiest to establish. But that then does not lend itself easily to a study by genre, gender, LA vs. Peninsular lit, etc. It is not a bad approach, the instructor would have to skip around if she wanted to structure the class differently.
Everything works well on the web-version of the book, and the versions downloadable from there. Once on the web-based text, the downloadable content appears to be consistent with the most current version. One small problem is that when you click on one element of an author, e.g. the introduction, there is no “next” button or something of the sort to take you to the next pate, the text itself. You must go back to the ToC to do so, and while not particularly confusing or problematic, it does lack the flow and intuitiveness of a web-based text.
There is one MAJOR interface problem, and it is not the author’s per se: the online text is updated, but when accessing the downloadable text from the OTL database it is not consistent with the web-based text. The ToC on the OTL page reflects that of the old PDF versions, not the web version of the text.
There was nothing alarming here. I did not notice any. There was an occasional spelling error, a typo.
The authors do well. There is a strong mix of diverse authors and perspectives. Some are newer in the canon than others, but they account for the traditional and the new canon in the selection of authors. There is a balance of women and men writers, Spanish and LA, colonial and later, etc.
It looks promising. The biggest desire I have is that many of the most discussed and relevant texts are mid to late 20th century writers, and they are not included. I assume this has to do with copyright and licensing issues for a OER, but if that can be overcome and such texts included here, it would greatly strengthen the instructional potential of this text.
The textbook does not cover all areas of Hispanic literatures--but which one really does? It's not like there is a universal consensus on how we define such areas--regions, countries, continents, hemispheres? Do we include literary works from... read more
The textbook does not cover all areas of Hispanic literatures--but which one really does? It's not like there is a universal consensus on how we define such areas--regions, countries, continents, hemispheres? Do we include literary works from Latin American written in indigenous languages or works written in Peninsular languages other than Spanish? How about works written by US Latinx authors (in Spanish or English)?
This textbook is a work in progress that is continually being expanded by students, who decide what to include. It excels in representing a significant number of women authors; it has room for growth when it comes to contemporary literature--which understandably runs into the issue of copyright. Lastly, it would benefit from a less traditional understanding of 'literature' and from adopting the plural in the title.
Overall accurate. Entries are not free of spelling and grammatical mistakes, but the information conveyed is based on scholarly sources. Similarly, the reproduction of the readings contains few mistakes and notes are useful.
Highly relevant given the rising costs of textbooks. There are other textbooks with similar reading selections, and their introductions and activities are of a higher scholarly caliber. However, they are often behind a hefty pay wall. Because of its inclusion of many women authors, the textbook may be less at risk of being obsolete than its traditional, more expensive counterparts.
Very clear. The font choice and overall format afford a comfortable reading experience. Entries tend to be clear and accessible to the assumed audience of college students who are taking an introductory course on Hispanic literatures.
Submission guidelines ensure consistency throughout the book. There is a level of variation in length of the anthologized readings. Other than that, the textbook is highly consistent.
Each entry is pretty much stand-alone. There are no units, which is a good thing for modularity and can be a bad thing in that students will need further assistance to make sense of the ebbs and flows of the evolution of literatures.
Organization is very good. The online includes a useful bottom menu that allows readers to transition between the different parts of each entry (introduction, text, references). Links to outside sources bring the reader directly to a different website, which will not be the preference of some readers--who can opt to open their link in a different tab or window once they're aware of this.
No issues or glitches in my reading experience. Images display correctly in different window sizes.
A few errors. To be expected when accepting student submissions. Small errors can be found in the opening sections (e.g., Preface) as well.
Not offensive. Not a great deal of racial/ethnic diversity.
Great effort by Dr. Ward and the many students who have contributed to this textbook. Definitely, the option to contribute to the Antología through editing project assignments for seniors and other advanced Spanish students make this textbook a great option.
Antología abierta de literatura hispana includes authors from Latin America (11 entries) and Spain (10 entries) spanning a period of seven centuries. It begins in 13th century Spain with Don Juan Manuel and, following a chronological order, ends... read more
Antología abierta de literatura hispana includes authors from Latin America (11 entries) and Spain (10 entries) spanning a period of seven centuries. It begins in 13th century Spain with Don Juan Manuel and, following a chronological order, ends in 20th century Argentina with Roberto Artl. Given the pedagogical nature of this project and the understandable limitations of an open anthology, the selections are comprehensive and diverse–particularly in terms of gender. The introductions and short bibliographies that complement every entry, plus the glossary at the end, are extremely helpful for students; they are accurate in terms of content, and also serve as a model of good student work that can easily be replicated or expanded in the classroom.
One of the most valuable features of this anthology is precisely that was conceived as a collaborative project between students and professors. In this sense, some of its limitations–it would be great, for example, to have more than one text for each author or a few more names for the 20th century–could be addressed through similar student-faculty projects.
The online version is accurate. Some of the introductions have minor grammatical mistakes that do not affect the overall content.
The anthology is a mix of canonical and non-canonical texts. The inclusion of a significant group of female authors, with texts that are no obvious choices, makes it particularly relevant.
300-400 level students should be able to follow the text without difficulties. Most entries include footnotes, hyperlinks to relevant academic articles, and definitions of difficult words.
The online version has a consistent structure and, as has been mentioned before, it is consistent with its main pedagogical goal, which is to be an invitation for students to become active, critical readers of Hispanic literature and not just passive consumers.
The texts are easy to break into small sections that can be adapted to different types of courses. In fact, the anthology will be more effective when used in a modular way than as a textbook for one class.
The book follows a chronological structure.
The interface is simple, clean, and easy to navigate.
The text has few and minor grammatical errors. Some of these are common mistakes among advanced Spanish students. One example: Artl’s introduction says he was “un artista torturado, incomprendido y improvisado”.
The selections are diverse and include authors from different backgrounds.
I look forward to seeing new versions of this anthology with more entries and an even longer list of contributors.
Since this is an open anthology, it would be unfair to judge its comprehensiveness in absolute terms. It is not a completed text; it can be modified or changed with collaborations. In its current online form, the anthology is pretty comprehensive... read more
Since this is an open anthology, it would be unfair to judge its comprehensiveness in absolute terms. It is not a completed text; it can be modified or changed with collaborations. In its current online form, the anthology is pretty comprehensive (more than the PDF version); there are selections from 21 Spanish and Latin American authors offered, ranging from the Middle Age to the 20th century. There are canonical and non-canonical authors which enriches the selection. Given the nature of the textbook, it is not very easy to adopt it as a course’s main text. Still, it is certainly very convenient for using it as a source of materials for a survey course on Spanish or Latin American literature.
Overall the text is accurate. The online version seems most accurate than the PDF version since it allows us to make changes if the readers send their feedback to the editors. There is a high level of grammatical accuracy.
The anthology is relevant because it allows students to access a good sample of Spanish and Latin American authors; some of them are central to the study of literature in Spanish, while the inclusion of less canonical authors enhances the scope of the selection.
The text is clear; it is written in academic Spanish. Its style is manageable for the students that will use it. The language used in the introduction and notes is mostly concise (the latter clarify the references of the texts, which is very useful to students). Language and content are clear for the levels where the textbook can be used and the audience it is targeting.
The order of appearance of the texts seems to be random in the PDF version of the textbook, but the order is rearranged in a chronological way in the online version. The textbook is consistent with its goals. It provides a useful selection of authors and introduces students to these authors in several ways, like the introductions, the footnotes, and the glossary at the end of the textbook.
The structure of the textbook (nine chapters including each one an introduction with the author’s biography, the selected text, footnotes and questions for discussion, and a bibliography) allows students to navigate the chapters in a very manageable way. The different chapters can be assigned at different points within a survey course since they are not strictly interdependent. The open nature of the textbook also allows us to reorganize it with feedbacks and new incorporations of authors.
As it has been said before, the organization of the texts seems to be random in the PDF version of the textbook, but the order is rearranged in a chronological way in the online version, which facilitates the comprehension of the students and would allow the professors to build a historical narrative if that would the approach of the course.
The online interface is very navigable; the font used helps to read the texts. I would recommend using the online version since it is better in several ways than the PDf version, as it has been said before.
The textbook is mostly error free (online version), although there are some vocabulary and grammar errors. To give an example, in the Glossary, “picaresco/a”: “una persona que vive de engañas” it should be “engaños”.
Given the open nature of the textbook, it would be great to add some authors to make more culturally relevant the selection of texts, especially some authors from the last decades and authors whose work focuses on race and gender issues.
It is great that professor Ward includes students' collaborations and voices. It is also very good that the textbook is open which allows possibilities of future collaborations.
As noted in other reviews, the online anthology covers a far broader range of authors than the PDF. This review will be based on the online version. There are selections from 21 Spanish and Latin American authors offered, ranging from la Edad... read more
As noted in other reviews, the online anthology covers a far broader range of authors than the PDF. This review will be based on the online version. There are selections from 21 Spanish and Latin American authors offered, ranging from la Edad Media to the 20th century. Especially useful are the introductions, "Preguntas de discusión," footnotes, pictures, bibliography, and built-in links to additional resources that accompany each text. A good range of authors are covered, from within and beyond the cannon, and I am pleased to see a decent representation of women authors in this list. The vast majority of the texts are prose or poetry, with only two examples of drama. With only 21 authors there are bound to be omissions that will trouble some, however this is a solid selection of texts that could be covered in a one semester course with perhaps some supplementation from the professor.
The information provided in the introductions is accurate and backed up by numerous links to additional resources and a bibliography for each author. I found no issues with accuracy. The grammar issues noted by some reviewers appear to have been addressed as well.
The readings themselves will never go out of date. I suppose one will have top check periodically that all the links remain active and continue to link to the relevant material. However, this will naturally be accounted for with an open access textbook since users will be able to instantly provide feedback for any out-of-date links or other information.
Very clear and easy to navigate. The introductions appear to have been written primarily by students, with very good editing by a fluent Spanish speaker. I did not find many errors, but the style is somewhat anglicized and sounds like the way an advanced Spanish student would speak. I do not think this is an issue, however, for a transition course (early 3000 level) between the primary language acquisition courses and more advanced literature courses. On the contrary, I think the style of writing in these introductions will be perfect for students at this level. Easy to understand, yet still more advanced than what they would have gotten in the beginner courses.
Very consistent in terminology, framework, and overall structure.
The text is very well divided into individual units and sub-units that can be assigned for different class periods, in the order that the professor chooses. The navigability is intuitive and reliable.
Excellent organization. As stated in previous reviews, the readings are organized chronologically instead of by genre. However, the readings can easily be assigned in any order according to the preferences of the teacher, either thematically, geographically, by genre, etc.
The interface is excellent. The pictures are the appropriate size, all links I tested were working well, and the layout of materials for each author (introduction followed by text, discussion questions, then bibliography) is reliable.
I do wish it were possible to keep the contents open on the left side of the screen as you can with Kindle and other online readers. As it currently works, you can open the contents, but once you click on a selection the contents disappear, which means you have to scroll through all of them again when you wish to choose a new selection.
I believe the majority of grammar errors signaled in earlier reviews have now been addressed. As stated above, the somewhat anglicized manner of phrasing things in the introductions is not, in my mind, a negative for the target audience of this book. Furthermore, this style of speaking represents the way many bilingual speakers in the US speak. On the whole, students are exposed to a wide variety of examples of how the Spanish language is (and has been) spoken across a wide range of time and location.
The text is very culturally sensitive. Like most anthologies of Spanish literature, Spain and Argentina are disproportionately represented in the texts chosen. This is not a weakness per se, however, as more authors are added, I would try to include more from under-represented countries, including Spanish-language texts written in the US.
I commend Dr. Ward and her collaborators for this extensive project, which continues to be improved upon. As of this writing (October 2019) the anthology is complete and perfectly usable for a college course, with some supplemental materials from the professor as desired. Students will appreciate the variety of texts offered and the very clear and accessible way in which they are presented. I am especially thankful for the additional resources (including many websites and scholarly articles) linked throughout the text, which will make assigning follow-up projects asking for additional research on the authors easy for the students. Overall an excellent anthology for an introductory literature course for intermediate-level Spanish students.
As of the date of this review (7.7.19), the online edition of this textbook is considerably more comprehensive than the PDF download. As mentioned by previous reviewers, the PDF version is comprised of 9 chapters, each representing a different... read more
As of the date of this review (7.7.19), the online edition of this textbook is considerably more comprehensive than the PDF download. As mentioned by previous reviewers, the PDF version is comprised of 9 chapters, each representing a different author. The overall selection meets the goal established in the preface, offering a "general vision" of some of the most famous authors and works from the Spanish-speaking world. When compared to the online edition, the PDF download does seem limited. The online edition has 21 chapters to date. I will focus the remainder of this review on that extended edition, as it appears the editors are continuing to add, revise, and update the online copy in accordance to the plan outlined in the preface and acknowledgments. It would seem erroneous to evaluate a self-declared, collaborative, work-in-progress without evaluating the progress that has been made (and much has been made!).
Each chapter of the online edition begins with an introduction, offering biographical, historical, and cultural information as well as relevant descriptions of significant literary movements. This is followed by an annotated version of a primary text, a few of which have been adapted to meet the needs of an intermediate high learner, as the authors likewise indicate in the preface. Lastly, each chapter has a bibliography, which is particularly useful for courses that require a research paper (or scaffolding activities toward that end). Some of the chapters contain discussion questions, whereas others do not: this would appear to be one opportunity for the current authors/community to add similar questions and thus balance out the chapters.
As previous reviewers have noted, ongoing progress might include suggested varied activities (pre-reading, during, and post-reading) that go beyond the comprehension and baseline analytical questions posed in those chapters containing discussion questions. Particularly for an intermediate-high student, this type of variety and engaged reading would help promote language acquisition across all four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking), and seem less intimidating than what (visually, at least) appears to be a traditional textbook in a foreign language. Likewise, in its current form the online text seems unlikely for a full-term introduction to literature course, as the flow is left largely unexplained. It would seem they are arranged by author's date of birth, yet this ignores potential thematic, historical, literary, and cultural connections that might shape broader modules. Future re/visions might include options for suggested "pathways" to approach the text: how to use it for a feminist or "marginalized voices" course theme; how to use it for exiled/displaced authors; etc. Even just providing that-- for students and educators-- might help students (and educators) come up with other "big picture" connections as they work through the readings. As noted by another reviewer, there is one such footnote regarding Sor Juana and Góngora; students often fail to realize how much a given author is him/herself an avid reader of those who came first. Viewing literature as an international and intergenerational dialogue might validate their positions as readers and critics of these texts.
The online edition appears mostly accurate, error-free, and unbiased. I can only imagine it will continue to improve as more people implement the text and share their feedback. I applaud the original authors for welcoming this type of collaboration and for appearing to make improvements based on the suggestions they receive.
This is what most fascinates me about the online version: it is a living document that will continue to build upon itself. Particularly with new online tools such as Hypothes.is (and similar web annotating features), it has the potential to be relevant for a wide audience for a long time.
The book is accessible for a 3000-level introduction to literature (or introduction to "Spanish studies") type of course. For that reason, the language is accessible for a student who has completed the majority of the language acquisition classes, yet is not quite at the advanced, senior/capstone-style courses. With respect to providing context for jargon/terminology, the footnotes at times seem to "give away" the learning moment that might occur without them. For instance, many of the poems contain footnotes regarding rhetorical figures (ex. anaphora), which students should be seeking and analyzing in this type of course. Otherwise, they are well-intentioned and clear to follow.
At present, the online edition is slightly inconsistent, as noted above: some chapters have discussion questions and other do not; some have more footnotes; some have more context; etc. This may be attributable to multiple authors and phases of revision. Based on the considerable progress that has been made, even just comparing the nine chapters of the PDF to the twenty one chapters of the online version, it appears the basic framework has been implemented for new additions (introduction, annotated text, bibliography). As the text grows, it will be useful to copyedit for consistent terminology, perhaps by adding a glossary of terms and an index. Both resources would provide a natural means of identifying and using key terminology (both by students/educators and by future contributors/editors). It may also provide a degree of organization and cohesiveness to the text. This may prove complicated for an online resource, but is worth investigating.
The online text is an incredible tool for implementing smaller reading sections into an already-established introduction to literature course. As mentioned previously, with newer online annotating tools such as Hypothes.is (etc.) these modules can become acutely tailored to a particular body of students, and can become living documents through which students interact with the source text, one another, and their instructors.
With respect to individual modules, the organization makes sense: background information, text, additional bibliography. However, when considered as a whole, the online edition lacks structure (beyond chronological use of author's date of birth). As mentioned above, it will be helpful to create "suggested pathways" (not unlike Cortázar's "suggested chapter orders" in Rayuela) for students and instructors, such as those based on theme, geography, time period, and/or historical/cultural/literary movements.
I am so pleased with the usability of the online edition. As mentioned above, new online annotating tools will make this open resource an invaluable tool for individual modules/chapters/units in a broader course.
Previous reviewers have offered extensive comments regarding grammar. It appears the editors have begun revising. Perhaps allowing selected users the access to annotate the text online, with the original others as administrators or moderators of this feature, would expedite the process of reviewing the online edition (as the PDF is understandably more limited in terms of editing by multiple or simultaneous reviewers).
The online edition offers a much broader variety of voices. It would be good to see more representation of other marginalized voices, such as authors representing less predominant religious, ethnic, racial, political, or LGBTQ groups. Again, I am convinced that the author/s intent is heartfelt: this book continues to grow, and it is only natural that new contributors will help provide such examples.
I congratulate the author/s both on piloting this project and in including their students in the effort. What an amazing opportunity for those classes to contribute in a tangible, meaningful way! I look forward to using modules in upcoming courses, and hope to provide feedback from myself and my students once we've used them. I encourage other faculty members to consider implementing modules and to provide feedback, so that this type of project continues to improve. I also encourage other faculty members to use this as a model for other areas pertinent to our discipline (i.e. resources for survey literature courses, civilization and culture classes, film studies courses, etc.).
Editor Dr. Julie Ann Ward, co-editors Alice Barrett and Kaylee Bradberry and a team of 23 contributing student editors from the University of Oklahoma compiled a wide range of literary texts from nine writers, seven centuries and six countries in... read more
Editor Dr. Julie Ann Ward, co-editors Alice Barrett and Kaylee Bradberry and a team of 23 contributing student editors from the University of Oklahoma compiled a wide range of literary texts from nine writers, seven centuries and six countries in the Spanish-speaking world. The Index, Introductions to each author, Works and Bibliographies are very effectively presented. However, the team did not include a glossary, maps or timeline of major historic events to accompany their text.
Due to the broad inclusion of historic periods and geographical settings, the reader is given a very open-ended collection of writings to study. Within this overarching structure there is a high level of grammatical accuracy and a broad literary and cultural perspective.
Drawing from primary sources from the 13th to the 20th centuries, the text is a compilation of shorter works that represent each individual writer’s voice. Additionally, this text is arranged in a random order chronologically and geographically. Perhaps intended by the editors, this can either be confusing or invite a closer examination and interaction on the part of the reader and instructor.
Each chapter delves directly into the work chosen by the editors and student collaborators. They have included very clearly written footnotes which expand on both vocabulary and certain ideas made within the authors’ written works.
Because Antología Abierta de Literatura Hispana contains short stories, testimonial literature, an essay and poetry over seven centuries from all parts of the Spanish-speaking world, it is challenging to understand these works in a wider literary framework. Without an explanation of socio-historic and political contexts as well as a lack of a literary genre overview, there are certain inherent difficulties in navigating this text outside of the nine chapters presented. As noted in the preface, the intention of this text is to provide a general vision of certain famous authors and their most important works. In this regard, this work has met its goal.
Containing nine chapters featuring one author/work per section, this text can readily be organized to examine biographical details, the nature of the text or both very conveniently. Having said that, there are various ways that the text can be augmented with pre-reading exercises, grammatical lessons, literary analysis and discussion questions following the readings. The Table of Contents, Preface and set of nine writers is well-organized, however the text lacks the inclusion of a glossary, preparatory exercises prior to reading the works and an opportunity for expanded literary analysis.
Each chapter of the text follows an identical pattern: 1.) author, 2.) introduction, 3.) title of selected work and names of student contributors, 4.) biographical summary of author and their photo or visual representation and, 5.) selected work. Despite the consistency of this organization, the text follows neither a chronological or geographical sequence. This aspect of the text detracts from a sense of continuity and cohesion.
This text is very usable and allows the reader to navigate all 5 of the organizational pieces previously mentioned quite easily. Each of the nine authors is highlighted through a detailed biographical and literary introduction accompanied by analysis and commentary of their work. The selected work is clearly annotated and is followed by comprehensive bibliographies of the students’ research.
The team assembled by Dr. Julie Ann Ward, her two co-editors and the group of 23 student collaborators very carefully reviewed their work and have created a very clear and error-free textbook.
Ranging in scope from the 13th to the 20th centuries, Antología Abierta de Literatura Hispana samples widely over time. Equally as varied are the selections by writers from Spain, Italy, the Caribbean, Central and South America. Five works by women writers and four by male authors are included. This is a broad and well-balanced sampling to have been chosen for the anthology.
In the Preface to the Antología Abierta de Literatura Hispana, Dr. Julie Ann Ward invites readers to add, correct or provide suggestions to their team of collaborators on the contents of the text. The sincerity of this message is a clear tribute to the nature of the collective essence of Open Textbooks and OERs.
This anthology includes nine reading selections by nine distinct authors from a wide-ranging selection of places. There are three poems and six short works of prose, in all ranging from one to thirteen pages, thus making the selections highly... read more
This anthology includes nine reading selections by nine distinct authors from a wide-ranging selection of places. There are three poems and six short works of prose, in all ranging from one to thirteen pages, thus making the selections highly accessible to students in the third year of their Spanish language career. Regrettably, the selections belong to only two genres, namely, poetry (three of nine selections) and short prose (the remaining three selections). The latter can be classified as 1) short-prose fiction (two selections), 2) epistolary (one selection), and 3) journalistic or expository essay form (three selections). There is no sample belonging to the genres of the novel or drama. Another pitfall of this anthology is the heavy weight placed on the nineteenth century and the first two decades of the twentieth century. Six of the nine selections come from a span of less than eighty years. There is a single reading selection from the medieval period (i.e. Don Juan Manuel); a letter from the fifteenth century (i.e. Cristóbal Colón); and the remaining six pieces were produced in the nineteenth century and the first two decades of the twentieth century. Of those six selections, two are by men (i.e. Rubén Darío and Horacio Quiroga), and four by women, With one notable exception (i.e. Afonsina Storni), the remaining women are strong female figures who wrote almost exclusively in narrative form, namely Emilia Pardo Bazán, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, Juana Manso, and the Condesa de Merlín, all of whom wrote in a span of a half a century. In a literary tradition that spans eight centuries, this can certainly be perceived as unacceptable. This anthology, therefore, presents a lopsided view of the Hispanic literatures, heavily weighted in favor of nineteenth-century women writers.
Index is accurate and useful, with no glossary or appendices provided. Notes to both the reading selections and their introductions are succinct and, although rather fragmentary, appropriately chosen.
Overall, the content of this anthology is accurate and reliable for a second- or third-year learner of Spanish. However, there are a few problematic issues that merit attention.
Nothing more appropriate for the opening of this type of anthology than Rubén Darío’s poem “A Roosevelt” (9-13). It is, however, unfortunate that the arrangement of the poem in the page interrupts the flow of the line, thus breaking the rhyme and the rhythm of the poem. Fortunately, this did not affect the other poems in the selection, by Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda (67-68) and by Alfonsina Storni (133-134)
I have found no glaring errors of content or context.
Because this anthology uses editions of primary sources that have been produced long ago. There is nothing written in the past seventy years. This is one of the serious deficiencies of this anthology.
The effort to include non-canonical authors, such as Juana Manso de Noronha or la Condesa de Merlín, can be understood in the current climate of post-Harold Bloom’s “The Western Canon” in which attention has shifted to the margins. The move, one could argue, is welcome in these cases. There are other more prominent women writers that upheld the feminist standard around the same time period, such as Rosario Castellanos; yet, the piece by Juana Manso, “Emancipación moral de la mujer” is entirely appropriate and justified. In any case, it is never an easy decision to include a non-canonical author or piece in a literary anthology, such as this one, which has to encapsulate the best and more representative works of Spanish literature, which is vast and rich by any measure. A serious deficiency in this anthology is the lack of samples of the many masterpieces of Spanish literature produced during highly important periods such as the Renaissance, the Baroque or the Romanticism. More incomprehensible than the inclusion of a non-canonical figure such as Juana Manso is the fact that her writing selection ends with a puzzling “Continuará” (“It will continue”), a following piece which is not offered to the reader, not even in summary form. The selection, thus, ends abruptly. In regards to the Condesa de Merlín, the choice of this less-canonical figure is well justified in page 163.
This is one of the most notable strengths of this anthology. It is offered in a clear and accessible language. In spite of the glaring Anglicisms -mostly calques -, and the occasional grammatical, lexical, syntactic, and orthographic errors, this textbook is largely clear of jargon. Students would appreciate the simplicity and accessibility of the language, the help from the introductory sections, the brevity of the textual selections, and the accompanying bibliographies.
In this anthology, in general, complexity is sacrificed in favor of clarity and accessibility. One particular approach to the configuration of this textbook merits some careful attention. In the reading selections from time periods that are far removed from the present time, editors have to make difficult decisions about the extent to which they want to 1) preserve the original language; 2) adapt it to a modern reader via some form of consistent regularization or normalization of the orthography, lexicon and syntax; or 3) modernize it altogether to make it entirely accessible to a modern reader. Our editors have been rather inconsistent. In the case of the fourteenth-century tale by Don Juan Manuel, language is modernized without any indication. Yet, in the case of the letter by Cristóbal Colón, the reading selection is preceded by a note that reads “La Carta a Luis de Santangel ha sido modernizada en esta edición para que entiendan mejor los lectores.” (103) (“The Letter to Luis de Santangel has been modernized in this edition so that readers understand it better”). Yet, in spite of this note, language has not been entirely modernized. It is not a problem for the reader, but it is a case of inconsistency.
The amount of material presented is appropriate for an advanced-intermediate student of Spanish, which typically coincides with a student at the end of the second year or beginning of the third year. Each reading selection consists of three segments, namely 1) an introduction to the author, his/her life and work; 2) the reading selection; and 3) a basic bibliography about the literary piece, its author or the time period. It is, this, very well structured and it is highly accessible and easy to use.
The division of the contents in nine parts (or sections), while it fits well in a quarter system of 10 week-long sessions, it does not lend itself easily to traditional semester-long or trimester-long courses of 15 and 12-13 weeks respectively. In order to make it more useful for the latter, it would need to add another four or five reading selections. Expanding the content would also afford the opportunity to balance the content better across periods, genres and styles.
The tripartite structure of introduction-primary text-bibliography for each selection works well. Adding activities or questions for reflection and student interaction would represent an improvement in subsequent editions.
Reading selections don’t appear to follow any logical sequence; it jumps from poetry to prose without any explanation or apparent rationale. The preface to the anthology provides a detailed explanation of the project, but gives no guidance for the selection of literary texts or help in tackling the reading. It is, on a more positive light, a good first step in the right direction of providing free and unrestricted access to reading selections in Spanish.
The format to this anthology is its biggest asset. It is presented in large and clear font, with good use of the space in the page. The amount of information in the page is neither overwhelming nor infantile in its appearance.
There are a few cases of extended characters that have not been transferred correctly during the digitization process, such as “Colecció?n” (122) or “lxs editors” (xviii), en lugar de “los editors.”
In page 143, a reference to “Figura 1” is made; yet, there is no figura 1 anywhere. There is a portrait of Juana Manso, to which the reader has to infer the reference to “Figura 1” points.
Cut and paste does not transfer diacritics or special Spanish characters and symbols. All accent marks and tildes, such as the one over the “ñ,” as well as the inverted question and exclamation marks become lost. Cutting and pasting for use in assignments or activities in the classroom turns into a burdensome task of revising every one of those extended characters that are not transferred.
While the use of simple and accessible language is laudable for this type of textbook, it contains plenty of language errors, mostly Anglicisms in the form of calques from English, that bring into question its usefulness as a textbook in a Spanish language program. Here are a few examples:
• “En adición” (77) instead of “Además”.
• “cincuenta y uno cuentos” (78) in place of “cincuenta y un cuentos”.
• “Esta frase marca la característica fundamental de la narración enmarcada, la “historia dentro de una historia”, o la narración enmarcada.” (note 6, p. 82). “Narración enmarcada” is repeated erroneously.
• “Matanzas es ambas una provincia y la ciudad capital de Cuba” (note 20, p. 176) instead of the more acceptable “Matanzas es tanto una provincia como la ciudad capital de la provincia.” The use of “ciudad capital de Cuba” is clearly an error.
• “[Cristóbal Colón] se murió el 20 de mayo, 1506” (101) instead of the more acceptable “murió el 20 de mayo de 1506”.
• “el abandono parental” (161) in place of “el abandono paterno”.
• “John Cabot, conocido en italiano como Giovanni Cabot” (102) instead of “[…] Giovanni Caboto”
• “Santangel” (103) instead of “Santángel” (with an accent mark).
• “Condesa de Merlin” (160) instead of “Condesa de Merlín” (with an accent mark).
Here are a few examples of calques from English:
• “Quiroga era uno de los desarrolladores principales del cuento de efecto” (22) instead of the better choice of “Quiroga era uno de los principales cultivadores del cuento de efecto.”
• “ha ganado mucha atención de los críticos” (78), in place of the more acceptable “ha atraído la atención de la crítica,” or better yet, “se ha granjeado la atención de la crítica.”
• “los países de Europa mandaron a los conquistadores y los barcos con ejércitos para vencer el territorio y los indígenas” (103) in place of the more acceptable “[…] para subyugar el territorio y a los indígenas.”
• “Storni trabajó para apoyar su familia” (130) instead of the correct “Storni trabajó para mantener a su familia”.
The direct translation from English also results in the occasional misplacement of the descriptive adjective, as is the case in “[Colón] intentaba informar […] de sus descubrimientos magníficos” (102), instead of the correct “[…] de sus magníficos descubrimientos.”
In other cases, the choice of language, from vocabulary to syntactic structures, is contrived or problematic. For instance, in page 77 one reads: “Manuel tuvo un puesto en el ejército que luchaba contra los moros en su vida temprana.” (77) A correct syntax and more appropriate choice of words would render: “Don Juan Manuel tuvo un puesto militar en la primera etapa de su vida por el cual estaba encargado de defender la frontera contra los musulmanes”. See below for the use of the word “moro” and its pejorative connotation.
The use of the proper names of authors is rather unconventional. Don Juan Manuel is neither known as “Manuel” nor “Juan Manuel” (77-78), but “Don Juan Manuel.” Likewise, the Condesa de Merlín is referred hear, rather puzzlingly, as “Santa Cruz” (162). In the case of John Cabot, it is not known why the editors have chosen the English name. He was an Italian explorer, widely known in the Hispanic world as Juan Caboto. Because the anthology is written in Spanish about Spanish literature, it would have been more appropriate to use Juan Caboto and not John Cabot throughout the introduction and notes.
Overall, this anthology is very sensitive to cultural nuances that could be perceived as offensive. I have only found one case in which the choice of word may be considered inappropriate. In page 77 one reads: “Manuel tuvo un puesto en el ejército que luchaba contra los moros en su vida temprana.” (77) The use of “moro” is discouraged in favor of the more neutral options of “Muslims,” “Arabs,” “peoples of the Maghreb” or all of the above. As stated above, there is a heavy tilt towards female authors, which could be perceived as an overcompensation for the male-dominated anthologies of the past.
The compilation of works in this anthology is a step in the right direction. Fixing the issues raised in this review would facilitate its adoption in an introductory survey of Hispanic literature. The introduction to each author includes pertinent and valuable information for students to appreciate the historical, cultural and literary contexts for each reading selection. Overall, it’s a worthwhile effort and it deserves praise.
The textbook covers a good range of topics and authors, those within the canon (Darío, Quiroga, Pardo Bazán, Gómez de Avellaneda, Don Juan Manuel, Cristóbal Colón o Storni) as well as various marginal voices (Juana Manso de Noronha and La Condesa... read more
The textbook covers a good range of topics and authors, those within the canon (Darío, Quiroga, Pardo Bazán, Gómez de Avellaneda, Don Juan Manuel, Cristóbal Colón o Storni) as well as various marginal voices (Juana Manso de Noronha and La Condesa de Merlín). It is commendable that it contains more women writers than men writers. The table of contents is clear, and every section presents an “introducción” and a “bibliografía”. However, there is no logical sequence in the order. The anthology has been prepared in collaboration with students.
As any anthology, the selection is biased, but it is pleasant to read it and it seems that my students will enjoy too. There are, however, a few mistakes in the introductory sections (see below).
The included topics deal with identity and otherness, gender (un)equality, race and imperialism. These are contemporary topics that engage with students. I clearly see the possibilities of using this textbook to open an in-class debate after reading it.
The editor’s presentation is a clear and well-structured document that illustrates the process of collaborating with students and the result of the project, which seems to have taken several years to be complete. Students were in charge of the introductory sections, bringing a more concise approach with an updated bibliography for further information. The footnotes are also valuable; they include relevant information for readers’ understanding of the readings.
The anthology is compounded by different voices, so “consistency in terms” is not applicable. Nonetheless, there is a consistency in the topics (see above).
Each section is about 10 pages in a Word document. In total, the book has 9 sections. Sections could be reorganized and divided for another course.
There is no evident logical order in the table of contents. I see this textbook as a good educational tool for a survey course in Hispanic Literature. It is not possible to appreciate the organization without a chronological, geographical or thematic order. Nonetheless, because the sections are modular, every instructor may reorganize the readings to his or her needs.
There are a lot of pages to print out. I hope the editor shares also the Word version so that instructors may customize the font, which is currently very large. With an appropriate font, the book could be about 90 pages. I suppose the current format it is appropriate for ebook readers.
Although the literary texts are the original ones and they do not contain grammar mistakes, the introductory sections contain several grammar mistakes related to gender, agreement, verb tense, etc. I have gathered some of them and reported them to the editor. I hope my humble contribution are of use.
The book contributes to the subject of gender in different ways (the number of women authors, the topics of the readings, etc.). Identity and race are also discussed in the readings. Perhaps other collaborators may bring other cultural topics, such as post-colonial approaches.
I would like to congratulate professor Ward and all the students that have been working on this edition. As the title states (“Antología abierta") I hope that there will be further contributions to the current edition. One aspect that I did not mention is that it would be of great benefit to include an “Activities" section. This is an open edition, so I hope to collaborate with that after using it in a class. Lastly, this is a useful edition for a survey course in Hispanic Studies, with possibilities of growth and an endless potential for student-instructor collaboration.
The editor is clear in her introduction that this is the beginning of what she hopes will be a larger project. In it's current form it feels a little random and it's difficult to understand why particular authors were selected to be a part of the... read more
The editor is clear in her introduction that this is the beginning of what she hopes will be a larger project. In it's current form it feels a little random and it's difficult to understand why particular authors were selected to be a part of the anthology. As more are added and the scope of works presented is broadened that will be less of an issue.
All of the information provided seems accurate and there is ample bibliographical information provided for readers to seek out more information.
Barring new discoveries about the lives of the authors featured this work should remain relevant for many years.
The writing is very clear and easy to follow. Because it was written by students there is very little technical jargon and everything organized in an easy to follow manner. I think the approach will work well for other intermediate/advanced Spanish classes who choose to read this text.
There's some variation in the footnotes provided with each text. Some limit themselves to mostly providing cultural or vocabulary aid that wouldn't be known by learners of Spanish. Others provide more detailed interpretation of the texts which could be helpful to some students but can also be distracting or create the impression that there is one "right way" to interpret the text for students.
Each section is clearly laid out with titles, biographical information, short stories, and bibliographies. Each section is also contained within itself and could easily be pulled out to work as a stand-alone piece.
The book is easy to navigate and follows a sensible pattern.
I accessed the book via pdf which worked well. There are some areas where the kerning of words is a little off but it is not consistent throughout the text.
As other reviewers have pointed out there are some errors throughout that are common with Spanish language learners (missing punctuation, forgetting to switch "y" to "e" in front of words that begin with "i." Page 15 has a mistake with one of the quotation marks ("Daniel"). One page 26 there is also a photograph that is labeled in English and it's unclear if that was an accident or part of the citation.
In future additions it would be exciting to see more indigenous, Afro-latino, and other voices included in the selected authors.
This anthology strives to provide a sample of texts which span from some of the earliest expressions of Hispanic literature, in the 13th century, to the early 20th century. Not only do we get to experience a cross-view of time, with corresponding... read more
This anthology strives to provide a sample of texts which span from some of the earliest expressions of Hispanic literature, in the 13th century, to the early 20th century. Not only do we get to experience a cross-view of time, with corresponding aesthetic characteristics of literary movements, but we see works from different countries, as well as, diverse genres (poetry, short story, epistolary, and drama- this last one is available on the web version). In addition, it strives to provide a balanced view in gender representation.
As it has been mentioned, it is difficult to expect a “comprehensive” view when working with only 9 writers on the PDF (14 in the online version), trying to cover the breadth of production that has occurred during such an expanse of time and space. It is certainly a good resource for a basic culture course, or even as supplementary material for upper division classes, but it would still be difficult to use it as the main source for an introductory literature class. It would be a challenge to teach a complex period like the Golden Age Baroque with only one poem from Latin America. Also, the geographical representation appears somewhat unbalance, favoring some countries and movements (nine of the fourteen works come from Spain, Argentina and Cuba).
Yet I really appreciate what it’s being done here and see it as the beginning of something not only truly needed, but with amazing potential! I can already see the progress being made.
I found that most of the assertions were quite accurate, with a few exceptions. Some have already been mentioned in previous reviews. One overall suggestion is that there are a small number of cases in which the language is a bit vague and can be misleading. One example is when it claims that the avant-garde was created in Latin America in 1916 (Roberto Arlt section). The vast majority is well expressed and supported.
The book certainly is a great base that can be further developed and could prove to be the answer to the rising costs of textbooks, plus provide the adaptability to accommodate every professor’s particular view of the ideal textbook. I see its future value and application never diminishing as long as it continues to be attended to. It is relevant; it is appropriate; it is a visionary work in progress. Ideally, it’s progression should never end.
The content and register are comprehensible and accessible to a wide audience. Some modules are a bit clearer to read and understand than others, but it is consistent for the most part. In some rare instances, like in some of the questions that accompany La Isla Desierta, the language needs to be reviewed. Language and content are clear and appropriate for the introductory level and intended audience it is targeting.
It is consistent in terms of basic structure. It gives a helpful introduction to each author by giving some information about their lives and the historical context in which they produced the work. The notes are helpful without distracting the reader. It is very apparent that each introduction was written by separate authors and some feel more complete than others, yet they are all appropriate. While I like the notes, in a couple of rare instances they do offer a bit too much information on analysis, which may frustrate the process of self-discovery of the student. Yet this does not happen often.
Modules are self-sustaining and can easily be used on their own accord and transferred to any class. Very easy to work with and navigate, especially online.
When I first approached the PDF, I felt a bit confused and flustered by what struck me as an absence of flow. Yet, I immediately went to the online version and this was partially solved. It follows a clearer timeline, allowing for a more coherent approximation based on a chronological and sequential presentation of artistic movements. Yet, the consideration of genres as units may still require further thinking on my part, as well as additional supplementary material for each time era.
Some entries, like the one written for Sor Juana, allude to other well-studied names, which is good as students are able to do further research if they are interested. Yet there is an instance in this entry which references a poem that indeed does cross-communicate with Sor Juana's work (“este poema termina casi de la misma manera que uno de los poemas de Luis de Góngora”), but in such instances, there is no clear citation or link to the alluded poem (“Soneto CLXVI”) that the student may follow if they are interested. Such opportunity ended as a quick anecdotal mention, and yet it could easily become a teaching opportunity by just adding a parenthetical reference. This could be a way to supplement until Góngora and "Soneto CLXVI" are added, if they ever are.
Texts are easily accessible. I prefer the online access as it clearly shows the idea that this is an adaptable and growing text. It is organized in a more coherent manner, and it is shows what appears to be the recent additions of five new authors, and drama as a genre. Yet the actual name of the drama author does not show in the online table of contents heading, at least at the time when I reviewed it. It was quite confusing to see the additional subheadings, but you couldn’t tell to whom they refer to, until you clicked on the individual links.
Rare instances of a few extra spaces and incongruent typography on the online version.
In some entries more than others, there were grammatical and syntactical errors, yet all should be reviewed, especially the new additions accompanying the drama genre. I understand the desire to respect the students work, but if it is going to be utilized by other students, we should be mindful of the use of the language, as much as possible. We as professionals are edited by other professionals, it should not be considered a sign of disrespect or undermining their work.
One of my biggest apprehensions would be that I would have to point out those errors so that my students would not replicate them, as they already do, and this may weaken the perceived authority of the students’ work.
Some examples are grammatical errors we’ve seen in some previous comments (“y” in front of “I”, etc.). I also saw the lack of use or misuse of italics and quotation marks in titles; the use of English words such as “Seville” when it was perfectly acceptable and less distracting to use “Sevilla”; the random use or lack of capital letters at the beginning of certain words, etc. I have several notes on specific places where these happen. I offer my notes/services, if anyone is interested.
This book certainly has cultural relevance as it includes both deeply-rooted authors, while creating awareness of equally capable less-known voices. Its “open” configuration will allow it to continue to grow. I enjoyed seeing that the newer theater additions included comprehension and reflection questions, which will further engage the reader in deeper thinking and personal application. I look forward to seeing other ethnic groups and backgrounds included.
I was very excited to see the format and purpose of this book. It is something that I had been considering for some time now, and I am delighted to see there is already something like it in existence. It would certainly be a pleasure to contribute to this work, if you could make use of us. At James Madison University, we have very capable students which already do similar projects every semester in our classrooms. It is part of our format. Let us know if we can help in any way.
La antología está concebida con textos de nueve autores nacidos entre el siglo XIII y el siglo XIX. El índice es claro y cada sección se compone de una introducción al autor, un texto anotado y una bibliografía. read more
La antología está concebida con textos de nueve autores nacidos entre el siglo XIII y el siglo XIX. El índice es claro y cada sección se compone de una introducción al autor, un texto anotado y una bibliografía.
El en texto se pueden observar algunos detalles de presentación como espacios, falta de algunos acentos y signos de interrogación.
Un punto relevante en la antología es que más de la mitad de los textos que la conforman son de escritoras. Aunque hoy en día hay un repunte en el estudio de las escritoras españolas e hispanoamericanas del siglo XIX, son pocos los textos comentados y explicados para su estudio en clase.
Los textos escogidos están explicados a través de referencias y pie de páginas que ayudan a la compresión no solo gramatical sino también histórico-textual de los ensayos y cuentos.
Algunas de las introducciones de los textos tienen más consistencias que otras. Por ejemplo algunas de las citas en las introducciones presentan errores y deben ser revisados igualmente la pertinencia del material de apoyo.
Cada texto en la antología puede usarse de manera separada.
Aunque se puede decir que toda antología de literatura es arbitraria, esta antología abierta de literatura hispana podría organizarse mejor. Por ejemplo, un orden cronológico o por géneros literarios ayudaría a los profesores y estudiantes que requieran o utilicen la compilación como libro de texto en clase de literatura.
La interface no presenta problemas. El texto completo se puede obtener como un documento PDF de fácil uso.
Hay algunas faltas de signos de interrogación y admiración así como la falta de algunas tildes.
Los textos de la compilación son relevantes y adecuados para la discusión en el marco de una clase universitaria.
Esta antología muestra la importancia que puede tener la participación de los estudiantes en la construcción del proceso de aprendizaje. Es un libro de texto abierto a mejorar, no obstante, puede funcionar como un valioso material para una clase de literatura intermedia o avanzada a nivel universitario. Es un interesante resultado de innovación pedagógica en la que los estudiantes tienen un rol destacado.
All material is pertinent to the title and the index is clear. The span of time for the texts used, makes this book an useful tool for Introductory Literature levels but not for advanced courses. read more
All material is pertinent to the title and the index is clear. The span of time for the texts used, makes this book an useful tool for Introductory Literature levels but not for advanced courses.
The Spanish- American Civil War year is inaccurate as it is 1898 and not 1889 (page 46).
The content is varied and includes texts from different periods, styles and origin. This provides a standard text that will be relevant and up-to-date without a major effort.
The text is clear and the use of Spanish for most of the texts, makes it a desirable option for Spanish courses.
The seldom use of the letter "X" in the text, probably to describe individuals without the binary denomination of masculine or feminine, is confusing since the nouns, generally speaking, are commonly masculine or feminine. If you the authors want to be inclusive, both, masculine and feminine, could be used.
The book is straight forward in its content and terminology. The basic formatting makes it easy to follow and read .
Content is organized in clear divided sections. Each section with texts, has the same setup that simplifies the reading and assignments could be easily defined.
Texts represent clearly what the title presents.
Although it is a minor issue, the use of bold, bigger font as starting letters for initial paragraphs is uneven as some have bigger spaces and some overlap with the next letter of the word.
Grammar is accurate and texts are preserved. Some grammar is from old Spanish and it is important that the text is kept as close as possible to the original.
The book includes a variety of texts that represents many backgrounds. The freedom that comes with literature can be seen in the chosen texts.
This book is easy to read and can be implemented easily for an Introductory Spanish Literature course. It is straight forward, easy to assign readings from it and it is free.
This is an open anthology so it is hard to judge this text based on its comprehensiveness since from its very title it is indicated that this is not intended to be a closed, complete text. As it stands now, this anthology is a miscellaneous... read more
This is an open anthology so it is hard to judge this text based on its comprehensiveness since from its very title it is indicated that this is not intended to be a closed, complete text. As it stands now, this anthology is a miscellaneous compilation of authors from different periods and regions and it is difficult to see a pattern that explains these choices. However, each author included is worthy of recognition and makes a very interesting read. In short: almost impossible to adopt as a course's main text but potentially very useful to study specific authors/text within a course.
Content in this book is accurate for the most part. There is a problem with that date of the Spanish- American War which appears as 1889 when it should be 1898 (page 46) but other than that the studied texts are error-free.
This book is relevant and I don't envision it becoming obsolete in the near future as some of its selections are central to the study of Hispanic literature and the non-canonical ones are not only very relevant but also easily connected and /or contrasted with more canonical texts.
The book is very clear and easy to understand and the fact that students took most of the responsibility in terms of the contextualization and analysis of the texts makes it fresh, unique and easily relatable for those students approaching this content. Notes are precise and concise for the most part and they help clarify the most obscure references contained in the chosen texts.
The book is very consistent in terms of structure of each chapter and the tone and terminology being used but this consistency is not replicated when it comes to the selection of the texts which is not thoroughly explained or justified. Moreover, the order of appearance of these texts within the book seems to be very random, making it hard to establish logical connections among them.
The book is clearly structured into nine chapters each one including a biographical introduction and contextualization of the texts to follow and closed by a bibliography where students would be able to obtain more information and analyses of these works. This structure makes it very easy to include this book as part of a course's required reading as it is very convenient in order to assign the reading of a particular author/text.
As indicated above, the organization and structure of this book is very clear and consistent throughout and the introduction and notes in each chapter are not cumbersome but, on the contrary, provide readers with valuable tools to help them with the comprehension of these texts.
The interface is clean and does not present any navigation problems. The images included are clearly displayed in general with the only exception of the one on page 140 (Juana Manso) that appears below from where it's supossed to be and there is a empty space that looks out of place. Something else that I would like to point out are the numerous blank pages included which are not really distracting but could definitely be fewer.
The text contains some grammar mistakes that should not seriously interfere with readers' comprehension but that could be revised. For instance, in the prefacio there are several instances of confusion between "e" and " y" ( “más obras y información” prefacio XV
“perspicacia y inspiración” prefacio XV ) as well as in the rest of the text (“y introdujo” page 22). There are some problems with gender agreement such as: "la carta fue escrito" (101) or "el élite" (162) as well as some mistakes in the use of preterite vs imperfect ( pages 46 and 64).
The book is culturally relevant as its scope and range is sufficiently ample as to include canonical and more "marginal" authors as well as a good number of female writers both from Spain and Latin America. Needless to say, this being an open anthology, there is room for improvement and the writings of indigenous cultures and or black writers could be added in the future in order to help make it even more culturally relevant.
I congratulate professor Ward for this initiative and I hope there can be more contributions to this text in the future in order to make use of the immense potentiality of these open resources.
This text is a magnificent initiative that includes the participation of both students and Faculty of the University of Oklahoma Spanish program. The book is an anthology of nine authors from the Hispanic World. It includes both canonical... read more
This text is a magnificent initiative that includes the participation of both students and Faculty of the University of Oklahoma Spanish program. The book is an anthology of nine authors from the Hispanic World. It includes both canonical authors such as Emilia Pardo Bazán and Don Juan Manuel (both from Spain) and Rubén Darío, Horacio Quiroga, or Alfonsina Storni from different regions of Latin America and the Spanish Caribbean. The textbook as stated in the preface allows for content additions and edits, which is a great feature to supplement its original content. While well intended for its audience, this book would require additional representation of more canonical and marginal authors, but this initiative is to be praised since most main stream textbooks on either Hispanic, Spanish or Latin American literature tend to be inclusive of said canonical authors and exclusive of relevant marginal literary figures. The text provides a very clear and user-friendly table of contents that will send its reader to the desired authors and texts. No glossary is provided but the notes replace a great deal the information that one could find on traditional glossaries.
The content of the introductions to the authors and the notes (since the texts are in their original language and format and have not been adapted, as far as I can tell), is accurate but there are enough typos that can lead to misunderstandings. For example, in Parte III: Emilia Pardo Bazán (pp. 43-58), in the introduction we read “..el país había perdido las colonias del Nuevo Mundo como resultado de la Guerra hipanoamericana en 1889” when it should be 1898. Additionally, some of the notes for the chapter I specifically reviewed, seem to be a little simplistic and could be better articulated. An example: note # 6 (p. 52): “Bazán nació en A Coruña, Galicia, España. A Coruña era un puerto importante en los siglos XIX y XX para migración del país a América y por eso había muchos barcos allí.” The part of the note highlighted in bold is the one that seem simplistic and diffuses the reason for the note. If we eliminated that part, the note would gain more significance in the context of the knowledge that it’s trying to provide the reader of the text.
All parts and chapters are easily organized in a way that a) anyone who may want to add content to either the introductions to the authors or the notes to the texts can do so; b) anyone who wishes to contribute to this anthology can by adding subsequent parts or chapters (additional canonical / marginal authors and their texts).
The text is definitely written in academic Spanish, reaching an advance level of sophistication and complexity that is very manageable for the students that would use it for second to third year course in a Spanish major or minor program. The terminology used in the introductions and notes are within the expected level of sophistication for this type of text and for the literary analysis that students would be performing. One important piece is missing is practice activities where the students would put their reading comprehension and analytical skills (critical thinking) to work. I would recommend the consideration of adding such activities.
The text is consistent with the goal of facilitating the reading process of complex texts to Spanish students. To this end, the book follows literary analysis terminology but adapted to the needs of the student who is studying Spanish as a second language. The introductions to the authors are consistent with their goal, which is to provide background context for the specific text that follows. The notes are extremely useful in clarifying or explaining key cultural concepts and historical episodes and characters. Therefore, this book is extremely consistent with its main goals: to provide a thorough selection of both canonical and marginal texts; introducing the readers to their authors, and to engage the reader in the reading process by facilitating as much background information and literary concepts as possible and in that way establishing a dialog between the text and the reader.
The organization of a text like this one for an introduction to reading Hispanic Literature is essential so that students can navigate the literary pieces with ease. The text is organized in nine different parts, each of them corresponding to a distinct author in Hispanic Literature. Each part consists of a biographical and literary introduction to the author and then, their original text with notes that help the reader understand both context and literary style. Each part ends with a (suggested) bibliography used in the introduction or notes but can also be used for further study or research. Any Spanish student would find this text extremely easy to use.
The criteria for the organization or structure of the book isn’t explicitly stated in the preface, but in the description of the book for the library the main reason for the selection of these authors is stated: “the inclusion of both canonical and marginal voices in Hispanic literature.” It would be helpful if he authors would explain in the preface the reasons that have led them to include the selected authors and texts so that the reader can understand why Miguel de Cervantes or Lope de Vega, or García Márquez, Vargas Llosa or Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz aren’t included.
As previously stated in section 6, this text is very well put together. My only suggestion for structure would be to explain the reasons for their selections of both authors and texts in the preface or introduction. This would give the book a much more cogent reason of being. The reader doesn’t know why Colón is included and not Fray Bartolomé de las Casas. While the main goal is stated in the library description of the book (“About the book” section): “A critical anthology of literary texts from the Spanish-speaking world. A focus on canonical authors and an attempt to include voices that have been marginalized. Each text includes an introduction and annotations created by students.” http://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/BookDetail.aspx?bookId=537 ) no selection criteria is offered to the reader other than “Este libro de texto provee una visión general de las vidas de autores famosos y famosas y sus obras más importantes” (to provide a general overview of the authors’ lives and their works). Other important authors such as Miguel de Cervantes are mentioned but do not appear in the selection made by the authors of this book. Therefore, my suggestion is that this be added and integrated to the preface to provide both students and faculty of cogent reasons to use this textbook in the classroom that make it unique to others.
The interface of this book is simple, and based on its nature, a literary anthology, it only includes a few images either in the introduction to the authors or in the main text by the author or both to help illustrate concepts or themes related to the texts or the author’s time. These images are helpful and simple. They fulfill their goal, which is to serve as a supporting guide to the reader.
This anthology is written in Spanish for Spanish majors and minors at second or third year of college study, and it has been written in collaboration between students and faculty of the University of Oklahoma. The literary texts (full or excerpts) are the original ones, with introductions and notes written by the editors (students and faculty). The language is clear, mostly error free but there are some syntax, vocabulary and grammatical errors in some parts that could / should be reviewed. Obviously, we want this book to reflect the students’ speech and accuracy, because it’s their work but at the same time if there are sentences that seem to be confusing for a native speaker, then, additional reviews of the text for language accuracy should be recommended. That being said, these students have done a marvelous job in writing and editing these introductions and notes, and while there may be some errors, these may be minor when taking the whole text as a frame of reference. The reader can tell that the work has been done with extreme care and professionalism.
This text attempts to be inclusive and respectful of both canonical authors and marginal voices. If this text is open to edits and additions by other students and faculty members, more canonical and non-canonical texts could be added to it to supplement the lack of some of the key figures in Hispanic Literature that are precisely canonical and marginal (as stated earlier). I would encourage the authors to continue their work with their students and to also collaborate with other school departments of Spanish or Hispanic Studies. At Randolph-Macon College we would welcome the opportunity to collaborate in such a fascinating project.
Not at this time. Great book, with fantastic possibilities of growth and collaboration.
This is an unusual book and I can't really argue that it is comprehensive. If you are teaching Spanish literature, this would not be the book I would choose. The readings cover a huge span of time--13th Century to the early 20th Century. I am not... read more
This is an unusual book and I can't really argue that it is comprehensive. If you are teaching Spanish literature, this would not be the book I would choose. The readings cover a huge span of time--13th Century to the early 20th Century. I am not sure whether there is a thematic organization. Having said that, the selection is interesting and the writing is well-crafted. As for the glossary, there are footnotes and notations that provide are well-researched and on target. Some of the footnotes include commentary from students; they offer fresh perspectives. There are three writers I recognized.
The scholarship is solid and seems to have the right scope. There is a critical and theoretical point of view but it seems part of the consensus in the field. The students' contributions is more fundamental.
This is a period book, dealing with an overview of the literature over a period of time. The critical apparatus is solid, though. The span covered would make for a rather eccentric course: some selections are from Latin America, some are from before Columbus. I don't even know if the question of relevancy makes sense here: the reading selections seem very specific and personal; there is no defined historical span, the one visible connection between the readings is the language and it seems that some selections are abridged.
This is a hard question. The readings are interesting and varied; the scholarly apparatus is comprehensive and not excessive; the language is clear. But, because it is hard to see thematic or historical period clearly delineated, each selection would seem to require extensive background information. Language is clear but conceptual framework is a little less so.
See above. The terminology is consistent but the framework is not simply because of the span of time and the lack of a clear thematic arrangement.
The readings are manageable, large print, sufficient footnotes to explain language registers and regional meanings.
This is not organized chronologically--one selection goes back to the 13th Century; there is one Central American writer, a few Caribbean writers, a few from Argentina. Other than Dario, Quiroga, and Columbus, most of the writers are not a central part of the canon. This course would not fit into the traditional courses offered on Hispanic literature.
Many blank pages, very large print, many pages have little to read. Perhaps this is too reader-friendly. This book should be 100 pages, not 200.
I did not see grammar mistakes. I would have liked the editors to be more explicit as to what texts were abridged and which have been updated for language.
There are many female writers represented here and that would lead to discussions on gender roles and patriarchal power structures. There are also questions of colonialism and the beginnings of capitalism. There are not many instances of inclusiveness in terms of race.
I would like to praise Professor Ward for including student voices. She must have had excellent students.
The book is comprehensive, useful, and beneficial for those wishing to teach, learn, and examine Hispanic Literature. read more
The book is comprehensive, useful, and beneficial for those wishing to teach, learn, and examine Hispanic Literature.
The text is accurate. It is evident that knowledgeable, experienced professors worked diligently to prepare this text.
The book will be relevant for many years. The title lends itself to being updated in future editions.
The written level of the text is of professional, academic, quality. It is expertly written and it is accessible.
The book is consistent. The professors devoted time and energies that will serve the educator and the student well.
The greatness of an OER anthology is that one may choose which works to focus on for one's classes. One may use all of the works or one may use two or three.
The book is well organized. Many an educator and many a student stand to benefit from this anthology.
There are no issues that will affect the reader's understanding. The book is well planned.
The book does not have any grammatical errors.
The book is culturally relevant.
I am elated that such an anthology is now available for educators and students to use. I am grateful for the work of Dr. Julie Ward, and for the work done by Alice Barrett and Karlee Bradberry. Thank you as well to the U of Oklahoma who helped make it possible for a valuable anthology of Hispanic Literature to appear as an open textbook.
Table of Contents
- Prefacio
- Reconocimientos
Parte I. Rubén Darío
- Introducción
- A Roosevelt
- Bibliografía
Parte II. Horacio Quiroga
- 1. Introducción
- 2. El hijo
- 3. Bibliografía
Parte III. Emilia Pardo Bazán
- 4. Introducción
- 5. Las medias rojas
- 6. Bibliografía
Parte IV. Gertrudis Gómez De Avellaneda
- 7. Introducción
- 8. Al partir
- 9. Bibliografía
Parte V. Don Juan Manuel
- 10. Introducción
- 11. Lo que sucedió a un mancebo el día que se casó
- 12. Bibliografía
Parte VI. Cristóbalcolón
- 13. Introducción
- 14. Carta a Luis de Santángel
- 15. Bibliografía
Parte VII. Alfonsinastorni
- 16. Introducción
- 17. Peso Ancestral
- 18. Bibliografía
Parte VIII. Juana Mansode Noronha
- 19. Introducción
- 20. Emancipación moral de la mujer
- 21. Bibliografía
Parte IX. La Condesa De Merlin
- 22. Introducción
- 23. Viaje a la Habana: Carta 1
- 24. Bibliografía
Ancillary Material
Submit ancillary resourceAbout the Book
Una antología crítica de textos literarios del mundo hispanohablante. Se enfoca en autores canónicos y también se intenta incluir voces marginadas. Cada texto tiene una introducción y anotaciones creadas por estudiantes.
A critical anthology of literary texts from the Spanish-speaking world. A focus on canonical authors and an attempt to include voices that have been marginalized. Each text includes an introduction and annotations created by students.
About the Contributors
Author
Julie Ann Ward joined the faculty of the University of Oklahoma in 2014 as Assistant Professor of 20th- and 21st-Century Latin American Literature. Her research focuses on representations of the real in contemporary Latin America, with a particular focus on Mexican drama, narrative, and performance. Dr. Ward’s publications on this topic have appeared in Theatre Journal, TransModernity, Latin American Theatre Review, Revista de Literatura Mexicana Contemporánea, and Paso de Gato, as well as the Routledge Companion to Dramaturgy and the Routledge Companion to Gender, Sex and Latin American Culture. She is the General Editor of student-generated Open Educational Resource, the Antología abierta de literatura hispana.