Fog: A Novel (Northwestern World Classics)

"Fog", published in 1914, is widely acknowledged, in academic circles, to be an important early modernist novel, (if not indeed the earliest and the most important such novel). If you have a scholarly interest in modernism, the novel, literary theory, or Spanish culture and literary history, the book, and the author, will no doubt be known to you.If you are not generally armored with such heady academic interests and distinction, the question becomes whether the book is of interest to a general reader. As a general reader myself, lacking entirely in professional credentials, I feel qualified to offer this humble opinion -- the book has its moments, and is much more lively, tender, and interesting than you might expect. Further, if you are willing to check the internet and read a little about Unamuno and to read a few reviews of this book, your appreciation of the book, enjoyment of the reading experience, and admiration of Unamuno, will be multiplied a hundredfold.The book opens with an amusing foreword by a fictional personage. This forward is then rebutted by the author. The story then proceeds and we follow the life, and ultimately love life, of the foolish and delusional Don Augusto Perez. While Augusto is so shallow and simple that we begin to lose interest in him, he quickly is placed within many scenes and set up against many characters who have great presence, humor, and style. There is both gentle and biting humor, and I assume that some of the bits and lines would have been even more rewarding had I been more familiar with Spanish culture and politics of 1914. In any event, though, the book switches into an even higher gear when its modernist jokes and sensibility are brought into focus by the arrival of the author. Unamuno argues with his fictional creation Augusto, and the two engage in repeated back and forth discussions and arguments about fiction, the novel, reality, the responsibility of the author, Augusto's identity, and so on. This continues right up to the final pages of the novel, at which point the question of who is in control still seems an open point.Of course, this could be heavy and tedious stuff. But, in this book it is not. The book subtly and explicitly draws comparison to Cervante's Don Quixote, and in one particular at least the comparison is especially apt - there is great humor, playfulness, serious intent, patience, compassion, and earnestness mixed into both books. This, above all, is what I would suggest makes the book of interest to a general, ambitious, and adventurous reader. A nice, unusual find.(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

This new translation of an overlooked Unamuno novel is destined to be a classic. In sensibility and style Fog is more like Don Quixote than anything I’ve read since Don Quixote. At the same time it’s remarkably contemporary, the shifting narrative layers and voices seeming to echo the great modernist novels of the 20th century-- though incredibly it was written before any of them, in 1914. Fog is, by turns, hilarious, tender and wise, and is sometimes all three at once, e.g. in the epilogue, a funeral oration written largely in the voice of the deceased’s dog:“Man is such a strange animal. He ignores what’s right in front of him. He strokes our fur for no reason, not when we rub against him, and the more we devote ourselves to him, the more he rejects or punishes us. There’s no way of knowing what he wants—if he himself even knows. He always seems distracted, looking at things without really seeing them. It’s as if he were living in another world, and clearly, if he’s in another world, he’s not in this one. “Being a great deal shorter than Don Quixote, this novel is consummately readable. And one can’t imagine a translation doing more justice to the original..

After experiencing the joys of "Fog," I confess I'm embarrassed never to have encountered Unamuno previously. What rock have I been hiding under? This is a novel that has everything I look for: wit, pathos, memorable characters, and -- above all -- wisdom. As I read, I found myself jotting down several passages verbatim, so that I could revisit the ideas and think about the author's keen skills of perception and empathy. If that makes this book sound like a tough read, it's not. "Fog" is delightful and moving, always engaging and often laugh-out-loud funny. It's also remarkably contemporary, despite the fact it was written in 1914. The book brought to mind Marquez and Kundera, just for starters, and doubtless you'll find many connections of your own. Elena Barcia's translation is beautiful to read, full of life and energy, and you can "hear" her passion for Unamuno's work without it ever feeling reverential. This is a book that deserves a much wider audience, and I hope this is the translation that will make that happen.