International House Madrid is celebrating Book Day (II)

From Vincent who teaches French at IH:

 

Amélie Nothomb (baronne Fabienne Claire Nothomb) née le 9 juillet 1966 est une romancière belge d’expression française. Ses romans font partie des meilleures ventes littéraires et certains sont traduits en plusieurs langues.

 

Ce succès lui vaut d’avoir été nommée commandeur de l’ordre de la Couronne et d’avoir reçu du roi Philippe le titre personnel de baronne.

En 2015, elle est élue membre de l’Académie royale de langue et de littérature françaises de Belgique.

 

À LIRE: NIVEAU B2

Amélie, une jeune femme belge, vient de terminer ses études universitaires. Sa connaissance parfaite du japonais, langue qu’elle maîtrise pour y avoir vécu dans son enfance, lui permet de décrocher un contrat d’un an dans une prestigieuse entreprise de l’empire du soleil levant, la compagnie Yumimoto. Amélie espère réussir dans ce pays qui la fascine tant.

Fascinée par la hiérarchie d’entreprise japonaise, précise et méthodique, la jeune femme l’est d’autant plus par sa supérieure directe, l’intrigante et fière Mademoiselle Mori.

Ses débuts sont déconcertants…

Son roman Stupeur et Tremblements a remporté en 1999 le Grand prix du roman de l’Académie française.

Pretextat Tach, quatre-vingt-trois ans, auteur de vingt-deux romans et prix Nobel de la Littérature n’a plus que deux mois à vivre. Vieil acariâtre, obèse, misogyne et misanthrope, il est sollicité par une foule de journalistes venus du monde entier pour l’interviewer. Chacun souhaite obtenir un entretien exclusif avec cet homme qui, atteint du redoutable syndrome d’Elzenveiverplatz, va bientôt mourir du cancer des cartilages ; une maladie très rare dont seuls une dizaine de bagnards incarcérés pour violences sexuelles suivies d’homicides, auraient été atteints.

Seuls cinq journalistes seront sélectionnés pour interviewer l’irascible Pretextat….

Son premier roman, Hygiène de l’assassin (1992)

 

The Famous five: (YL) (IH levels B1.1 and above)

Classic adventure stories for young readers. The four school children and their dog, Timmy, who make up the eponymous five spend their summer holidays on adventures in the countryside where they often face mysteries involving criminals or looking for treasure.

Perfect for later primary or early secondary children these stories tell the adventures of 4 children and their dog Timmy. There are several in the series so give one a try.

Matt Rueter has been working at IH since 2009

 

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

All ages, reading level b2+

 

Harry Potter and the philosopher’s Stone, by JK Rowling, is a timeless classic for all ages. Many people had first approached this book in their native language, yet the essence of the book is the language and J K Rowling’s command of it.

As you may know, from the blockbuster series, Harry is young 11-year-old boy who is shot into a world of wizardry and magic. As you progress through the book you explore this world with him. Although the films are true to the source, there are many small surprises to be found in this book.

From Harry‘s first encounter with the friendly giant Hadgrid, to Harrys scuffles with Malfoy you feel part of this enchanting world. Join Harry on his first year in Hogwarts and on his journey to discover why he is so special.

The books are for both adults and children, both can enjoy the book at B2 level and above, but it may also be a welcome challenge to those below this level. You won’t be stopping every 5 minutes to search for a word and you will learn some funny phrases along the way. As your English level improves, you can continue with the Harry Potter adventure in the next six books. So grab your broom and wand and enjoy this classic book.

Alan McGuire is an English teacher at International House and has been teaching there since September 2017. He loves the Harry Potter books and is in the Hufflepuff house.

 

If you don’t already know, there are several good bookshops in Madrid where you can find any number of titles in many languages. Just down the street from our Alonso Martinez centre is Pasajes Librería which has a good selection of both fiction and non-fiction in English. Also worth paying a visit to is La Central in metro Callao. For a range of books both new and used in English and Spanish try Desperate Literature on Calle Campomanes 13.

And just to remind you all of our IH centres have a small library with a range of graded readers (which usually include audio material as well) which you can check out for free. Ask your teacher, reception or an student manager for more information.

Curso Intensivo Español
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