Uniform Law of Trade and Uniform Law of Soccer. FIFA is the UNCITRAL of Soccer. Second Edition January 13, 2016. Third Part.

Legal Certainty and Predictability

Uniform interpretation is so important that I will delve in the theme more than I intended to do.  I will refer to interpretation practices whose use has incremented in international law.  Furthermore, the natural law tendency towards uniformity has permeated those practices into domestic systems.

For business people, contracts are their uniform law; what it matters is that they be performed as agreed, without being frustrated by internal domestic legal obstacles.  So, uniform interpretation should not remain solely in the realm of legal texts.

Disparity generates legal obstacles; the more damaging is that it compromises legal certainty.  But, also, it feeds other demons.  For example, stimulates forum shopping, by means of which the interested party search for the jurisdiction whose interpretation of the relevant legal texts fits better its interest in the case.

Players in international commerce may perform different roles: (i) negotiating treaties, model laws, rules of law, legal guides and guidelines; (ii) as national lawmakers implementing those instruments; (iii) as commercial parties, negotiating covenants and contracts, their amendment, rescission or termination; (iv) as negotiators or mediators, cooperating in the implementation of alternative methods of dispute resolution; and (v) as judges or arbitrators, deciding the disputes that are submitted to them.

All those participants come from different cultural, legal and economic traditions and environments, speak different languages and should understand between themselves through a common language; generally, English.

To reach such aim, participants rely on strategies such as use of a language simple and descriptive, avoiding terms with legal meaning within the different legal systems and other drafting techniques, that may appear sophisticated or strange to those who are not familiarized with uniform law.

La donna è mobile

In Verdi's opera, the Duke of Mantua excuses (or celebrates) himself, singing with frivolity that women are voluble.  I disagree, but I do not have doubts that legal interpretation is voluble.  Indeed, from a practical point of view, the written text is not the effectively aplicable law, but the way that contracting parties use them and judges apply them.

Example: Law of Bankruptcy

By the end of the 1980-decade, Salvador Rocha was the legal counsel of the Secretaría de Gobernación (Ministry of the Interior).  He had an intelligent idea to amend the bankruptcy law then in force.  It consisted in providing that only chambers of commerce or industry could be sindicos (bankruptcy administrators), and banking institutions (by then nationalized) in bank insolvency cases.  This way it would be avoided that undesirable persons could be appointed as sindicos.  He asked my help to draft the legal proposal to the Congress.  Then, I took advantage of the opportunity and proposed him another amendment regarding the way of giving notice to creditors of the bankruptcy judgement.  He agreed, I wrote the proposal, which was approved and I had the satisfaction of seeing my draft incorporated in the law.

Some time later I filed a reorganization proceeding and the judge ordered to notify the creditors following the old repealed provision.  When I addressed the judge, he stopped me and overwhelmed me with a tirade about litigators complaining before bothering themselves reading the law.  I partially agreed with the judge, but told him that not in that case, because I was the pen that wrote the applicable provision.  He was surprised and, after an interchange with me, decided I was right.  Since then we have had a very nice relationship.  Once, in a seminar, I heard him commenting the incident.

By the way, the Rocha amendment failed.  Chambers of commerce and banks, skip their responsibility by naming the old sindicos as delegates. So, things remained unchanged.

Example.  Case Law on Bills of Exchange

In 1928 was published the Ley de Títulos y Operaciones de Crédito (Law on negotiable instruments and credit operations, LNICO) that enter into force in 1932.  On those times, bills of exchange or drafts (letras de cambio) were regularly issued and circulated.  After centuries of use and evolution, bills of exchange were known under different names, in Spanish they were called libranzas, primera [segunda] de cambio, cambial and others I do not remember.

The LNICO introduced the novelty that the express mention of being a letra de cambio, inserted in the text of the document was an essential requisite for the instrument to be a bill of exchange (a. 76).  Notwithstanding the legal text, the case law immediately following the entrance into force of the new law, validated the use of equivalent expressions; for example, "por esta única de cambio" (for this unique of exchange").  But at the beginning of the 1950-decade, the jurisprudence was modified and, since then, the literal magic words are deemed essential; absent the inserted mention of being a letra de cambio, it is not what it purports to be.

My mentor, Mantilla Molina, explained me the reasons: when the LNICO entered into force, it was scarcely known and its disposition, although good, departed from practices that followed the repealed law; to deny legal value to such an amount of drafts, by applying literally the new law, would be a real injustice.  The case law changed when the LNICO was widely known and applied: the mention of being a letra de cambio was regularly observed and legal certainty required compliance with the legal text as written.

Example.  The Uniform Law of Geneva

In 1930, in Geneva, were agreed treaties on the uniform legal regime of bills of exchange and promissory notes.  Bells rang across de world celebrating the Uniform Law of Genève.  A few years later, Giuseppe Ferrara, a talented Italian, wrote about the disparate law of Geneva (La legge diforme di Geneva); also, a German scholar, E. von Caemmerer, wrote a famous work in two thick volumes, commenting the case law of the different countries holding opposing interpretations.  The Geneva law was uniform only in its text.

Leading Role of the Law

All those previous statements are not a proclamation of legal licentiousness, nor the absolute power of courts.  Federal Civil Code (a. 10) states that against the application of the law cannot be invoked lack of use, custom or contrary practices.  Written law is a mandatory framework that provides direction to judges, and limits them.  Judges are obligated to apply the law and, in doing so, to abide by the general principles of law on interpretation and enforcement.

Uniform Interpretation of the Law:  Convention on Treaties

With the purpose, among others, of unifying the interpretation of international treaties, it was agreed the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (Vienna, 26 May 1969), which entered into force on 27 January 1980, and to which Mexico is a party (Diario Oficial 28 April 1988).

The ICCA's Guide to the interpretation of the 1958 New York Convention, commenting the Convention on Treaties, offers a good resume (pp. 13-14); the guide says: "In principle, the terms used in the Convention have an autonomous meaning (article 31 Vienna Convention).  If the text of the New York Convention is ambiguous, one should defer to its context, intent and travaux preparatorias (articles 31 and 32 Vienna Convention).  The terms must be understood taking into account the context and purpose of the Convention.  Therefore, courts should not interpret the terms of the New York Convention by reference to domestic law.  The terms of the Convention should have the same meaning wherever in the world they are applied.  This helps to ensure the uniform application of the Convention in all the Contracting States". (Emphasis added).

It is important to note article 32 of the Convention, on supplementary means of interpretation, according to which "[R]ecourse may be had to supplementary means of interpretation, including the preparatory work of the treaty and the circumstances of its conclusion, in order to confirm the meaning resulting from the application of article 31, or determine the meaning when the interpretation according to article 31 (a) leaves the meaning ambiguous or obscure, or (b) leads to a result which is manifestly absurd or unreasonable."  (Emphasis added).

Interpretation.  Model Article

On 14 June 1974, in New York, it was convened the Convention on the Limitation Period in the International Sale of Goods.  Years later, on 11 April 1980, a Protocol to the 1974 Limitation Convention was concluded in Vienna, with the purpose of aligning the Prescription Convention with the CISG.

At the date of this entry, the Limitation Convention has 22 States parties on the amended version, and 29 on the original Convention.  In Mexico is in force since 1 August 1988.  (Diario Oficial, 6 May 1988).

Article 7 of the Limitation Convention states:

"In the interpretation and application of the provisions of this Convention, regard shall be had to its international character and to the need to promote uniformity".

When considering this provision, it was argued that it was redundant, because uniform application was the purpose of any law.  Also that, absent an integrated courts system, uniform interpretation was impossible to obtain.  We have advanced a lot since then.

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) was adopted on 11 April 1980 and entered into force 1 January 1989.

CISG Article 7, says:

"(1) In the interpretation of this Convention, regard is to be had to its international character and to the need to promote uniformity in its application and the observance of good faith in international trade."

"(2) Questions concerning matters governed by this Convention are to be settled in conformity with the general principles on which it is based or, in the absence of such principles, in conformity with the law applicable by virtue of the rules of private international law".

Similar texts continued to appear regularly in uniform trade law conventions.  For example, on the United Nations Convention on International Bills of Exchange and International Promissory Notes (a. 4), and the United Nations Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea (the "Hamburg Rules").

Interpretation of Model Laws

The Mexican government considered the model article on uniform interpretation of the utmost importance.  It was surprised that the provision was only included in treaties but not in model laws.

When the Model Law on International Credit Transfers was made, Mexico proposed to include a similar text on interpretation (UNCITRAL Yearbook 1991, vol. XXII, page 120).  The Mexican proposal was rejected.

Years later (1997), and not without some debate, Mexico succeed when it proposed the provision to be included in the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency. 

Article 8 reads as follows:

"In the interpretation of this Law, regard is to be had to its international origin and to the need to promote uniformity in its application and the observance of good faith".

The Article Becomes a Must

Since CISG and the Model Law on insolvency, in model laws, the interpretation provision became undisputed in both international conventions and in model laws, respectively.

It is worth noting that the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Conciliation, which attached the utmost relevance to the freedom of will, provided that parties may not exclude or vary the article on uniform interpretation (aa. 1 and 3).  It is amazing to see how, after being rejected in a model law in 1992, it became mandatory in 2006.

Also, it is relevant to mention that, when in 2006 the UMLA was amended, article 2A on interpretation was incorporated.  In 1985, when the original UMLA was made, the provision did not appear in model laws.  

Mexico still has not incorporated in its Code of Commerce the 2006 UMLA amendments, but there is out of the question that the principles of uniform interpretation apply to the Mexican law of arbitration in the Code of Commerce.  This blog is devoted to demonstrate this true. 

UNIDROIT.  Interpretation of Rules of Law

In 1994, the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), issued its first edition of the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts (the Principles).  The Principles followed a similar pattern.  Thus, regarding the interpretation of the Principles, article 1.6, reads:

"(1) In the interpretation of these Principles, regard is to be had to their international character and to their purposes including the need to promote uniformity in their application".

"(2) Issues within the scope of these Principles but not expressly settled in them are as far as possible to be settled in accordance with the underlying general principles".

Harmony of Domestic Laws

A consequence of the globalization is that activities that formerly only produced local or national effects, now may have trans-border consequences.  Unfortunately, it is not always feasible to reach uniform laws on all cases; an example being the regulation of insolvency.

If not uniformity, legal harmonization is desirable.  Thus, in those cases, legislative guides are negotiated.  These are documents whose purpose is to offer national lawmakers, information on the problems and principles that is convenient to consider when drafting those laws in harmony with the practices and expectations of the international community.  

For example, UNCITRAL has made three legislative guides on insolvency (2004, 2010, 2013); also, among others, on Secured Transactions, the Implementation of a Security Rights Registry, on Privately Financed Infrastructure Project.

By the way, the information contained in those guides is valuable to any practitioner.

I will continue.

Useful links

Uniform Law of Trade and Uniform Law of Soccer.  FIFA is the UNCITRAL of Soccer.  Second Edition November 5, 2015

http://bit.ly/1LW9qUZ

How a Model Law is Cooked. The Importance of Interpretation.

http://bit.ly/1bazA0y

How to Digest a Model Law. The Clout and Digest

lhttp://bit.ly/1c11MKl

How to Digest a Model Law. CLOUT and its Digests. Second Part

http://bit.ly/1gReLeX

How to Digest a Model Law. The CLOUT. The Digests. Third Part 

http://bit.ly/1nnicyj

Table Talks. How to Demonstrate the Law. Jurisprudence 

http://bit.ly/Oq4yy3

#UniformLaw  #LegalCertainty  #UniformInterpretation #UNIDROIT #Uniformity #UNCITRAL

Las vacaciones y las novelas. Edición del 15 de diciembre de 2015

La historia que siempre quise escribir

Esta es una historia que siempre he querido escribir.  La conocen muchos que han trabajado conmigo.  Es útil para reflexionar sobre los vicios y las gracias del hábito de leer.

Comenté en la entrega anterior que nací con el gen de la lectura enloquecido.  Según las crónicas de mis padres y hermanos mayores, desde el día que me encontré con el alfabeto me pegué a la página.  En mis más lejanas memorias, me recuerdo leyendo; tengo en blanco mi etapa de analfabetismo infantil.

Lo curioso es que crecí convencido de que era un desobligado que perdía el tiempo en novelerías.  Me regañaban por ocuparme en leer en lugar de hacer la tarea, me apagaban la luz en las noches porque me desvelaba y tenía que levantarme temprano para la escuela.  

Mi madre contaba que en una ocasión, preocupada por el largo tiempo que corría la ducha mientras me bañaba, se decidió a entrar y me encontró bajo la regadera, con el brazo extendido leyendo el libro que tenía en la mano.  En casa de mis padres, por cortesía hacia los demás, leer en la mesa estaba prohibido (sería bueno que esa regla se observara ahora con las los teléfonos que no son tan inteligentes).  Por supuesto que no hacía caso; así que no recuerdo las veces que, con la vista en el libro y el brazo extendido, vacié la cafetera en la azucarera en lugar de en la tasa de café o hice burradas semejantes.

En la Facultad de Derecho de la UNAM, mis remordimientos aumentaron.  Envidiaba a la pléyade de autoridades legales, altamente especializadas.  Profesores, investigadores e, incluso, estudiantes selectos, que despreciaban las lecturas vulgares; entre ellas, las novelas.   

El ocio creativo

Mis padres decidieron que como era estudiante, mi tarea solo era estudiar y me prohibieron trabajar.  Esta prohibición fue reforzada por los sabios consejos que recibí de Monseñor Gregorio Aguilar, entonces profesor de derecho romano en la Facultad de Derecho de la UNAM.  Me dijo que aprovechara mi juventud para prepararme bien, dedicando al estudio dos horas al día.  El resto de mi tiempo lo dedicara al crecimiento de mi mente y de mi espíritu; leer, ir al cine o pasearme en Chapultepec.  Ya llegaría el tiempo en que, siendo un abogado preparado, comenzara a adquirir experiencia en el ejercicio de la profesión, encerrado por décadas entre cuatro paredes, resolviendo  los problemas humanos de mis clientes.  No sabía entonces que me estaba recomendando el ocio creativo, que muchos llaman el ocio griego, uno de cuyos máximos exponentes fue Sócrates. 

Lo sigo observando hasta la fecha.  Por ejemplo, ahora que vienen las vacaciones, a zambullirme en el ocio.

Entre la prohibición de trabajar y seguir los consejos de Monseñor, me bastaban las dos horas de estudio para seguir los cursos día a día y al final, antes del examen, sólo repasaba.  El resto lo dedicaba al ocio creativo.  No podría enumerar todo lo que debo a mis padres, pero esta prohibición y consejos, fueron definitivos para mucho de lo bueno que he logrado en la vida.

El Lechuza's Club

Gracias a las desveladas, Guayo Beltrami, mi compañero de cuarto de estudiante, gran amigo y muy ocurrente, decía que éramos socios distinguidos del 'Lechuzas Club".  La noche anterior a mi examen de filosofía del derecho, en que tenía proyectado repasar algo de lo que me faltaba, no pude comenzar sino hasta las tres de la mañana, porque me enredé con el 'Rojo y negro' de Stendhal.  

Al regreso de mi primer viaje de bodas, platiqué en una reunión que durante el viaje había leído el 'Dr. Zhivago’, que es un ladrillo bastante grueso.  Al salir tuve bronca con Susana, que me prohibió volver a mencionar la anécdota: —¿Que van a pensar de mi?, me dijo.  Le pregunté si tenía quejas y me dijo que ninguna, pero que no era bien visto explicar, en cada ocasión, mis “increíbles desveladas".

Mis pecados eran mayúsculos.  Mis amigos se burlaban con todo: era un niño bonito, un teórico, lo único necesario para ser abogado era la experiencia práctica, etcétera.  Algunos profesores obsesionados por el estudio, comentaban que leer novelas, ir al cine, tener novia, etcétera, eran una pérdida de tiempo.

Los abogados lectores

De repente los mensajes comenzaron a cambiar.  Llegó a mis manos un libro escrito por doce eminentes juristas, cada uno relataba sus ideas acerca de la formación del abogado.  Lamento haberlo perdido y olvidado el nombre; lo he intentado reponer sin éxito.  Uno de los autores, Ministro de la Suprema Corte de los Estados Unidos (Oliver Wendell Holmes o uno de esos), me sorprendió gratamente.  Con el mayor descaro contaba que, en lugar de estudiar derecho, leía novelas.  A sus pasantes, pupilos y allegados, les recomendaba que leyeran las grandes novelas. Su teoría era que los abogados resolvemos problemas humanos.  Los libros de derecho nos enseñan ciertas técnicas de interpretación y aplicación del derecho; pero sólo la convivencia con las grandes novelas nos impregna los valores y el entendimiento que necesitamos para cumplir con nuestra misión: resolver problemas humanos.  Fue un gran hallazgo: me absolvía.

Luego me enteré de otros.  Por ejemplo, Carlos Fuentes cuenta que el profesor Manuel Pedroza, cuando le pedían recomendaciones de lectura especializada en derecho mercantil, recomendaba  la 'Comedia Humana' de Balzac.  Allan Farnsworth, distinguido profesor en Columbia University, escribió un precioso libro de contratos: “Changing your Mind.  The Law or Regretted Decisions”; está lleno de  fuentes legales y citas literarias: tales como ‘La odisea”, “Fausto' , Lutero, Rousseau, Lewis Carroll e, incluso, Shirley MacLaine. 

Legitimadas de esa forma, mis experiencias, previas y posteriores, lo confirman.  Los mejores retratos de como nos ven quienes no son abogados, están en novelas como las de Dickens; en ‘La casa deshabitada ('Bleak House’), aprendí como amargan y destruyen la vida los litigios, en 'Los papeles póstumos del Club Pickwick', como nos comportamos los abogados y los desagradables espectáculos que damos, en 'David Copperfield', el calor de un abogado comprensivo y lo despreciable de uno ambicioso.  

En las grandes desgracias

Inesperadamente murió Susana; perdí un regalo de Dios.  De un día para otro me encontré en medio de un desierto de desolación, tristeza, ira y desconcierto.  Un psiquiatra de quien guardo grata memoria, Juan de Dios Hernández, me dio ayuda impagable.  En la primera visita, con mi costumbre de resolver todo con un libro, le pedí que me recomendara uno bueno para mi situación.  Me recomendó las grandes novelas.  Le contesté que eso había leído toda mi vida.  Su comentario fue que esa era la causa de que, en medio de mi situación, me encontrara bien. 

Entre grandes libros que leí, me sirvió mucho uno escrito por Martin Gray, un judío que perdió su familia en los campos de concentración, sobrevivió, tuvo éxito y amasó millones, se casó y, siendo muy feliz, su mujer y sus hijos murieron en el incendio de un bosque; algunos de ustedes recordaran la campaña "Adopta un Árbol", que Martin Gray creó y financió.   Escribió un libro, autobiográfico, excepcional: ‘En memoria de todos los míos’.

Los guerra de los adolecentes

Pasaron los años, me casé con Laura; como hizo Dios con Job, me dio otro gran regalo.  La felicidad restablecida.  Laura cuidó sus hijos y los míos.  Mis hijos entraron en la adolescencia y, dadas las condiciones, comenzaron las grandes batallas.  Me acordé del Dr. Hernández y regresé con él para que me aconsejara en el manejo de esa problemática.  Le hice la misma pregunta, ¿que puedo leer sobre la educación de adolescentes?  Me dio la misma respuesta: las grandes novelas.  Entraron en la lista 'El guardián en el centeno', ‘El adolescente' de Dostoviesky, 'Jean Christophe' y otros grandes rebeldes.

Y la historia podría seguir.  Pero es hora de hacer algunos comentarios.

Prohibido obligar.  Las grandes novelas

Insisto, leer no es indispensable para una vida valiosa y feliz.  Pero es un hábito nutritivo para los que tenemos el vicio.  Se complementa con el teatro, el cine, la conversación sabrosa y otras vagabundancias semejantes.

Las 'grandes novelas’, es un concepto vago.  Ya lo dije en la entrega anterior, conviene ser selectivo, pero no hay reglas.  La fama y permanencia de las novelas clásicas las recomienda; pero son muchas y hay muchas muy valiosas fuera de las listas de cajón  A veces una buena película sugiere la lectura del libro en que se basó.  El estado de ánimo, la edad y muchas otras circunstancias, influyen.  Novelas he leído que no me gustaron, o no entendí, la primera vez, pero que me entusiasmaron en sucesivas lecturas; y viceversa.

La lentitud y la relectura

Desconfío de las novelas, y películas, que constituyen una sucesión de sucesos culminantes.  Como la vida, son buenas las que tienen períodos agitados y periodos de calma; incluso aburridos.  Las que tienen personajes redondos.  Son como las grandes sinfonías, tienen allegros, lentos, andantes, adagios y, sobre todo, transiciones.

Una buena novela merece ser releída varias veces.  André Maurois, creo, comentaba haber leído ‘Rojo y negro’, mas de sesenta veces.  El autor de cualquier obra que valga la pena se tomó años en escribirla; no se vale que nosotros la despachemos en unas cuantas horas.  Al iniciar la primera lectura, desconocemos el lugar, los personajes y la trama; se nos pasan desapercibidos muchos detalles.  En las subsecuentes lecturas estamos familiarizados con los personajes, pescamos los detalles y los disfrutamos.  

Mantilla Molina invitó un día a Julio Derbez a ver ‘Hamlet'; Julio le contestó, humorísticamente por supuesto: —Ya se como termina.

El lector aprovechado se sacrifica y apaga las pantallitas por periodos de una hora o más; de otra forma no se puede.  Por ejemplo, el lector electrónico Kindle informa que leer “Los hermanos Karamazov’ toma aproximadamente 20 horas; Pickwick, alrededor de 17 horas.  Vale la pena.

Las vacaciones y la lectura 28 de julio (Editada 15 de diciembre de 2015) http://bit.ly/1mbcwvy

Holidays and the Novels, Edited on December 16, 2015

Holidays and the Novels

This is a story I always wanted to write.  Many that have worked with me know it.  It is useful to reflect on the vices and graces of the habit of reading.

I commented in the previous post that I was born with a crazy gene of reading .  According to my parent’s chronicles and older siblings, since the day I encountered the alphabet I got hypnotized by any page of paper.  In my most remote memories, I see myself reading; my infant illiteracy is for me a blank page.

Curiously, I grew up convinced that I was an irresponsible idler who lost time in novels.  I was scolded for spending my time reading instead of making my homework, at night my parents turned off my reading ligth because I stayed awake until late and had to get early to school.

My mother used to tell than in one occasion, worried by the long time the water had been running in the bathroom, she decided to come in and found me beneath the shower, with my arm stretched out, reading the book in my hand.  In my parent's house, out of courtesy for others, to read in the table was prohibited (how nice it would be that such rule be observed now with the screens of smart phones that are not so smart).  Of course, I did not keep the rule; so I remember the times in which, with my sight on the book and my arm extended, I emptied the coffee maker in the sugar bowl instead of the cup, and similar nonsenses.

When in Law School, my remorse increased.  I envied the distinguished group of legal authorities, highly specialized.  Professors, researchers and even selected students, who payed no heed to vulgar readings; among them, novels.

Creative Idleness  

My parents decided that since I was a student, my job was solely to study.  I was not allowed to work, so it was that I studied as each course passed by, and in final texts periods I only refreshed my memories.  The night prior to my Philosophy of Law final essay, in which I had planned to revise pending notes, I was not able to start but until three in the morning, because I was stuck with 'Red and Black' from Stendhal.

When I got back from my honeymoon, I commented in a social party that during the trip I read 'Dr. Zhivago', which is a rather thick brick.  When we left the party, Susana made an argument and forbade me to mention the anecdote anymore: ––What will they think of me? She said.  I asked her if she had any complaints and her answer was that not at all, but that it was improper to explain, in every occasion, my "incredible sleepless nights."

Suddenly, signals started to change.  A book written by twelve prestigious US jurists came to my hands.   Each one revealed his ideas and strategies on becoming a good lawyer.  I regret having lost it and have tried to replace it with no success.  One of the authors, Justice of the US Supreme Court (Oliver Wendell Holmes or another as prestigious as him), surprised me nicely.  With the greatest impudence he told that, instead of studying law, he read novels.  To his law clerks, pupils and close ones, he recommended to read the great novels.  His theory was that we lawyers resolve human problems.  Law books teach us certain techniques of interpretation and application of the law; but only the great novels could impregnate us with the values and discernment we need to comply with our mission.  Since it was convenient to me, and I liked it, I adopted the principle ever since.

I then knew of other instances.  For example, Carlos Fuentes tells that Don Manuel Pedroza, when asked about recommendations for readings on commercial law, recommended the 'Human Comedy' of Balzac".  Allan Farnsworth, distinguished professor of contracts in Columbia University, wrote a beautiful book: 'Changing Your Mind. The Law or Regretted Decisions'; which is full of legal sources and literary quotes: such as 'The Odyssey', ‘Faust', Luther, Rousseau, Lewis Carroll and even Shirley MacLaine.

Legitimated in such a way, my expectations, previous and later ones, confirmed the value of reading novels.  I got the best impressions of how we are seen by non lawyers, in novels such as the ones written by Dickens'; in 'Bleak House' I realized how litigation bitters and destroys the life of the parties, in 'The Pickwick Papers', how lawyers behave and how we are seen by those who are not, in 'David Copperfield', the warmth of a human lawyer and how despicable is an ambitious one.

Susana died unexpectedly; I lost a gift from God.  From one day to the other I found myself in the middle of a dessert of desolation, sadness, anger and bewilderment.  A psychiatrist whom I keep in nice memory, Juan de Dios Hernández, gave me priceless help.  In our first interview, following my tendency of resolving everything with a book, I asked him to recommend me a good one for my situation.  He recommended me the great novels.  My answer was that I had been reading those during my whole life.  His comment was that such was the reason for which, in the middle of my situation, I was fine.  And indeed, there were many exceptional, one of them autobiographic, 'For Those I Loved', by  Martin Gray.

The years went by, I married Laura; as God did with Job, he provided me with another gift.  The happiness restored.  Since then, Laura took care of her children and mine.  My children went into adolescence and, given the circumstances, great battles shattered our home.  I remembered Dr. Hernández and came back to him so he could provide some advice to handle those problems.  I asked the same question, what could I read on adolescent education?  He gave me the same answer: the great novels.  Then I made a new list, 'The Catcher in the Rye', Dostoyevsky’s ‘Adolescent', 'Jean Christophe' and other great rebels.

And the story could go on.  But it is time for some comments.

I insist, reading is not essential for a happy and valuable life.  But it is a nutritious habit for us who suffer the vice.  It may be nicely complemented with theatre, cinema, pleasant conversations and other wandering endeavors.

The "great novels" is a vague concept.  I already said it in my previous post; it is convenient to be selective, but there are no rules.  Fame and perpetuity of the classic novels recommends them; but there are too many and many valuable others outside the common lists.  Sometimes a good movie suggests the reading of the book in which it was based.  The state of mind, the age and other circumstances also play a part.  Novels I had read which I did not like, or failed to understand at first, got me enthused in successive readings; and vice-versa.

I distrust novels and movies showing an uninterrupted succession of high pitch situations.  As in life, the ones with agitated periods and quiet ones are good; better with boring periods.  Those who depict round characters.  Like great symphonies they have allegros, lentos, andantes, adagios, and specially, transitions.

A good novel deserved to be re-read several times.  André Maurois, I think, commented having read 'Black and Red' more than sixty times.  The author of any work that is worth reading took years in writing it, it is unfair that we deal with it in just a few hours, and throw it away.  When starting our first reading, we don't know the setting, the characters and plot; many details go unnoticed.  But in subsequent readings we are familiarized with the characters, we notice the details and enjoy thousand times the novel.

One day, Mantilla Molina invited Julio Derbez to ‘Hamlet'; Julio answered, with humor of course: –– I already know how it ends.

The wise reader makes sacrifices and turns the little screens off for periods of one hour or longer; it is impossible to do otherwise.  For example, the electronic reader Kindle informs that reading ‘Brothers Karamazov' takes approximately 20 hours; Pickwick, about 17 hours.  It is worth it.

My coments will follow in the next post, which will be the last one on holidays.

Holidays and the Tortures of Reading 28, July, 2014  (Edited on December 16,2015)  http://bit.ly/1YllYOs

Holidays and the Tortures of Reading. Edited on December 16, 2015

Close the Shop

Holidays, weekends, long weekends and days off, are meant to be for closing the shop.  To pause and turn to creative leisure.  To cease the prosecution of success, fortune, power, and information; in general, all those chimeras that, confusedly, we think they will make us happy.

Reading is not an obligation

It is common that for holidays, most people make pantagruelian plans for reading.  Or to announce that they will cloister themselves in a reading retirement.

Unconsciously, we submit our fellows to the torture of forced reading.  It suffices to glimpse at Facebook in any given day, especially during the weekend or holidays, to prove my point.  It is full of wise advice: you should read to increase your intelligence, you are a brute, in process of increasing your "rudeness" if you do not read.  Lists of books and recommendations of readings are posted.  All of that repeatedly expressed in a thousand ways.  It is a horror!

But not only on holidays, at all times, in homes and schools, children and teenagers, are directed to read works that their parents and professors perhaps merely know by reference; who, in the best of cases, have seen their covers.

Young Casanovas

All these reminds me when, being a teenager in Veracruz, my friends boasted their "Don Juan" conquests of the most attractive girls.  I heard them brag and felt overwhelmed for not being a Casanova, as they purported to be.

However, looking back, I realize that I have always been in good feminen company, so much that I thank God for it.  One thing for sure though, as in novels: one at a time and absorbed by her.  It is the only way to establish a relationship: with the girlfriend, the wife or the novel.  Byy knowing, re-reading, and turning it or her into part of my life: be girlfriend, wife or novel.

With time, I realized it was all bluff.  That my friends did not have so many girlfriends, nor that those who bragged of being readers actually read all they proclaimed.  When I was on the first year of the school of law, I had a friend that took pride of himself as very learned and read; I was impressed by him  until one day I told him I was reading Victor Hugo "Les Miserables".  He answered with disdain that he did not read children's novels; as it is casually said: ––He stripped himself.  I cannot image a child reading Victor Hugo.

Neither Bad, nor Good

Both, to my fortune and my disgrace, I was born with a crazy gene of reading.  Since I learned to read, as much as today many people delve into the screens of their phones, tablet or computer, I immersed myself into any page I had in front of me.  Both customs are a good way of escaping; from life and from oneself.  To read, paint or draw, in paper or in tablet, are all excellent meditation exercises.

Evasion from reading, or from the little screen, can be good, bad or so so.  But each one is as it is and with effort can achieve good progress; although some, without noticing it, only manage to get worse.  At the end, as the Greek apothegm say: “nothing in excess"; and much better if done with good taste and elegance.

The habit of reading, and its contrary of not reading, what one should read, how to read and other related matters have concerned me throughout my life.  I have acquired certain notions that, as the medical opinion on the ill effects of eggs and coffee, are subject to unexpected changes.  Here are some of them. 

There are some who do not read anything at all, or very little.  However, that does not mean that they are a bunch of idiots.  I have known many individuals with very high, wise, and good values.  They are very solid in their culture; they are simple and generous.

Some of them even acquire universal and lasting fame.  Socrates was one of them; I do not remember having seen any reference to his readings.  I don`t think he had the time to read.  He spent most time in the streets, the gymnasium, or at the house of whoever invited him to drink or eat.  He would argue all day long about whatever with whomever; I imagine some avoided him as the plague.  He commented he tried to leave his house as early as possible, because he could not stand his wife; his home was not a reading sanctuary.  He did not have a cellphone or tablet.

To chose is to renounce

I doubt of the existence, present, past or future, of someone who has read all the great works.  I imagine him to be unfocussed and, most probably, rather silly.  But I do know many whom, at the mere mention of any book, automatically comment on it.

Great works are preferable; much better than the last month, or week, bestsellers or in fashion.   Indeed, classics are the "best sellers" of all times.  Among them are the Quixote, the works of Shakespeare and many others.

To choose is to renounce.  Jean Guitton, a French intellectual I admire, recommends not reading first editions, for who would remember the successes of ten years ago? If a book holds three or four years of editions that is an indication that the book expresses human values that are not transitory; it would be worthwhile to consider it.  However, I am frequently defeated by the temptation of reading fresh things.  But selected with caution; it depends on the author or commentary; and its source.  In this, as in everything, nothing as being flexible.

Read to Much, But not to Many

True readers savor the works, they not swallow them in one sitting.  When we re-read a book that is worth it, we enjoy nice surprises.  That way we turn these books into our companions; and as to our girlfriend, companion or wife, nothing better than being loyal.  Balmes recommends reading a lot, bot not reading many.

One reads with different purposes.  To enjoy, to increase culture, to learn or develop a profession, work or purpose, etcetera.  The worst of all readings is the one made to brag; even when it sometimes leaves results.

The best readings are those made for the sake of pleasure.  The best book, the one chooses.

Of course that the more selected the novel, short history or work, the better.  To read a poster or a hot best seller is not as enriching as reading Tolstoy’s "War and Peace".  I love Socrates repeated saying, deep in meaning: "— beauty is difficult".  Somerset Maugham commented that he preferred to be bored reading Proust’s "In Search of Lost Time", than to have fun with a fashion novel, romance or adventure.

There are clasics that are particularly enriching if one immerses in them.  This is difficult nowadays when there are so many offers and the list of pending book incessantly increases; you shall resist the temptation.  For example, this year I have spent several months in rereading In Search of Lost Time.  Strong force of will is needed for not make a parenthesis and read another novel; but I don't regret it.

Inch by Inch

Training is needed.  Body builders recommend starting with walking sessions of five to ten minutes that gradually increase.  With patience and persistence is possible to run marathons.  There is nothing like starting with light readings.  There are the classic ones, "The Count of Monte Cristo", "The Three Musketeers" and others from Dumas, Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island", and the works of Salgari.  There are many.  All of them excellent and very amusing for children and adults.  They are irresistible.  There are also contemporary ones.

Art of Seduction

The best way to disincentive reading is to make it compulsory.  Especially for children and young people.  The best stimulants are the example, a warm environment and conversation.  We used to read a tale to our children before they went to bed.  Curiously, now that they are adults not all read the same and with the same intensity.

To impose or prohibit readings is equally pernicious.

The good news is that we all are different and not all of us need to read.

Entradas relacionadas con esta entrada.  Gaby, ponerlas con sus títulos en inglés.

Holidays and the Tortures of Reading 28, july,2014  http://bit.ly/1pm33in

Vacations.   Revolt Reading Bureau  4, August,2014  http://bit.ly/1o6n8uZ