Weeds

"Weeds" by Pío Baroja is a story that kicks off at the beginning of the twentieth century. The novel follows Manuel and Roberto, two young guys trying to find their way as artists and dealing with tough life questions in Madrid. The book looks at things like being poor, really wanting to make it, and how living an artist's life clashes with what society expects. Readers first meet struggling artist Roberto Hasting, who's super focused on his work in a messy studio. Then there's Manuel, who wants to turn his life around and is looking for Roberto to get some help. Manuel meets all kinds of people who show him how complicated the art world is, like the strange artist Alejo Monzón. Slowly, Manuel gets pulled into a world where people are ambitious, get let down a lot, and are searching for what it all means. This beginning sets the scene for a closer look at being young, trying to figure out who you are, and the hard truths about living in a community of artists