This writer won prix Goncourt with an earlier book ,he is the son of a psychiatrist and currently lives in paris .
the book –
the book follows Max Delmarc a talented but bored pianist in paris he is sheperded in the start of the book by his minder Bernie who makes sure he doesn’t drink and trains loads on the piano a love figure in rose but nothing is happening with that .but he has only 22 days to live and is killed in a violent attack pn the twenty-second day ,he awakes in a surreal place ,a short of in-between stage where his future is to be decide ,he meets Christian Beilard who is assigned to watch him and help him either change his ways or die . he ends up back in Paris with a new face and life style .
my view –
This book is one of the strangest books i ve read in years it starts of as a typical french novel about a man stuck in the rat race so to speak ,then changes in to a freudian story of what is right and wrong ,at times in the second third it reminded me of the tv series prisoner the place max awakes is like the village every one with their place ,brilliantly surreal and quirky this guy is a true one-off
Early this morning ,we were woken to a banging at the door ,my darling wife went downstairs and was greeted by the postie saying take this its heavy ,i ask the wife what it was when she came back upstairs she said oh more books again .I wondered what books it could be as wasn’t expecting any ,then saw Faber on label and remembered i won a comp on twitter a few weeks ago ,as those of you who know me i am on twitter all day every day nearly lol . So i quickly opened the parcel and discovered tho complete collection of the Faber firsts that came out last year to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Faber and Faber .this great collection of Faber’s shows Faber’s wide range of books –
William Golding – Lord of the flies – I read this when young ,but have been wanting to go back to it at some point after hearing about John Carey’s new bio of Golding ,i want to see if the book has change in the twenty years since i read it .
P D James – Cover her face – Not read any James ,I have enjoyed the tv versions of her work over the years .
John McGahern – The barracks – This is a new name to me I ve read the blurb on the back of the book and its set in Ireland ,and sounds quite good .
Sylvia Plath – The bell jar – This is one i read as a teenager as well and had mislaid my copy over the years so is a welcome edition to my bookshelves
Peter Carey – Bliss – I feel bad I ve not read this as a huge fan of Carey’s work I feel iI should have read his debut ,so this is going near top of tbr ,expect a review soon
Kazuo Ishiguro – A pale view of the hills – i had this on tbr pile after reading nocturnes last year i decide to read some more of his books again ,
Paul Auster – new york Trilogy – i read this last year from library the same edition and like the cover design so will be please to have it on my shelf as i really enjoyed it as i have with many of Auster’s books ,this book set in new york a collection of three stories with a detective theme .
Orhan Pamuk – The White castle – I read this last year also ,an italian sailor is sold as a slave in arab world ends up educating a sultan ,wonderful storytelling ,I would recommend this book to any one .
Hanif Kuriesh – The Buddha of suburbia – I ve not read any Kureishi ,I remember catching a couple of the tv version of this years ago as David Bowie had written the music for it . shall see if the book is better than the show ,which bar the music was a little silly at times .
Rohinton Mistry – such a long journey – The debut of the Canadian based indian writer ,i ve enjoy one of his other books ,so will be reading this as well .
just an idea ,i m kicking about .How many times have you read a book and thought that was great but don’t want read that writer again but i d like something else like that ,but not known where to start ?,or heard about Scandinavian crime fiction and don ‘t know where to start or have tried one and not like it for a reason .Well wouldn’t a clinic be great a place where you can ask for ideas about where to start and where to move on to .Twitter is great for this but there is such a wealth of bloggers out there with such varied tastes .I think this would be a great way of discovering new bloggers and crossing those genre barriers .Now i m a newish blogger and know i don’t get many people but wondered if people wanted to go with this as an idea ,maybe once a month on a different blog and everyone helps if they can suggest ideas . I d love to admit this was my idea but have borrowed it from a british radio show .
A question to everyone do you read one book at once or have a number on the go at once ? I ve always tended to read one book at once ,sometimes will leave a book to one side and read another mid book ,but i know some people tend to have a few book on the go at once ,i was wondering why and does this mean you read more ? .I ve been reading more this than last but wondered if there was a way to squeeze a few more books in by have more than one on the go ,i d try it .what works best for you ?
The irish based award is the richest prize in fiction and also probably the fairest as this is compiled from a 163 libraries in the English-speaking world and from 123 cities ,the shortlist was announced today .It was really good to see three translated works on the list this year –
shortlist –
The short listed titles are:
The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker (Dutch) in translation. Harvill Secker -is a debut novel by the dutch writer Gerbrand Bakker ,it is about twins in the 50’s and 60’s in holland and what happens after an accident that leads to one twin taking other the other twin in running the family farm.
the twin
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (Moroccan / French) in translation. Europa Editions, USA, Gallic Press, UK -a book about two women in paris ,a look at classes in france .
the elegance of hedgehog
In Zodiac Light by Robert Edric (British) Doubleday, UK -the story follows a poet Ivor Gurney after the first world war as he struggles with his own sanity .
in zodiac light
Settlement by Christoph Hein (German) in translation. Metropolitan Books -this book follows on man rise in post war germany ,and what this rise brings and takes from him .
settlement
The Believers by Zoë Heller (British). Fig Tree -this book follows a couple Audrey and Joe over forty years after they elope to the us in the 60’s
the believers
Netherland by Joseph O’Neill (Irish) Fourth Estate, Harper Collins, UK, Pantheon Books, USA -man struggles after divorce in post 9-11 new york finds peace in cricket .
Netherland
God’s Own Country by Ross Raisin (British) Viking -we follow classic anti-hero Sam around yorkshire as he hunts .
god's own country
Home by Marilynne Robinson (American) Farrar, Straus & Giroux, USA, Harper Collins, Canada – follows Rev John Ames a minster in Gilead in a companion piece to her other novel Gilead.
home
I have only read Netherland ,which i found a little lightweight and disappointing.i want to read the twin and settlement ,it would be nice if one of these one .
notes-This is another one of Heinemanns wonderful african writer series ,it is the debut novel from Neshani Andreas a Namibian ,she is trained as a teacher and currently works in the education field in Namibia ,she is working on her second novel .she was born in Wavis bay but her family originates from the northern area of Namibia that this novel is set.she also worked for five years as a teacher in this rural area of Namibia .
The book-The book is about a young married girl Kauna and told in the whole from the perspective of her best friend and confidant Mee Ali a slightly older married girl in the village they live .The book starts with Kauna seeing the one of the elder ladies in the village and telling her about her abusive relationship with her husband Shange ,she is told in no uncertain terms this is the way things are and to grin and bare it ,this discussion was meant to be private but soon becomes common knowledge in the village ,shortly after this Shange unexpectionally dies .At first people are reassuring to Mee kanua but over a period of time she becomes suspect of being a witch and causing Shanges death ,she ends up with nothing as all Shanges property reverts to his family ,Mee Ali tries to help her friend the best she can as she sees her world fall apart .
It is that time of year again .The season when our village Oshaantu ,camouflage its self in a rich green carpet and provides a breathtaking sight ,especially from our homestead,which is built on an incline .I wish time would stand still .We had goo rains this year and are promised plenty to eat .
the opening lines of the purple violet of Oshaantu .
My view – I really wanted to read this book when i saw it at the library ,as i sometime work with a relief member of staff at work that originally comes from Namibia , this book has a number of levels it a story of a close friendship between to women ,an insight into village life ,an example of how females fit into Namibian society ,which is quite low by the novel .It slotted in nicely after reading Damon Galgut book set in Namibia ,that was about city life were as this book is about rural life .
Is probably the greatest nature poet that lived ,he was born to a farm labourer in Northamptonshire in 1793 ,he wrote poems in his local dialect about the natural world that surrounded him .sell his earliest poems to save his family’s home ,in later life he was locked in a asylum for a few years .this period of time gave Adam Fould the idea for his booker shortlisted novel the quickening maze .Clare also reworked some of Byron’s poems during his later life ,as it is national poetry month I d thought I d highlight a poet who’s works have brought me pleasure
birds in alarm
The fire tail tells the boys when the nest are nigh,
and tweets and flyes from every passer bye,
The yellowhammer never makes a noise ,
but flyes in silence from the noisey boys ,
the boys will come and take them every day ,
and still she lays as none were taen away
the opening of birds in alarm by John Clare .
Last year penguin brought out a wonderful volume containing Clare and loads of other poems about birds .
There been few parcels ,this week at Winston towers .a great selection of books –
The private memoirs and confessions of a justified sinner & contributions to annuals and gift books by James Hogg
These were both sent to me by the lovely bookrambler ,Jannette edit the contribution book by James Hogg was a poet and novelist and one of Scotland’s treasures ,I have only read a slim volume of his works ,and am looking forward to these a true classic scotts writer .
Young Hitler by Claus Hant
This is a non fiction novel by a german scriptwriter Claus Hant ,who has work on this over a number of years ,whilst working on a hugely successful tv show der bulle am Tolz (the bull from bad Tolz ) a comic police show .I m sure this book is going to cause some controversy ,but Hant says he wants to discover what made Hitler the monster he became .
The queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin
A debut novel set in Missippi in the early sixties it involves race secrets growing up in the segregated era ,this partly comes from Rose’s own experience as a child growing up in the sixties .
Beiruit39-
This book is part of a project from hay festival and Beirut ,the project involved writers from all over the arab world submit work ,they only had to be under 40 ,this project follows the successful bogota39 project which help launch the career of Junnot Diaz among others .link to the hay page –beirut39
I was wondering if any one would like to join a read along of Don Quixote the new Edith Grossman translation .It is one of those books you think you should have read like my self but haven’t got round to it ,This may be your chance ,this new translation has freshened the text and has gained praise from both Harold Bloom and Carlos Fuentes .the book is published in the U.K by Vintage Classic and in the U.S.A by Harper Perennial ,both editions appear to be the same length at 992 pages ,if there is interest i ll work out a timetable and plan to start late summer .
The original is unfaithful to the translation -Jorge Luis Borges
I recently heard an interview with american translator Edith Grossman who is called the Glenn Gold of translation ,this is an apt interpretation of the art of translation ,like a pianist they have to interpret a composer’s music their own way .the art of translation is the same as the translator has to capture the spirit of the original piece in their own language .I want to highlight a few translators who work I have admired in the last few months –
Anthea Bell
Anthea Bell –
Anthea bell translates both adult and children’s fiction ,she works on pieces in french ,German and Danish ,she has work notably on wonderfully poetic translation of my beloved Sebald and on Pushkin’s press new translations of Stefan Zweig .she has also won a number of prizes for her translations including independent foreign translation prize for Sebald’s Austerlitz .
Micheal Henry Heim –
Michael Heim is professor of slavic language at U.C.L.A ,he translates works from Russian ,Czech,Serbo-Croatian and Dutch .My first book of the year was his wonderful translation of Hugo Claus wonder from the Dutch to English ,where i felt he really caught Claus vision of a man falling apart so well in translation,this book was shortlist for this years three percent award for translation .
Margaret jill Costa-
Margaret Costa is one of the main translators alongside Edith Grossman of Spanish Literature and also portuguese as well as basque .I have enjoy her work on Saramago’s and Atxaga books in the last year ,she has won numerous awards and is the only translator to have won both open to all translation prizes in U.K and U.S.A ,the pen award and Oxford Weidenfield award .She has been working with Dedalus books on a number of short books in recent years .
Edith Grossman
Edith Grossman –
Edith Grossman is the most respected translator of latin american fiction she works on Marquez ,Fuentes and Vargas Llosa works ,she also complete a totally new translation of Cervantes Don Quixote which was well received even gaining praise from Harold Bloom .She has published her own book why translation matters about the art of translation ,which an interview with her ,i heard had inspired this post .I have loved her translations of Marquez and am wanting to read the Don Quixote she has done .
Don Quixote
So next time you read and review a book please acknowledge the translator I will be doing in future !
Damon Galgut is one of South Africa’s leading writers with a number of books after being published at 17 in 1980 with a sinless season ,this is his third novel and won the C.N.A South Africa’s leading literary prize ,He has also been shortlisted for the booker in 2003 with the good doctor ,he has also written several plays .
The book –
The book revolves around Patrick Winter and his two visits to South West Africa the first as a solider ,and secondly with his mother who has recently got divorced ,the second visit his mother is visiting Godfrey her new lover a black swapo activist ,still a taboo at the time in South africa ,we also discover that Patrick had a great love on his first posting to South West Africa ,we are lead to belive this may have been a male love ,there is a funeral of a white activist from swapo that was killed ,the themes are love discovery ,change and new beginnings in this book .
My view –
This is an amazing book for its short length ,and tackles the changing face of Southern Africa in the early nineties ,the breaking of long-held taboos and love between couples and a mother and son ,I read this book after some one on twitter recommend his new book but at the library it wasn’t there but this wonderful book was ,this book made me think as i work with a colleague from Nambia which is what south-west africa is now called ,and was also a great counter point to the purple violets of Oshaantu ,which i read after this book .
This was Zweig lost book so to speak not published in German until 1982 ,forty years after his death .Zweig in his day was the most widely translated writer ib the world ,but had fallen out of print in English til the late nineties when Pushkin press ,N.Y.R.B books and sort of books ,slowly started reissuing his work .Zweig was a pacifist and had to flee his native Austria when Hitler rose to power ,traveling to his eventual death in 1942 in Brazil .
The book –
The book follows Christine Hoeflehner a young Austrian women in the post world war one Austria ,her mother is an invalid as she lives in a provincial town and works hard in the post office ,not really enjoying her life .Then she gets a chance to travel to meet an aunt who has return to europe after making a fortune in America ,Christine ends up in the swiss alps living the high life in fine clothes and fine dining . But this comes to the end all of a sudden after a number of disagreement ,and Christine returns to Austria with her tail between her legs ,disappointed with her life Christine meets Ferdinand a kinder spirit and life brightens slightly.
One village post office in Austria is much like another ;seen one you’ve seen them all .Each with the meagre furnishings provided (or rather issued ,like uniforms )during Franz Josef ‘s rule ,all drawn from the same stock ,their sad look of administrative stinginess is the same every where .even in the most remote mountain villages of the Tyrol …..
the opening of the post office girl .
My view –
Zweig captures the hopelessness of the mundane life of Christine wonderfully ,his writing is poetic at times and fits nicely with that of his contemporary at the time Joseph Roth and Robert Musil ,I did feel the second part of the book dropped of a bit ,the scenes in Switzerland where wonderful .I will be getting some more Zweig probably the Pushkin ones that rob at robaroundbooks so likes .
The second story in best european fiction is from Austria ,from an essay collection entitled while sleeping (Im schlaf ) by Antonio Fian .Antonio Fian is an essayist and playwriter ,who is well-known in his native Austria for his dramolettes ,small dramas on current events that are printed in the ,magazine falter (moth),der standard and have been collected together in to four vols .the excerpt in best european fiction from the book is a number of short pieces varying in length from half page to a full-page .they are about a wide range of subjects ,such as an adult themed Barbie seen in a shop to a trip to Tokyo after seeing it on tv and an encounter with Loudon Wainwright ,when Antonio want to translate his lyrics in to Viennese dialect .the piece are informative ,cleverly written and follow a style of writing similar to Staisuk,Bernhard and Sebald in a way .there appears to be none of Fian’s works available in english ,Lets hope some come available soon .
