Category: book news

Dickens 2012 how far did the ripple go round the world

~ winstonsdad ~ 18 Comments

Well today is the 200th  anniversary of Charles Dickens birth .I ve tossed and turned in my head how to cover this and involve the main focus of Winstonsdad that of fiction in translation and I decide that is to see how in my view he has had an effect outside the UK on writers .At the time Dickens wrote he was along side a couple of great French writers Zola and earlier Balzac these where all social realist writers .so lets see how in my view dickens has effected writers from round the world .

THE CITY –

Now London is Dickens city the sooty dirty back streets dark alleys and cobbles inhabit his london make the city a central character in a lot of his books .Now Orhan Pamuk in a lecture in 2009 acknowledge how both Dickens and Joyce had shown him how important making the city feel right can be to the book ,I read his last book last year the Museum of innocence and this book has loads of dickens links the city Pamuk’s is Istanbul ,class this book is all about classes and love always crops up in Dickens .Although he said he wasn’t a huge fan the great chronicler of Cairo Naguib Mafhouz said Dickens had made cities important to the novel .Joyce also would have read dickens and how many of the scenes in Ulysses wouldn’t have been possible if Dickens hadn’t written so much about working people  and the streets they live in .

CHILDREN AS A NARRATOR 

Whether it is Pip ,David Copperfield or Oliver twist ,Dickens wrote great children as Narrators but also children facing great struggles and meeting the most awful characters along the way from Magwitch and Bill Sikes as evil ,to school or workplace as a horrific situations .Now last year I read two great child Narrators heir to Dickens great Narrator and both from the spanish speaking world Tochtti from down the rabbit hole lives in a nightmares world of the modern criminal class Fagin and Sikes look tame compared to this world but if Dickens lived now this would be his world .The other book is Kamchatka and Harry and his family on the run  face a terrifying world  and danger at every turn .I interview the writer and he had read a lot of english fiction although he didn’t mention Dickens I m sure he would have read him .

SOCIAL JUSTICE 

Now there is one name jumps out for this Leo Tolstoy who was known to be a huge Dickens fan and like Dickens his books have a lot of social realism in them .Tolstoy called Dickens the greatest 19th century writer ,even have pictures of Dickens on his wall .Elsewhere I noticed Heinrich boll mention Dickens in his book the Irish journal  and the recent German short story collection from Clemens Meyer a rough edged book is the heir to Dickens in its view of people on the edge is the rough parts of east german that much different to the Victorian London of Dickens I wonder .

So there is just a few people from round the world that could be called the children of dickens but I like to point out Sarah’s post and the fact that I love dickens but as Sarah says there are lots of over looked writers like Henry Green and Lawrence Durrell would be another this year is his 100th anniversary .The top image is one I took recently at the dickens museum which is at his home .


Bookish deeds a film and lend

~ winstonsdad ~ 6 Comments

well last night I had a great night at home with the Amanda but had two great bookish moments away from reading books the first was a film that was new to me that was on the sky premier film channel so a newish film it was called Eleanors secret ,a French Animation with english language soundtrack .We follow Natanael a seven year old boy that is afraid to read aloud and this is effecting his school work ,so on the way to his late aunts house where he spent many happy summers with her reading to him from her library of first editions fairy tales and classics .She left him this library and the secret that goes with it .I don’t have kids but I fell this is a film to inspire kids to read and to a book junkie like me was a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours with my darling wife .I m sorry I picked german trailer first as it much better than the english one I found gives better idea of the book .But have include the english one as well .

My second bookish event last night was minor but to me a thrill I borrowed my first e-book from our library system I didn’t know Derbyshire even  had a e library well we do it’s not terribly big but there is a number of books there I wanted to read but most were out on loan so I choose Arctic chill by Arnaldur Indridason as I have it on my shelves if I don’t finish it on my I pad in time .

Have you borrowed a e-book ?

What bookish things your discovered recently ?

books ,booker ,literature prize ?

~ winstonsdad ~ 30 Comments

Well I stuck my nose in a conversation about the booker prize and the new prize announced this week as a counter to the booker ,now I view the new prize as a positive move the booker has been around unchallenged as the premier prize for literary fiction in the english speaking world for a long time ,so like most things that have had control of a market for a long time maybe it has got a little flabby at the waist and let its self go a bit and standards have dropped  .The new prize is in part a reaction to this years jury which in literary terms is a little lightweight and the choices of long list and shortlist have sparked much discussion on what the booker means in people’s eyes ,also a comment by the judge Chris Mullins in regards readability of the books he choose .I had long been a fan of the booker and have read many shortlisted booker books over years .

So what does the booker mean to me as a prize well I look at literary fiction a like Everest we maybe have to be like sir Edmund Hilary reach the peak  but then climbing didn’t stop and give up ,no but like all climbers we look for the new unclimbed peaks however hard ,or the new route up the mountain via a new path ,or a new way of climbing that maybe dangerous or innovative  and I think this metaphor works for the booker and reading for me in general I like to challenge myself . This is what reading  as the climbing metaphor  is ,not for climbing the same route or going to Ben Nevis and making out it is a hard as climbing Everest ! So that said what does this reader look for in his booker shortlists and winners well I ve a few things, and will use previous winners and shortlisters to show what I look for and why I think the prize has drifted of late as most of the books mention are pre 2003  –

 

Language 

I like a book that shows the bounds of the english languages and what can be done with it I perfect example would be James Kelman how late it was ,how late a book that showed the ability of language and regional accents a book wrote in a clear broad Glaswegian accent was it readable well if you were from Glasgow yes but otherwise it was a wonderful insight into how broken english can be shattered and remade in Scotland into a brutal but effective language that suits its setting .

Genre expanding  

Now I m going pick two books both works of magic realism the are Midnights children by Salman Rushdie  and Famished road by Ben Okri both winners in the 80’s They both approached the Magic realism genre in different ways Rushdie use it as a blueprint for the tale of modern India ,Okri as a way to open village life in Africa and Africa myths to the reader .Keneally Schindler’s ark also did same for biographical novels .#

sets a new mark 

I like books that when you read you can say that will be cited for years after as a turning point in fiction .I ve got a recent winner in mind Wolf hall I think even thou I didn’t really enjoy it ,I can see it being a book that has raised the bar on historic fiction and  will be the one the people say was a game changer and will be the one people read to get inspired to write historic fiction .

just talent 

Now some writers just oozes talent now around booker shortlist it is obvious who has influenced english literary fiction for years people like Beryl Bainbridge and William Trevor although neither won a booker both have had multiple short-listed books  over 20 plus years why because the constantly show the bounds of the English language Peter Carey and J M Coetzee have both won on more than one occasion and this  is due to there talent as writers both try to set a new path to follow  with each new  book and usually succeed in showing how you can be different even in the same field of fiction .

There are the things I look for in a winner books that try to climb Everest set new marks and leave me as a reader want more ,I think the rot set in with the booker in 2003 the short lists since then have been weaker that earlier ones so a new prize is welcome and well all be able to judge what difference it has made to the booker and what direction the new prize is set in .Although I must note it is a missed chance for a general prize for  literary fiction that also including translations   published within in a year .I personally think this hasn’t happened because it would show how much great fiction is coming to readers from outside the English speaking world !! that does all of what I state in the qualities of a booker winner and usually far better

What do you think ?

Roll up Roll up and chat books at book talk

~ winstonsdad ~ 9 Comments

The scottish version of Booktrust Scottish booktrust has a new reading club on line called  book talk that will be reviewing a new book every month ,There site is also worth visiting for the numerous blog posts ,links and children book piece ( for my many nephews and nieces ,I need to know what the kids find cool) so roll up and take a look as book talk went live today .So please go have a look and support them as they do a lot for Childrens literacy .

BBAW 2011

~ winstonsdad ~ 12 Comments

Well I am a funny soul only last week ,I said I didn’t want to do much with book blogger appreciation weeK on twitter ,but must say who ever runs bbaw twitter needs to reply to people numerous mentions and no reply !! that does annoy  but as they say a week is a long time in politics in my mind its a lifetime now I want to take full part I may not want to be a part of a certain type of blogging but want meet new bloggers and learn about blogging more and BBAW can help with that  .so if you like my little blog nominate me if not don’t lol .I hope to maybe find some new blogs and also get some fresh ideas for the blog of late I ve seem to have got stuck in the mud in my head I need something to spark the blog of again so maybe BBAW will help me get some spark back in the blog .That and the return of my favourite blogger rob of robaround books should see the old dog rise again .I ve nominated already I ve told people I’ve nominate already .

so have fun and as a publicist said on twitter today #ilovereading  and I do

good luck all and hi to any new people I meet ,

stu and Winston the dog .

 

 

 

 

World book night top 100 lets make it a fresh list !!!

~ winstonsdad ~ 25 Comments

Beside the sea world book night

This years world book night giveaways are to be decided by us the public by choosing our  top ten books .I looked at the current top 100 and have to agree with Meike from Peirene it is a bit bland and from the perspective of winstonsdad the translation choices which there are at this moment ten book are what I would call the ones people think they should read or put in a list even if they’ve not read to look good (sorry needs to be said) .I love Murakami and Marquez but some diffeernt book here would be great open peoples eyes.Well Meike has suggest if we could all choose Beside the sea by Veronique Olmi  it is a lovely french gem and is one of my all time favourite reads any way ,at moment 35 votes will get it in the top 100 I ve vote so 34 would do it come on lets help the nymph and the lovely ladies of Peirene make the list ,all of us bloggers and tweeters know how much effort this publisher puts into social media and interaction with its readers more than any major publisher does .So put your hand up and say yes I want the small guy to win for once because we all love the underdogs in this country lets for once get them there  ,Meike has written a blog post about this too here ,thanks stu .I will be put up for giving away this time as I was too shy to volunteer last year .

My top ten –

Beside the sea by Veronique Olmi – reason a french gem touching and it will make you gasp if you’ve not read it !

Rings of saturn  by W G Sebald reason started my love of translation and it is a book that can be reread and still make you think .

Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes – reason the first novel it has all in it that has followed since a true master piece .

Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges reason he was a genius flash fiction avant grade fiction all look at this as a starting point

If on a winters night a traveller by Italo Calvino reason I love it and I know many people hate it but who can’t love a book that talks to you ?

My century by Gunter grass  – reason  short interlocking pieces covering the 20thcentury from the German master not his best but it is a good insight into Germany .

Cities of red night by William S Burroughs  – reason he was a one off writer this book has all a young guy could want from a book and men shou,ld read more !

The last brother by Nathacha Appananah – reason a unheard corner of post ww2 history jewish refugees stuck on a tropical island told touchingly through two young boys tale .

Goodbye to all that by Robert Graves – reason  my favourite memoir war is bad and read this you know it is ,a poets eye goes to war .

Walden by Henry David Thoreau – reason if more people had read this would the world be the way it is the simple life as he spent time in nature thinking whilst living in a wooden hut .

What are your choices ?

my booker predictions 2011

~ winstonsdad ~ 24 Comments

well tomorrow we find out who has made the longlist of the man booker prize 2011 .I was going do this earlier this evening but 2 hour power cut meant unable to blog so I ll fly through the book I ve heard about and reviews I ve seen over last few months ,so  i ll give you a baker’s dozen –

At last – by Edward St Aubyn –

the latest in the partrick Melrose series to pay respects to his mother and another look other his past .

Strangers child by Alan Hollinghurst –

two poets lives and works tracked from 1912 to present day a look at what being a poet means and how history decides what there poems mean .

Wish you were here by Graham swift –

jack deals with his brother’s death in Iraq a look at modern english lives .

The girl in the polka dots dress by Beryl Bainbridge –

A girl from Kentish Town heads in 1968 to the cauldron of the US with Martin Luther King dying ,maybe one last chance for Beryl hey .

Pure by Andrew Miller –

Set in 1785 a young man must clear an old cemetery whilst watching his own back .slightly different hope it makes list one that appeals to me .

Last man in the tower by Aravinda Adiga –

a building needs to be cleared in Bombay but there is one man stopping this as old and new india clash .

Waterline By Ross Rasin

well I ve heard Joe from Penguin go on about this book ,as a friend of my father owned a shipyard this one appeals to me ,it is about Mick his journey out of the shipyards ,about love and loss .

The forgotten waltz by Anne Enright  –

Gina has a love affair with Sean ,passion desire and memories all crop up in this book it seems .set in Dublin ,has to be a Irish writer on booker list .

 

Other people’s money by Justin Cartwright  –

the fall of a family owned private bank told from two generations point of view ,Justin sold this to me when I heard a radio interview ,seems to catch the spirit of the time a bit .

We had it so good by Linda Grant –

I think every blog review of this book has been positive ,set in 1968 it follows middle class people over the next forty years ,through main character Stephen an American living in Britain .

Cedilla by Adam Mars Jones –

The continuing story of John Cromer from his earlier book ,I ve this on my tbr pile like fact main character has a disability something you don’t often see in books .

London Triptych by Jonathan Kemp –

three mens lives and affairs in 50’s london against a backdrop of a gay underground and art world .This sounds different to me when I read a few reviews .

Embassytown by China Mieville –

Well I ve put this on as I m feed up of the whining from sci-fi readers that he misses the list year after year and the fact it does sounds like a great read ,an alien world humans modify to communicate with the life form on the planet .It seems to be about our lives using the alien world as a tool for our world and its problems .

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK BE THERE ?

WHAT YOU MAKE OF MY CHOICES ?

 

 

 

Good old London town for IFFP NIGHT

~ winstonsdad ~ 44 Comments

Well as I said on last post I went to london on thursday ,so mid morning on Thurs I caught train to St Pancres ,I arrived just after on and was met by Simon from the blog inside books but also a good friend I speak to every day on twitter ,We went and had a coffee and I check in my hotel ,whilst Simon return to work .I planned to meet again at London review book shop to have a look at books and grab a coffee .

This is former poet laureate Sir John Betjeman he is in st Pancres station ,he led a campaign to keep its wonderful Victorian facade ,the pub is also called after him .So after checking in and changing into my suit I decide to head towards the LRB sim had said just head down and across from where I was so I did ,but I must not silly me I forgot to bring an umbrella and was caught in to huge down pours on route but as I stumbled turn here and there on my way to LRB  I noticed I was near Lamb Conduit street which is where Persephone books are .

This was near by a nice blue plague ,so I went and visit Persephone books whose books I ve really enjoyed ,I knew I d like to get the Irene Nemirovsky book they published last year ,the short story collection Dimanche .I brought it and some lovely postcards ,the lady that served me was very helpful ,if a little surprised it was a man buying the book for himself .so avoiding another rain shower I hit the british museum and turn down Bury Place home of the LRB ,I went in and started scanning the huge shelves of books ,almost dribbling at the titles ,I saw as I went up and down twice but had promised my self to limit my self to three books whilst away .So i found two I wanted the first was waiting for the wild beasts to vote by Ahmadou Korouma ,the Ivorian writer that Frank Wynne said was his best translation ,the second book was Juan the Landless by Juan Goytisolo the highly acclaimed spanish writer the older Helen lane translation .So book brought

I got a coffee and was meet by Simon again and Rob of Rob around books and his wife ,this was a real thrill the two people who got me into blogging via their blogs ,we all chatted away for a good 45 mins,I did notice they had a display of Peirene books in the cafe which was great ,before Rob his wife and myself decided to make a move to the RIBA headquarters on Portland place where the Independent foreign fiction prize was being held we arrived and grab a glass of the tattinger champagne that was there as they’d sponsored the event a little nervous I sat and after a bit we heard the art council tell us how important the prize was and introduced  Boyd Tonkin the chair of judges and as we were told a man with untouchable knowledge on fiction in translation ,Boyd told us how strong genre translation was at moment mainly due to Nordic crime ,but still need our support for more literary fiction in translation to see the light of day ,he then ran through the books up for prize then the moment came ,I want Kamchatka ,Rob loved Visitation ,but no it was Red April by Santiago Roncagliolo the Peruvian was the youngest ever winner he came up .

He read from the opening of the book in wonderful English ,he then thanked people ,I was struck by one phrase he said ,this win is for the 70.000 people that died in Peru during the troubles .Then it was back to the drinks after during the prize I tweeted and got a tweet from the ladies of Peirene ask where I was so I found Meike and Maddy and spoke to them this was lovely although I trod on Maddy’s foot twice with my huge feet ,I also meet Rosie Goldsmith from BBC but she has also started the European literature network as a follow-up all year round to the yearly European literature night A site and idea worth following she has real passion for literature in translation .It was  a great day I walk back to my hotel with Mr & Mrs rob ,I made some great friends got to take part in a great event and got some great books ,Thanks to Nikesh at booktrust who set this up and to Rob Simon Meike and Maddy who made it a wonderful day there .

The INDEPENDENT FOREIGN FICTION PRIZE 2011 shortlist round up

~ winstonsdad ~ 16 Comments

I m off tomorrow to attend the prize giving for this years IFFP 2011 sponsored by Booktrust,I ve read five of the six shortlist books ,but was unable to get the sixth in time due to a library bloop ,but will weight up each  chances of winning –

The Museum of innocence by Orhan Pamuk  translator Maureen Freely – The longest book on the list ,an epic tale of love class and that feeling of total togetherness with one person .It could win due to its epic scope and heartfelt writing .

If it was an english book it would be lady Chatterley lover ,also about love and class with a flip in gender roles thou .

The sickness by Alberto Barrera Tyszka  translator Margaret Jull Costa – A novel involving three people and illness real and imagined ,also father and son relationship ,an interview with him here ,it should win because sickness isn’t often touch so well in fiction

If it was an english book it would be north and south a novel that also touches on dying and parental relationships .

Red april by Santiago Roncagilo translator Edith Grossman  – the past horrors effect a present day crime in Peru ,a hard-hitting and no holds barred novel,it should win because its sheer honesty about his homeland .

If it where and english book it would be This is hard book to match but John Mcgahern seems to touch on Ireland’s terrorist past in some of his books .

I curse the river of time by Per Petterson translator per Petterson and Charlotte Barslund ,like the sickness touches a parent dying but now it is a strong minded mother and a son wanting and needing answers ,it should win as it beautifully bleak like his other books and so insightful into family .

If it was in english book it would be the art fair David Lipsky ,another mother son relationship that is strained .

Kamchatka – Marcel Figueras  translator Frank Wynne Harry and his brother the midget on the run in 80’s Argentina ,this should win as Harry is one if not the best child narrator I ve ever read a warm and touching book .

If it was an english book it be black swan green ,two great narrators and similar times on in uk and Harry was in Argentina .

Visitation -Jenny Erpenbeck  translator Susan Bernofsky -I ve not read this but have read Old child sop ,she should win as she has a fable like talent as a story-teller ,thus I can’t compare to an english book .But this is the favourite .

My tip Kamchatka !

Grass calls in the translators

~ winstonsdad ~ 11 Comments

I listen to the BBC world service program The strand which feature a piece on the third volume of Gunter Grass auto bio /bio /fiction trilogy .The first two parts being peeling the Onion and the box .Now the third part  Grimms Wörter. Eine Liebeserklärung or in english Grimm’s Words: A Declaration of Love ,is a book in the form of a dictionary /bio involving Grass the Grimm brothers .Now this book is virtually untranslatable due to its layout and how its alphabetical layout also follows the story of grass and Grimm brothers .So grass called all his translators to meet him and be challenged to translate this book .Grass has always worked with his translators this led to the new tin drum translation in 2006 as grass felt the original cut to much of his original book, .Now he is want the translators to use their life to translate the book in to their languages ,now it seems as thou only the Dutch and Danish translators will be doing so as their languages closet to german ,there was no mention of the english translation sure one of our talented german translators my take up the challenge .

But this led to a question is the some books that can’t be translated ?

Library cuts ,hope there not too bad

~ winstonsdad ~ 11 Comments

A piece in last weeks guardian about local government cuts mention that libraries are the soft belly to be cut .Well for me this would be a nightmare on a tight budget Library books make most of my reading material ,as I read some obscure titles my local library system and there online ordering is a god send for me .as with the book in the picture I watch a recent programme on Italian noir that evening ordered the book to borrow from library and picked up this week .My local library is a small sub library with friendly helpful staff and a good small selection ,my hope is this doesn’t get cut ,there is a large library in the centre of Chesterfield where I live this is one of the best stocks libraries in the UK due to its high rate of borrowing the fifth in the UK .but to get there is a bus ride and I don’t always have time to get there .so hoping my library that is five min walks from my house is kept .

ARE YOU GOING BE EFFECT BY THE CUTS ?

HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE YOUR LIBRARY ?

Books to watch out for in 2011 .

~ winstonsdad ~ 15 Comments

Well here are a few books out next year that have caught my Eye for next year .

Peirene Numbers 4,5 and 6 – earlier in the year in an interview on winstonsdad Meike mentioned these titles and her descriptions of their year of men titles are much better than mine .I’m looking forward to these as the first three titles have all been of such a wonderful high standard .

Paris metro tales -another in the OUP collection of city tales ,translated and selected by Helen Constantine ,stories in and set round the Paris Metro due out March 2011 .

Never any end to Paris by Enrique Vila -Matas – maybe the perfect companion to the metro tale a novel set in Paris involving the writers of the nouveau Roman movement .The writer is described as the greatest ;living Spanish writer by Bernardo Axtaga and that is he praise this is due out on new directions May next year .

Tyrant Memory by Horacio Castellanos Moya –A novel following a tyrant in El Salvador in the thirties the action takes place in a month between a coup and a strike .Moya was described by Bolano as the only writer of my generation who knows how to narrate the horrors ,the secret Vietnam that was latin american was for a long time .out in May on New directions ,

Love virtually by Daniel Glattauer –Now a german friend told me about this a while ago a very inventive german novel .A love affair told in E-mails ,but will it survive in real life when they meet ? out feb on Machlehose press .

Trieste by Dasa Drndic -A Croatian novel about a mother being reunited with her son that was stolen by the germans sixty years earlier this is meant to be a touching novel .out in april on Machlehose press .

As though she were sleeping by Elias Khoury –I read Yalo by Khoury earlier this year ,this book is different set in the 30’s in Beirut should be wonderful has a arabic poetic edge to it by a wonderfully talented writer ,this is out may 2011 by Machlehose press .

SPLITHEAD BY Juyla Rabinowitz –a German coming of age story about a seven-year old girl who grew up in russia and then came to the freedom of Vienna .a vibrant new voice in german writing .out in february from Portobello books .

Lovetown by Michal Witkowski – growing up queer in Poland under communism ,a book set in the 70’s and 80’s then in modern Poland .Out april on Portobello books

Gargling with tar by Jachym Topol – A book set in the aftermath of the invasion of 1968 .This book caught ny eye when I first heard about it .out in June by Portobello books .

Winstons coffee and muffins A challenge

~ winstonsdad ~ 6 Comments

One day last week Meike from peierne press was highlighting a blog post on harvil secker about translation and wondered if any one could suggest some well I suggest one from German book list and also said that ulrich holbein was over due translation ,as I said in my post a few weeks ago. He shot up in Nobel betting which remind me of reading a short piece when I lived in Germany in a magazine about him .well the downshot  of this discussion was a challenge from Meike to myself if I could some how generate interest in holbein and that people would want to read and buy this book by Germany’s most avant grade writer ,she will try and publish one of his shorter works in English well I tried to think of ways to highlight him and on the whole have drawn a blank so any one any ideas I d welcome a guest post from one my German friends about him below I ve collect a few pieces from German papers about him .I know Meike has been in touch with his German publishers and she is the first English publisher to show interest so if you want to help and want see Ulrich Holbein in English  contact me or do a post about him !! it would be most welcome .

wiki entry from german wiki need use a translator to read in english

taz interview

A collection of reviews from a german culture magazine


Who has infulenced me

~ winstonsdad ~ 10 Comments

Now not meaning to sound arrogant I tend not to be swayed in to what to read but there are a number of blogs I like for their ability to show me what is out there they are –

Arablit – A Cairo based blog gives me the latest news on books in arabic and books in arabic in translation a wonderful resource M.lynx that runs the blog really has her finger on the pulse of Arabic literature .

ANZ LIT LOVERS blog – Lisa has inspired me to look beyond the known names of Australian Literature ,either contemporary or classic ,I think in the next twelve months I will be trying some past Miles Franklin winners  that aren’t so well-known at moment .

COMPLETE REVIEW – this is my main inspiration for books the man behind this blog ,saloon ,magazine site is the most inspiring person for any one who loves books in translation with over 1000 books reviewed and regular info on the world of translation he puts my meager efforts in their place .

this is weds BBAW TASK ,IF YOUR NEW PLEASE SAY HI