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Giorgia's 2015 Challenge
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LauraT
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Aug 06, 2015 12:07AM
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36. Poland. The Last Wish - Andrzej Sapkowski
It's a collection of short stories focusing on the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a witcher, meaning a hunter of monsters. I was surprised because it was very well written and sometimes my issue with fantasy is that the story is great and imaginative, but the writing isn't exceptional. Not this time.
It's a collection of short stories focusing on the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a witcher, meaning a hunter of monsters. I was surprised because it was very well written and sometimes my issue with fantasy is that the story is great and imaginative, but the writing isn't exceptional. Not this time.
37. The Netherlands. Tim Krabbé - The Vanishing
It's a very short thriller about a man looking for his girlfriend, who had disappeared 8 years before, and (view spoiler) The ending is really surprising. I really enjoyed it.
It's a very short thriller about a man looking for his girlfriend, who had disappeared 8 years before, and (view spoiler) The ending is really surprising. I really enjoyed it.
I'm trying to decide if this http://www.worldoftales.com/Romanian_... is the same as this
Legends and Folklore: Eighteen Fairy Tales from Romania
... mhhh...
Legends and Folklore: Eighteen Fairy Tales from Romania
... mhhh...
Giorgia wrote: "I'm trying to decide if this http://www.worldoftales.com/Romanian_... is the same as thisLegends and Folklore: Eighteen Fairy Tales from Romania
... mhhh..."
The title of the stories are the same IF the ones on GR are correct.
dely wrote: "Giorgia wrote: "I'm trying to decide if this http://www.worldoftales.com/Romanian_... is the same as this
Legends and Folklore: Eighteen Fairy Tales from Romania
... mhhh...."
Yes, I figured they were the same. I'll know for sure when I read it ;)
Legends and Folklore: Eighteen Fairy Tales from Romania
... mhhh...."
Yes, I figured they were the same. I'll know for sure when I read it ;)
38. Czech Republic. Tom Stoppard - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead - September
I LOVED it!
It made me want to TRY to read Hamlet in English... I don't know though, Shakespeare is a tough one and the italian translations are so good too.
I LOVED it!
It made me want to TRY to read Hamlet in English... I don't know though, Shakespeare is a tough one and the italian translations are so good too.
Giorgia wrote: "38. Czech Republic. Tom Stoppard - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead - September I LOVED it!
It made me want to TRY to read Hamlet in English... I don't know though,..."
I love Stoppard's plays & this is one of my favorites of his. Glad you enjoyed it too :)
39. Uk. How to Train Your Dragon - Cressida Cowell
I've actually listened to David Tennant's narration. Great actor, great book narrator. However, I didn't enjoy the book all that much, I like the film a lot better.
I've actually listened to David Tennant's narration. Great actor, great book narrator. However, I didn't enjoy the book all that much, I like the film a lot better.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2003...
This is a brilliant profile of Jaan Kross written by Ian Thomson for The guardian.
It touches on the role of Kross in Estonian literature, his dealings with the nazi and soviet regimes, the 8 years spent in a Gulag in Siberia and his resistance to oppression and critic towards dictatorships through his novels, but also his role in the writing of a new constitution for Estonia and the time he had been told to wait by the phone to receive confirmation of his Nobel win, which ultimately was awarded to someone else.
It is quite lengthy but it's very interesting and it will make you want to read one of Kross's books.
This is a brilliant profile of Jaan Kross written by Ian Thomson for The guardian.
It touches on the role of Kross in Estonian literature, his dealings with the nazi and soviet regimes, the 8 years spent in a Gulag in Siberia and his resistance to oppression and critic towards dictatorships through his novels, but also his role in the writing of a new constitution for Estonia and the time he had been told to wait by the phone to receive confirmation of his Nobel win, which ultimately was awarded to someone else.
It is quite lengthy but it's very interesting and it will make you want to read one of Kross's books.
40. Romania. Mite Kremnitz - Roumanian Fairy Tales
Meh. It gets boring after a while since most of the story are very similar.
Meh. It gets boring after a while since most of the story are very similar.
So nice to come back here now and see which books you picked for the individual countries, love so many on your list, like The Notebook Trilogy (so glad you liked it), Blindness, Rosencrantz & G. ... which I read last year and loved.By the way, you are right about the effect of reading the Guardian article: The Czar's Madman just went on to my TBR
Jenny wrote: "So nice to come back here now and see which books you picked for the individual countries, love so many on your list, like The Notebook Trilogy (so glad you liked it), Blindness, Rosencrantz & G. ...."
Thank you Jenny :)
This challenge has definitely had some high highs and low lows, but it was worth it, I've discovered so many great authors :)
Thank you Jenny :)
This challenge has definitely had some high highs and low lows, but it was worth it, I've discovered so many great authors :)
42. Slovakia. Tre cavalli bai - Margita Figuli
Very predictable. The translation was awful, I seriously doubt the original was better though.
Very predictable. The translation was awful, I seriously doubt the original was better though.
Two one-star in a row :( :( :(
Giorgia wrote: "Two one-star in a row :( :( :("Ouch! Hope your next book is a winner.
46. Bulgaria. La leggenda della principessa traviata e altre poesie - Dimco Debeljanov
I don't like poetry to start with, so I'm not surprised I didn't enjoy this collection of poems.
Here's the one I liked the best.
UN SOLDATO UCCISO
Non è più nostro nemico.
I nemici in vita un'onda
impetuosa ha trascinato
all'altra riva.
Ora nella trincea scavata
sta pallido e tranquilla
e guarda con rassegnati, tristi occhi
la volta chiara e profonda.
E sulla grigia terra
scaldata da carezze meridiane
tremano, paurose e inutili,
lettere che il sangue ha bagnato.
Chi è e dove è vissuto?
Quale destino lo ha portato qui,
in un giorno di vittorie inembrianti,
a morire senza avere vinto?
I can't find an English translation online. More or less, it goes like this:
He is no longer our enemy.
Those who in life were enemies
have been dragged on the other shore
by a mighty wave.
Now in the dug trench
he lays pale and tranquil
and he looks with resigned and sad eyes
to the clear and deep sky.
And on the grey earth
warmed by midday caresses
letters wet with blood
tremble, frightful and useless.
Who is he and where did he live?
What fate has brought him here,
on a day of inebriating victories,
to die without having won.
I don't like poetry to start with, so I'm not surprised I didn't enjoy this collection of poems.
Here's the one I liked the best.
UN SOLDATO UCCISO
Non è più nostro nemico.
I nemici in vita un'onda
impetuosa ha trascinato
all'altra riva.
Ora nella trincea scavata
sta pallido e tranquilla
e guarda con rassegnati, tristi occhi
la volta chiara e profonda.
E sulla grigia terra
scaldata da carezze meridiane
tremano, paurose e inutili,
lettere che il sangue ha bagnato.
Chi è e dove è vissuto?
Quale destino lo ha portato qui,
in un giorno di vittorie inembrianti,
a morire senza avere vinto?
I can't find an English translation online. More or less, it goes like this:
He is no longer our enemy.
Those who in life were enemies
have been dragged on the other shore
by a mighty wave.
Now in the dug trench
he lays pale and tranquil
and he looks with resigned and sad eyes
to the clear and deep sky.
And on the grey earth
warmed by midday caresses
letters wet with blood
tremble, frightful and useless.
Who is he and where did he live?
What fate has brought him here,
on a day of inebriating victories,
to die without having won.
47. Croatia. Baba Yaga Laid an Egg - Dubravka Ugrešić
Sometimes funny, sometimes very deep. It feels like it's a collection of 3 very different books rather than a coherent single work.
48. Denmark. Out of Africa - Karen Blixen
This was awful. The racism displayed by the author was enraging.
Sometimes funny, sometimes very deep. It feels like it's a collection of 3 very different books rather than a coherent single work.
48. Denmark. Out of Africa - Karen Blixen
This was awful. The racism displayed by the author was enraging.
Giorgia wrote: "47. Croatia. Baba Yaga Laid an Egg - Dubravka Ugrešić Sometimes funny, sometimes very deep. It feels like it's a collection of 3 very different books rather than a..."
I've read the first time about Baba Yaga in Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. She is pretty famous in slavic/russian fairy tales. I loved the fairy tale about her in Women Who Run and it has also a deep teaching.
dely wrote: "Giorgia wrote: "47. Croatia. Baba Yaga Laid an Egg - Dubravka Ugrešić
Sometimes funny, sometimes very deep. It feels like it's a collection of 3 very different boo..."
In triestino baba means woman, girl.
Una bella baba is a beautiful girl, sbabazzare means to gossip.
The third part of the book is dedicated to the figure of Baba Yaga in Slavic tradition. It was interesting.
Sometimes funny, sometimes very deep. It feels like it's a collection of 3 very different boo..."
In triestino baba means woman, girl.
Una bella baba is a beautiful girl, sbabazzare means to gossip.
The third part of the book is dedicated to the figure of Baba Yaga in Slavic tradition. It was interesting.
Giorgia wrote: "dely wrote: "Giorgia wrote: "47. Croatia. Baba Yaga Laid an Egg - Dubravka Ugrešić Sometimes funny, sometimes very deep. It feels like it's a collection of 3 very ..."
Interesting! Yes, there you have surely been influenced by Slavic tradition, you are very near. It's interesting to see how the different regions of Italy have been influenced by nearby traditions or language.
49. SLovenia. Necropoli - Boris Pahor
A very tough to read recollection of Pahor's experience in Nazi camps. The book was hard to read not only because of the subject, but also because of Pahor's style, which is very poetry-like but not in a good way.
A very tough to read recollection of Pahor's experience in Nazi camps. The book was hard to read not only because of the subject, but also because of Pahor's style, which is very poetry-like but not in a good way.
Mod
A very tough to read recollection of Pahor's experience in Nazi camps. The book was hard to read not only because of the subj..."
I liked it extreamly when I read it 6 or 7 yeras ago. Hard thing definitly, but worth reading, like Survival in Auschwitz
50. Italy La mala aria: Storia di una lunga malattia narrata in breve - Alessandra Lavagnino
A very interesting book about malaria.
51. Lithuania. Sinfonia di novembre e altre poesie - O.V. de L. Milosz
I still don't like poetry so... it was ok, I guess.
A very interesting book about malaria.
51. Lithuania. Sinfonia di novembre e altre poesie - O.V. de L. Milosz
I still don't like poetry so... it was ok, I guess.
And with this I have finished the challenge :)
Giorgia wrote: "And with this I have finished the challenge :)"Well done!! Now you can kick back and celebrate :)
Congratulations on finishing your challenge, Georgia!
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Books mentioned in this topic
La mala aria: Storia di una lunga malattia narrata in breve (other topics)Sinfonia di novembre e altre poesie (other topics)
La mala aria: Storia di una lunga malattia narrata in breve (other topics)
Survival in Auschwitz (other topics)
Necropoli (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Oskar Władysław de Lubicz Miłosz (other topics)Alessandra Lavagnino (other topics)
Alessandra Lavagnino (other topics)
Boris Pahor (other topics)
Oskar Władysław de Lubicz Miłosz (other topics)
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