Reading the 20th Century discussion
Archive
>
What books are you reading now? (2020)
Nigeyb wrote: "Kirsten wrote: "I'm reading Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household"I enjoyed Rogue Male
I hope you do too"
I am.
Roman Clodia wrote: "Were none of you tempted to go on to Bosnian Chronicle? ..."I often read the rest of a trilogy when I'm interested enough in the characters' fate, as with The Transylvanian Trilogy, Vic Brown Trilogy, Kristin Lavransdatter, Country Girl Trilogy.
In this case, though, as Elizabeth Alaska points out "There is no story, no characters you can hang your hat on." So further books would not have the character links of these other trilogies.
However, the major reason I wasn't tempted to read on is that I was not aware there was a Bosnian Trilogy. Thus, the next Balkan book I was planning to read was Black Lamb and Grey Falcon and I have been really procrastinating on picking up that door-stop sized book.
Roman Clodia wrote: ""Interesting that you mention in your review that you didn't like the translation"I don't know whether my problem with the writing was the author or the translator.
The GR editions show that the Bosnian Chronicle has a different translator, Joseph Hitrec, published in 1993.
Mod
I often read the rest of a trilogy when I'm interested enough in the characters' fate"
Yes, I think it's only loosely a trilogy, organised by place rather than people.
Good to see you've read The Transylvanian Trilogy: I read the first one but never got back to it - they're also so huge!
Mod
There's also a translation by Celia Hawksworth according to Amazon - the edition has a published date of 2016 but I can't see if the translation was done then or not.
Brian wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Roman Clodia wrote: "I'm not reading this (yet) but wondered if anyone has read The Bridge over the Drina ... It's amazing. It's beautiful. It is about a bridge but ac..."
Yes, there are gruesome sections, but for me this does not prevent the book from being beautiful.
OK, I'll add my review of The Bridge over the Drina:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Roman Clodia--now you have a wide range of views. ;0) Now you will have to read it to see what YOU think.
Roman Clodia wrote: "There's also a translation by Celia Hawksworth according to Amazon - the edition has a published date of 2016 but I can't see if the translation was done then or not."GR is the most extensive catalog in existence and so I found this edition:
The Days of the Consuls
GR also says published in 1993. As the catalog isn't without errors, I checked Worldcat for corroboration. It says copyright 1992, reprinted 1994. And "translated by Celia Hawkesworth in collaboration with Bogdan Rakić."
I don't usually come here after saying I'm reading something. But I thought Pilgrim at Tinker Creek so very very special and so come back here to tell you so. My review.
Mod
Haha, thank you - and yes, I'm not in danger of NOT having my own opinion ;))
Mod
Gosh, I had no idea!
Roman Clodia wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "GR is the most extensive catalog in existence"Gosh, I had no idea!"
Their goal is to catalog every book every published. They recognize it's impossible to achieve, but that doesn't keep them from continuously adding books. Sometimes details are a bit less than accurate, but over time the transgressions have become fewer.
I have started The Price of Paradise, one of the books of the recent Amazon Crossing free offers. My first reaction is how interesting this falls so close behind our read of Greene's Our Man in Havana. It starts about 10 years earlier than the Greene time period. I don't know if it is a novel that spans more than a generation. Perhaps.
Roman Clodia wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Roman Clodia--now you have a wide range of views. ;0) Now you will have to read it to see what YOU think. "Haha, thank you - and yes, I'm not in danger of NOT having my own opini..."
I guess we are kindred spirits in this way--having an opinion I mean.
Mod
Roman Clodia wrote: "I've just finished Palace of Desire, the sequel to our group read Palace Walk. Mahfouz cited Proust as one of his influences and there's a particularly Proustian strand in..."I didn't enjoy this one as much, the writing was still excellent but I preferred the balance of personal and political in the first book. Sugar Street was much better, I thought, will be interested to see what you think.
Mod
I thought the gradual slipping away of Ahmad's power represented the way Britain had nominally ceded independence for Egypt but were still in control in the background. Definitely looking forward to part three which I'll be starting later today.
Mod
Mod
Pamela and Roman Clodia, I am jealous of you two being able to complete the series. How many stars did you give both the second and you, Pamela , the third? Thank you both for telling me bits about the continuing books.
Mod
4 stars for Palace of Desire - for me, the story felt unfinished after the first book so I felt compelled to continue.
I found the BBC (?) full-cast audios in my library for all three volumes - they seem to compress long-ish books into an hour!
Chrissie wrote: "Pamela and Roman Clodia, I am jealous of you two being able to complete the series. How many stars did you give both the second and you, Pamela , the third?..."I gave the first one 5 stars, the second one 3 stars and the third one 4 stars.
Roman Clodia wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "How many stars did you give both the second and you, Pamela , the third?"4 stars for Palace of Desire - for me, the story felt unfinished after the first book so I fe..."
I know about that abridged version. I do not like abridged books. That has existed for ears, but I refuse.
Mod
Haha, I listened to the first one which covers Palace Walk when I went out for my lunchtime walk and would say it's more like a 'film-of-the-book' companion piece. It's very compressed and is a drama - great voice actors - with some minimal 'voice-over' narration by the older Kamal (he's a boy in the dramatisation).
No substitution for reading/listening to the full book but enjoyable as an add-on. So not what you're looking for Chrissie.
I have just finished the Women's Prize longlist. The last few of those, and a few other recent reviews:A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes My review
Dominicana by Angie Cruz My review
Beauty is a Wound by Eka Kurniawan My review
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell My review
Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers My review
Soul Tourists by Bernardine Evaristo My review
How Pale the Winter Has Made Us by Adam Scovell My review
A Little Dust on the Eyes by Minoli Salgado My review
Nobber by Oisín Fagan My review
Strange Hotel by Eimear McBride My review
Roman Clodia wrote: "So not what you're looking for Chrissie."
That is what I thought.
I finally finished Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China by Paul French. I started that in the old group.
was reading The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill. Was about to read a bit of The Antidote by Jesse Lee Peterson.
Here, finally, is a book of historical fiction written by a contemporary author, that I really do like. I was totally pulled in by The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I will continue reading about Ulster. Now I have begun the non-fiction book Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
Mod
Have you revived the discussion threat Jan?
Mod
I loved Say Nothing - completely gripping.
Roman Clodia wrote: "Chrissie wrote: " will continue reading about Ulster. Now I have begun the non-fiction book Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe."I loved Say..."
That is good to hear. The audiobook narrator speaks in a strong Irish accent and mumbles. This does not make listening easy, but I am managing. I just keep rewinding and rewinding until I can decipher that which is said. I do like the book itself, so far at least.
Just finished this little classic, first published in 1913 and covering the 1880s - early 1900s:O Pioneers! by Willa Cather - 4 stars - My Review
Finished The Woman yesterday. Reading a bit of "Laptops for Dummies" right now.
Nigeyb wrote: "Jan C wrote: "I finally finished Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China by Paul French. I started that in the o..."I reviewed the comments there and thought about adding to it. But I didn't. I may yet.
I have completed Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe. It is not easy, but is still definitely worth reading. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I am now reading Germinal by Émile Zola.
Mod
I'm reading Salman Rushdie's Quichotte and enjoying it hugely. Who else could jam together references to Cervantes, Blind Date/The Batchelor, Trump, Brexit, Tolkein and Pinocchio (and I'm only 30% in) and make them work?!
Roman Clodia wrote: "Germinal is also on my TBR. I'm reading Salman Rushdie's Quichotte and enjoying it hugely. Who else could jam together references to Cervantes, Blind Date/The Batchel..."
Don't wait too long--its really, really good. Definitely my favorite so far by Zola.
Mod
Oh that's good to know. I have a copy in French but fear I won't know the mining vocabulary so need a good English translation too.
I also must get to L'Assommoir/The Drinking Den.
La Bête humaine/The Beast Within is my current favourite Zola.
I have read all of Zola's Les Rougon-Marquart. There were one or two I did not care for, but all in all I enjoyed my time spent with these.
Mod
Roman Clodia wrote: "Wow, that's impressive Elizabeth to have read them all!"When I see some of the things you - and others - have read, I feel like I've been spinning my wheels. We all get to things as we get to them.
Elizabeth, the entire series - just WoW! I read Germinal a few years ago and, based on Goodreads ratings and general comments, I decided on a future preference order of: L'Assommoir, La Bette Humaine, L'Oevre and Ladies Paradise.
However, a GR group Buddy read of the Ladies Paradise came up first and I joined and really enjoyed it a lot. I preferred it to Germinal, though I liked both. I think the quality of the LP translation by Brian Nelson may have been a factor as LP was a smoother read. I would look to his translations for future Zola reads.
By number of Goodreads ratings, the order of popularity of Zola's is: Germinal, Nana, Therese Raquin, L'Assommoir, La Bette Humaine, the Ladies Paradise. The Fortune of the RM, Le Curee, The Belly of Paris and L'Oevre as the top 10 most read Zolas.
Brian wrote: "I think the quality of the LP translation by Brian Nelson may have been a factor as LP was a smoother read. I would look to his translations for future Zola reads."I have commented numerous times that I am not a rereader. However ... as I was completed the series I saw that there were new translations. I'm about 100% certain I'd never read them all again, but I *do* think I may try to revisit some of my favorites with the new translations, at some far future date. Ladies Paradise is one of those, by the way. I would also reread Nana, L'Assomoir, and The Debacle, which I think is perhaps the best war story ever told.
I am currently reading The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, The Stand (re-read), and The Day the Sun Died by Yan Lianke. I just finished contemporary Chinese author Yan Lianke's memoir Three Brothers: Memories of My Family, which I really enjoyed! He has a beautiful and poetic style of writing.
Mod
"
I think decent translations are crucial which is why I'm picky about reading free translated literature on Kindle.
Is Brian Nelson the translator of the ongoing Oxford World Classics Zola project? I recently bought their L'Assommoir, must check who the translator is.
Elizabeth, I've read Nana twice, would happily reread, and the others you mention are all on my list.
Roman Clodia wrote: "Elizabeth, I've read Nana twice, would happily reread, and the others you mention are all on my list."We could have our own little buddy reading corner! I'm not going to get to these until Fall at the earliest, but thank you for the nudge. I did wander over to Brian Nelson's GR page, so maybe these rereads will be sooner than I think!
Roman Clodia wrote: "Is Brian Nelson the translator of the ongoing Oxford World Classics Zola project?"His GR page says, in part:
As well as his critical writings on French literature, Nelson has been one of the core translators of Oxford World's Classics' projects to translate all of Emile Zola's "Rougon-Macquart" cycle. Nelson has translated 7 of the 20 books between 1995 and 2018 as part of their complete series.
The 7 Zola's translated by Brian Nelson:The Ladies' Paradise (Oxford 1995)
Pot Luck (Oxford 1999)
The Kill (Oxford 2004)
The Belly of Paris (Oxford 2007)
The Fortune of the Rougons (Oxford 2012)
The Earth (Oxford, 2016)
His Excellency Eugène Rougon (Oxford, 2018)
Reading the 20th Century
Books mentioned in this topic
Anna of the Five Towns (other topics)Riceyman Steps: A Novel (other topics)
Anna of the Five Towns (other topics)
Riceyman Steps: A Novel (other topics)
The Namesake (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
P.G. Wodehouse (other topics)Jhumpa Lahiri (other topics)
Arnold Bennett (other topics)
Vladimir Nabokov (other topics)
Arturo Pérez-Reverte (other topics)
More...
Interesting that you mention in your review that you didn't like the translation - I think there's only one English version currently available but I did wonder about it given that it dates from 1977 and translation theory and practice have changed since then. It looks the kind of book which could be suitably picked up by Penguin Modern Classics or similar with a new translator.
Bosnian Chronicle has a different translator but with no 'look inside' I can't see when it was done. Books to be dipped into in a real-life bookshop then.