This short book is so much about language - double meanings, puns, innuendo - the translator should receive all prizes for making it work in English.
TThis short book is so much about language - double meanings, puns, innuendo - the translator should receive all prizes for making it work in English.
The narrator is a 12 year old girl living with a father obsessed with concrete so there is a lot about it, but also living in rural areas, tinkering, absorbing beliefs/knowledge from the family surrounding you (some homophobia and racism are included although it's pretty clear the author is putting loaded language in the mouths of a child who doesn't understand it.)
Most of the time I could picture old male readers chuckling about each clever turn of phrase and that made me like it less (does anyone else ever imagine the perfect reader for a book?) plus what 12 year old would ever be able to make these jokes?
This is one of my last reads for the Tournament of Books shortlist (I still have many left on the long list) and as translated works go, I'm still Labatut forever. 4 stars for the book overall, 5 stars to the translator....more
Before Sunrise (1995) is one of my favorite films so I'm always a sucker for books about strangers meeting on a train. In this case Hannah gets separaBefore Sunrise (1995) is one of my favorite films so I'm always a sucker for books about strangers meeting on a train. In this case Hannah gets separated from her boyfriend when she ends up on the wrong train car, ending up in Paris instead of Amsterdam. She trips over Leo, literally, and he stops to make sure she is okay.... ❤️
This came out August 24 but I like it for the fall. ...more
This is an incredibly violent book but I imagine it will be included in the Booker International shortlist (I was right,) because the language is viviThis is an incredibly violent book but I imagine it will be included in the Booker International shortlist (I was right,) because the language is vivid and tight, the story is not one I've read before (Senegalese soldiers fighting for France in World War I,) and it has this underlying rhythm with short chapters and repeated phrases that serve to whip it up to the frenzy of the end. But then it's like you as the reader are a part of what happens, and this is not a good feeling.
"Yes, I understood, God's truth, that on the battlefield they only wanted fleeting madness. Madmen of rage, madmen of pain, furious madmen, but temporary ones. No continuous madmen. As soon as the fighting ends, we're to file away our rage, our pain, and our fury. Pain is tolerated, we can bring our pain home on the condition that we keep it to ourselves....Before returning home, we must denude ourselves of rage and fury, we must strip ourselves of it, and if we don't we are no longer playing the game of war. Madness, after the Captain blows his whistle to retreat, is taboo."
CW for war, murder, dismemberment, rape, racism. The trench is referred to repeatedly as female anatomy, and since the author uses repetition as a tool, if something is going to bother you once, it is likely to repeat. I mean, would it kill translators to select a book about an old lady planting a garden? Reading a lot of translated lit takes you into some dark places....more
I was going to skip this chef memoir but then someone in my Around the World group pointed out that he spent a hefty chunk of his childhood and young I was going to skip this chef memoir but then someone in my Around the World group pointed out that he spent a hefty chunk of his childhood and young adult years in Andorra. Books from Andorra translated into English are very hard to come by so this may be as close as I can get.
I know of Eric Ripert of course, first from his friendship with Tony Bourdain and second from Jen-on-Top-Chef who worked for him at Le Bernadin, a restaurant that has consistently been given top awards and reviews, but closed early in the COVID wave and has remained closed since (I hope they are able to reopen someday.) I knew he was a long-practicing Buddhist and that he started around the time he arrived in New York. I knew the same year Tony died, Le Bernadin was awarded the top restaurant in the world! So I realize I know more than I thought, but I didn't know about his childhood. I had the impression that he grew up in the Alps, skiing and eating cheese.
This memoir is only the years up until he leaves for New York, from his idyllic childhood until his father dies. He confronts some challenges with a bullying stepfather and a year in boarding school, but he also has a mother who taught him about quality and perfection (and great food), knew good chefs and farmers as friends, could walk out the door and go hiking (and did), and wore designer clothing because of his mother's boutique. His family connections get him into a school that trains chefs/cooks but also waiters, a much more respected career in France than other places, and also get him a cush job when his military service comes up (where he worked as the officer's waiter after rejecting his cook job due to low quality ingredients.) I feel his privilege should be recognized because although it is indisputable that he has worked incredibly hard and endured incredible challenges, many of the opportunities that feel like "right place right time" really weren't, even if he took advantage of them to their finest. Kudos to him for sticking through the challenges; that is fortitude few of us would have.
All because of this, by his mid-20s he had worked both at La Tour d'Argent AND at almost every station in Joël Robuchon's restaurant, during the time it was given three Michelin stars. The descriptions of the precision and demanding atmosphere of that time are worth the entire book, and honestly I've worked in restaurants and can't fathom what you have to put yourself through to get to that level of speed and accuracy (and keep your sanity.) (Check out this Eater article that shows a few pictures of the perfect dishes, it's the one with the dots that is narrated in detail in the book.)
As for Andorra, it would be impossible to read this book and not understand how important that place is to Chef Ripert's internal strength and integrity, a hearty place full of real people to keep him grounded.
"It would take time for me to see that my mother had given me a gift by bringing me to Andorra. Growing up in a small town, with a mother whose business was central to the city, meant that I was surrounded by characters like Jacques and Madame Amparo. They knew me, and what’s more, they watched out for me, and dreamed for me of a life beyond the mountain range. Ask me now what I own and I can tell you with confidence that among my richest possessions are the memories I have of the people of Andorra, people like Madame Amparo, who made our village not just a place between France and Spain, but also a bridge between the stark reality of my present and the rich possibility of my future."
"...Each task was a lot like hiking in Andorra. There was only one way to go—up. All of those years of climbing mountains had given me an instinct for the ascent, a sense of how to pace myself, how to structure my approach—not through sprints to the top, but slowly and over time."
"In Andorra in the fall, I also helped my mother put up the wild mushrooms that we harvested in our special spots in the mountains around our home."
"You’re going to America and you will never come back to Andorra in the same way.” ...more
I was looking for a palate cleanser although I'm not sure I would have requested this to review if I'd realized it was backlist? Ah well. Sexy priest I was looking for a palate cleanser although I'm not sure I would have requested this to review if I'd realized it was backlist? Ah well. Sexy priest novel for those of you who have seen Fleabag, but set in Paris 1663. Enough said!...more
I picked this to have a lighter read and it fulfilled that role; I always meant to read the author's earlier book - "Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and FoI picked this to have a lighter read and it fulfilled that role; I always meant to read the author's earlier book - "Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune" - but haven't yet. I think they are related but I didn't feel lost in this one. Vanessa has the family gift of telling fortunes and it happens against her will, often when she drinks tea. She's fought it but soon discovers she may have no choice. She moves to Paris with her aunt to train her abilities while her aunt opens a tea shop.
There is some romance in the book but that isn't the central story. I would say I liked the central story; sometimes the writing left a little to be desired, especially a few awkward food and tea descriptions. But overall a not quite realistic, rompy little read of self-discovery. And I definitely craved tea for days.
I had a copy from the publisher through netgalley and it came out August 4....more
A single mother meets a violinist and they embark on a tumultuous relationship - all the blurbs say this is a literary sensation in France and it comeA single mother meets a violinist and they embark on a tumultuous relationship - all the blurbs say this is a literary sensation in France and it comes out here tomorrow. I enjoyed the first half more than the second because it does get pretty dark, so if you want to know the difference between a romance and literary fiction about a relationship, this can be exhibit 17. (Part of me is a little weary of relationships between two women ending in disaster, but when one character is referred to as an "unexpected tornado," what can you do.)
The writing about classical music is great and I listened to all works mentioned along the way. It's Pride month so here's a book to add to your list!
I had a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss; it comes out June 2, 2020. ...more
This is a very atmospheric, moody, dare I say gothic (?) book about a strange inheritance and an even stranger island. I would save it for a dark and This is a very atmospheric, moody, dare I say gothic (?) book about a strange inheritance and an even stranger island. I would save it for a dark and stormy night. Despite it's shorter page count, it's a fairly dense and slow burn read, but that really suits the tone of the story.
I had a copy of this from the publisher through Edelweiss; it came out in this edition on April 7, 2020....more
Hey look! I finally read a short novel. New to me author that I'll be looking into more, thanks to some comments I got in social media.
There isn't a lHey look! I finally read a short novel. New to me author that I'll be looking into more, thanks to some comments I got in social media.
There isn't a lot to this story (but it really is more of a novella), two friends are caught skiing when one is injured, and the woman tells stories of their friendship to keep them both awake. ...more
This strange little book won an award for creative non-fiction and is what happened when the author Marie NDiaye was asked for memoir. Between the floThis strange little book won an award for creative non-fiction and is what happened when the author Marie NDiaye was asked for memoir. Between the floodwaters rising and the mysterious women in green, it reads like anything but reality. It was a quicker read I selected for Women in Translation Month. Translated by Jordan Stump, who must have had a puzzle on his hands.
I wonder about women in relation to specific colors. Yellow wallpaper, women in green... I'm guessing this is important. Sometimes I feel like I read but do not understand (but I'm okay feeling that way.)
I know of, but have not read, other books by Ndiaye. Have you? I'm interested to hear if her fiction falls along similar lines....more
This is an interesting romance novel because the author is male (!) and it is translated from the French(!) It was in my Kindle backlog and I went looThis is an interesting romance novel because the author is male (!) and it is translated from the French(!) It was in my Kindle backlog and I went looking for romance. I would say it was fine, but not great. Because of the order of the story, and the weird tendency for both main characters to mutter under their breath, and some repetition, it wasn't as good as I was hoping. But it was light and easy just the same, and it's not often we have male romance authors, so I had to give it a try....more
Translated from the French, Wanderer tells the story of a student-teacher relationship when the two reconnect after some time has passed. It can be reTranslated from the French, Wanderer tells the story of a student-teacher relationship when the two reconnect after some time has passed. It can be read on that level but really the story deepens if you can read the language of Schubert, whose music permeates the dialogue, the setting, the characters, even the plot. (I gave in and listened to Schubert while I read it.)
I found myself wishing the translator had translated more of the German lyrics, because the meaning of them is what is most important, leaving the punch of an interaction delayed until I flipped to the endnote. The original narrative moves between present third person pov and past first person pov that I was confused at times.
This is a quiet wintery read that I would particularly recommend to my classical music loving friends. It came out January 8, and I was sent an eARC from the publisher....more
Trysting by Emmanuelle Pagano, translated by Jennifer Higgins and Sophie Lewis, was a quick read for Women in Translation month. Fragmented vignettes Trysting by Emmanuelle Pagano, translated by Jennifer Higgins and Sophie Lewis, was a quick read for Women in Translation month. Fragmented vignettes of love and loss, all the tiny things we notice or accept of our partners and lovers, from body hair to aging. I expected a bit more from a book titled "trysting" but nothing really sordid or questionable here. (Dang!)...more
This novel is the story of a heart transplant, but really it is more about the people surrounding the situation and their individual stories. As seen This novel is the story of a heart transplant, but really it is more about the people surrounding the situation and their individual stories. As seen on The Readers Podcast summer reading longlist, which I'm very grateful for because somehow this one had slipped by me.
I'd say the writing won't be for everyone. What could be a very simple linear story veers off into many tangents to allow for each character to have their own focus. These are often only 1-2 pages in dense prose, but some of the word choices are archaic and I had to look up how to pronounce some. But I ended up enjoying it more because of these diversions. ...more
Another read from the Tournament of Books shortlist, about bullying and masculinity and its impact on a gay boy coming of age in a French factory townAnother read from the Tournament of Books shortlist, about bullying and masculinity and its impact on a gay boy coming of age in a French factory town. Translated from the French and largely autobiographical, it's not a cheery read, but thought-provoking and full of truths and realities.
Compared to a recent read, The Heart's Invisible Furies, which wraps a gay coming of age story in a larger narrative about cultures changing (or not) and AIDs, this is a much narrower, more rural, and more focused view. Both are good reads for different reasons....more
This unique title comes from New Vessel Press, one of the publishers doing good work in translated fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. I received a copyThis unique title comes from New Vessel Press, one of the publishers doing good work in translated fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. I received a copy of this through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. (And thanks to the publisher for helping with a technical issue!)
The Madeleine Project is something that started in Twitter, when Clara started documenting the unpacking and unboxing of a storage cellar below her new apartment. The life of the woman named Madeleine, who had lived in the apartment before her, is revealed piece by piece and detail by detail.
The majority of the book is a translated capture of what happened in Twitter, as it happened. The center of the book has some longer narrative about the background and context of the Paris attacks and the unintended impact they had on the project.
I'm a person who reads ephemera, so I noticed at the end of the book where Clara thanks all of these Twitter followers who provided more information, tried out Madeleine's recipes, or even knew the person whose life she was revealing. She also mentions that she originally planned to include their contributions in the book, but it ended up being too overwhelming. I couldn't help but wish we had gotten to see at least a little of that. I would have loved the recipe interactions, or to learn more about the details that Clara didn't know, identifying tiny objects and their uses. I felt like I was only seeing one side of a very rich conversation at times.
I immediately sent this book to my colleague who runs our university's Special Collections and Archives, wondering if anyone in the archival world had ever documented a new donation this way. I would love it. I'm the kind of person to follow Twitter John Adams' journal and other such accounts. It's interesting if you follow every day, but if you want to keep and collect that form, it needs to be pulled into something else as this book attempts to do. I think the one thing missing are the other voices and eyes that clearly made the project as rich as it was for the original author....more
Overall, Houellebecq's poetry is not very good. Or the translator isn't. It's always hard to tell. I picture him smoking a cigarette in a dark corner,Overall, Houellebecq's poetry is not very good. Or the translator isn't. It's always hard to tell. I picture him smoking a cigarette in a dark corner, reading Nietzsche and scribbling about dead bodies and hopelessness. (And unfortunately this image makes me laugh... probably not the desired reaction.)
I've read a lot of Houellebecq and usually enjoy his fiction. These poems feel more like something he wrote for himself, and probably they should have stayed that way. It is nice to see the original French.
Some I liked more than the rest:
[Untitled] "...We have passed through weariness and desires Without finding the taste of childhood dreams, There is nothing left behind our smiles, We are prisoners of our transparency."
Variation 49: The Final Journey "...Our eyes entangle, interrogate in vain The thickness of space..."
And one that ends in "the possibility of an island," which is the title of one of his novels.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy through Edelweiss....more
I loved this novel. It takes a Palestinian family and follows different members throughout periods of conflict, chaos, and opportunity. It starts in tI loved this novel. It takes a Palestinian family and follows different members throughout periods of conflict, chaos, and opportunity. It starts in the early 1960s and follows through the present day. It asks questions about home, family, belonging, and identity. Despite events often being dictated by war and early characters being forced into becoming refugees, the focus is much more domestic. The characters are worried about their relationships, their toys, their classes. I really appreciated the juxtaposition because so often characters in novels where war is present can only talk to each other about the war. There are tiny details that come back around and have a great impact. I will be nominating this for my book club for next year!
Thanks to the publisher for providing access through NetGalley. Published 2 May 2017....more
I found this book very confusing. It is about Le Mont-Saint-Michel, historically and in the present day, focusing on the life of the monks. But the tiI found this book very confusing. It is about Le Mont-Saint-Michel, historically and in the present day, focusing on the life of the monks. But the time period and narrator switch suddenly without marking (hoping this is just in the review copy) and it took quite a while to figure out that one of the voices was female. The author seems to want to write a history of the island and include all her research but to do so in novel form; I was interested in the historical elements but struggled to keep track of the characters because of the lurches in time and voice.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access to this title through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review....more
We discuss this on Monday in my in-person book club, and I think it will be fantastic for conversation!
I know Kurdistan is not officially a country. NWe discuss this on Monday in my in-person book club, and I think it will be fantastic for conversation!
I know Kurdistan is not officially a country. Neither is Palestine, and in some minds, Eritrea. So what do you do if that is where you are from, and you are welcome neither in your homeland nor in the places you flee too? This is the story of Selim, who escapes Turkey after being associated with the PKK, swimming through a sea of waste in Italy on his way to Germany. He enters a marriage of convenience to stop from being deported on his 18th birthday. The narrator of the novel has a parallel story, working in the registrar's office in a town hall of Paris.
The story takes place in the 90s and overlaps September 11, 2001, and is a revealing look at how refugee status shifts and changes based on what has occurred elsewhere in the world.
I like this novel more from what it made me think about rather than the novel itself (but it is possible that this was the author's goal!) How many of us even know anything about the Kurdish people? I have read several novels where they play a role, but always from a Turkish author, always as the terrorists, the PKK. The rich history and folklore the author pulls in about the Kurdish people was very interesting, and I want to know more.
In fact, I'm considering making my 2017 year of reading around the world focused on people that don't exist in this same way. Mulling it over, we'll see what happens....more
Jenny (Reading Envy)
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