There is a brief but interesting article in this month's Pages Magazine about international fiction. This is particularly timely as I want to read more fiction in translation this year. Nan A. Talese (part of Random House) is publishing a new series of international fiction this spring.
"The new series, which goes on sale between January and April, consists of six novels spotlighting German, Spanish, Latin American, and Asian culture." The books will be marketed jointly, as well as individually--a rare venture at a time when Americans read remarkably little literature in translation."
I found it incredibly disappointing when I read the last sentence. I wonder why that is? Are publishers just not marketing it in the right way? I know I have not gone out of my way in the past to read fiction in translation as a matter of course (I hope to change that this year), but I am willing to read any book that sounds interesting irregardless of whether it was written in english or any other language. Readers just need to be able to get their hands on it and know it is out there. Perhaps if word spreads over the blogosphere that we want more, someone out there will listen? (Am also curious how much foreign literature is published/translated in other countries--by comparison we must publish very little). In any case here are the titles they are publishing:
- Fabric of the Night by Christoph Peters (German)
- Delirium by Laura Restrepo (Colombian)
- The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly (Canadian--this was written in english)
- April in Paris by Michael Wallner (German)
- FireWife by Tinling Choong (aslo written in english by a Malaysian born author)
- Lies by Enrique de Heriz (Spanish)
Several of these novels sound interesting to me. The translator of Fabric of the Night called it reminiscent of Hitchcock's Rear Window (one of my favorite movies). It is set in Istanbul where a man in his hotel witnesses a murder. I am also particularly interested in April in Paris, which is the story of a German soldier and a French resistance fighter. Hopefully my library will be getting these titles in!
Last night I finally watched Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest. I'm sorry, but I love these movies. I know they are not high-brow, but darn they are enjoyable. I didn't think that the first one could be improved upon, but the second was as good as the first. It was darker, though, not quite as funny. I think the first is still my favorite, but I am glad I own the second as well. But how could they end the movie that way? It's The Empire Strikes Back all over again. You know, where Han Solo was frozen at the end of the movie? I really hated that. And now again I have to wait to find out what happens to Jack Sparrow. Of course they do this on purpose, because now seeing Pirates of the Caribbean 3: The End of the World is an absolute necessity. Thankfully they have already filmed it and hopefully it will be released sometime later this year. I also watched the second half of Longitude finally. Definitely more high-brow and thoroughly enjoyable. You wouldn't think a movie about the race to find how to determine longitude at sea (and the work of a clockmaker who made the chronometer) would make for a thrilling story, but it was thrilling. It was excellently done, complete with very convicing period costumes and details (and yes, ships at sea!!). There were actually two stories in one, running parallel to the story of John Harrison and his chronometer was that of Rupert Gould who worked to restore (in the 30s and 40s) those clocks Harrison made, which became an obsession threatening to destroy his life.
I hope later to finish reading By the Lake by John McGahern. If not tonight then tomorrow I should get through it. It has been an enjoyable read. I have been trying not to juggle the mental queue too much, and just concentrate on the story, but I will need to soon think about which book to work on next....