Went to the bookstore today and this is the final list of the five books I will definetly read this year.
- Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
- Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
- Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (translated by Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsky)
- The Brother Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- I, Claudius by Robert Graves
Will update the blog as I finish each one. Am excited. Have not read classics like these since college. Now I
want to read them which will be much more rewarding.
Went to the bookstore today and this is the final list of the five books I will definetly read this year.
Love the list. I, Claudius is a real treat -- funny, entertaining, erudite. And the Brothers K. is, without question, the greatest novel I have ever read in my life. BTW, whose translation of Don Quixote did you pick up?
ReplyDeleteSimon,
ReplyDeleteTranslated by Charles Jarvis who originally translated it in 1742.
(translated by Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsky)
ReplyDeleteThis is the worst translation you could have found.
The chapters translated by Larissa my wife was reading fast, the chapters translated by Richard took her 10 times longer until she finally just gave up.
From Wikipedia's list I'd pick up Glenny because of what some see is a flaw in reality is a big plus, because in Russian idiom "sent it all to the devil" devil is not a point, the point, as Glenny picked up properly, is to drop everything and go.
Great list, Lyle. I just might have to read _I, Claudius_ this year as well (inspired by you).
ReplyDeleteIt's true: there are good and bad translations but it's important to remember that translation is relative to time, place, person, and zeitgeist. Sometimes the least accurate translations are the best. Just food for thought (from a translator)... I'd read Longfellow's translation of Dante's Comedy any day over Pinsky's but both are equally stimulating (although neither accurate by today's standards).
Serge,
ReplyDeleteWhy was some of the book censored? It says that Glenny's translsated version does not have the censored stuff? How much was censored?
Jeremy,
ReplyDeleteMy life is too short to read numerous translations of the same book. I will do mild research into which ones I get in the future but there is so much I want to read I cannot be bothered to read so many different ones.
The book was censored because it was published first during Brezhnev era and even for Brezhnev who was NOT St5alin, the book in it's original form was too much to handle.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Glenny's translation contains the chapters omitted in early publication. On Wed I'll have dinner with freinds and they have decent translation. I'll ask them to bring the book so I could doublecheck and post the name of the translator.
Furthermore, Lyle, if I find good translation, I'll bring/send it to the store and leave it for you.
ReplyDeleteI owe you that much for you turning me towards kick ass white wines and Cru Gamays
Lyle,
ReplyDeleteInteresting list. Brothers Karamozov is AWESOME. I, Claudius is a book that is a bit painful (dry...) for a a while, but does get somewhat interesting later. It will be interesting to hear what you think...
sorry for the confusion. I didn't mean that you should go look for different translations. I meant that all translations are flawed in some way or another and that every translation -- however "defective" depending on your point of view -- can have it's own merits... buona lettura as they say in Italian...
ReplyDelete