jenks

That's it, I'm turning the pc off and hitting the couch with Bros K. I think all of my russian reads have suffered from the translation issue - all except Pushkin. I read W+p and Anna K without even thinking about the translation, i got so wrapped up in it all!. Anyway I am off to find out what happens next!

...... "Cancer Ward" by ( dammit- cant give the name as its at the bottom of a pile ) just seemed stale and stilted - even though there are a few pretty 'exciting' bits. Its such a shame I read the MAude and Maude translation of Tolstoys War and Peace - Especially as V&P have put out their version of it now.

Dostoevsky - does the narrator, the unreliable and opinionated narrator trick so so well - not sure how far through Bros K you are but you may notice the shift of the narrators tone.... this is such a cool facet of the book and it just works.

Yeah - An accomplished translation can make allllll the difference Larrisa Volokhonsky & Richard Peaver are my preferred Russian translators ( thats makes me sound like ive read more than I have - im no expert ) I remember reading one of Richard Peavers essays about not only getting adjectives 100% ( or as near as ) perfect but also getting the pace and beat of the prose right too - something I find makes or breaks a book. Solzhenitsyns "A Life...." by a translator I fail to recall had a gripping prose but ......

No - like all these unrealised projects!
Got hold of teh translation of Bros that you recommended. The start has me already - the narrative voice is lovely, witty, sardonic and seemingly very modern and knowing.
I'm enjoying it immensely and i've only done about thirty pages. The Bolano is going to ahve to take a back seat.
I'll have to re-read the thread and see how i did!

Y'know I noticed the first page of the book club thread- im half pleased Ive actually got around to reading the books I mention. You mentioned wanting to read some japanese fiction - have you?

I am a big Gogol fan and still think The Nose is required readiing by anyone who wants to talk about books. I though Dead Souls remarkable - a really ambitious attempt to give a panoramic view on serfdom and rural russia.
I find all that numerology stuff in Cyclonopedia just way too much - it just feels liek incredibly insincere writing. Maybe best to draw a veil.
The family are out tomorrow afternoon and i have booked couch time with Fyodor.

I found it fascinating - but ultimately I found its esoteric and obscure subjects far more interesting than the book itself, I always ended up on CCRU, or hyperstition or wikipedia being excited about things and forgetting about the book altogether.

Rest is noise looks really intriguing - I dont really buy books about music I think the only one I have is some no wave thurston moore edited thingamajig.

Have you read any Gogol? I read his short stories last year now im on Dead Souls. I prefer his dark, gothic, folklore based Ukranian Tales really.

oh the irony - i have not enjoyed a book less than Cyclonopedia. I got to the stage where i stopped blaming myself for not understanding it and started to balme the book. Anyway, Rest is Noise is just a very good overview of 'clasiical' music in teh twentieth century - well written, lots of well integrated research and ha steh added bonus of inspirining me to go check out a whoel bunch of recordings.

Ive noticed on amazon the rest is noise and other dissensian bibliographies pop up especially when cyclonopedia is searched for.

Thanks for asking - must admit I have put it to one side in the of giving it a sustained run at it once i ahve cleared a bit of backlog - Christmas books such as Rest Is NOise, Paintings in Proust, a cycling book and a few other bits. I'd like to start it this weekend againa dn this time just focus on it and nothing else. Would look forward to discussing it

Heya jenks - hows bros K doing?? Id a chat about it - dont want to say too much incase you dont know the end.