Since the only other language I’m fluent in is Exasperated Mom, I will be reading both books in translation. Matthew Ward’s 1988 translation of The Stranger seems to be the standard, but there is a new one by Sandra Smith. Here are a couple of interesting articles, mostly about the first line of the book. The second is an interview with Smith, which has me leaning in her direction.
I noted the Sandra Smith translation a while back but it’s hard to get your hands on. Well, at least for those of us used to instant gratification: not in my library system, not available on Kindle, and not through Amazon Prime as it’s an international edition and you have to go that route.
My daughter just read it in French. Yes, I’m impressed with all who do.
I plan to read it in - take a deep breath - graphic novel:
My library actually has the graphic novel and I requested both it and the Ward translation the other day. I may order the Smith translation though; I’ve been seriously leaning that way.
Mary13, the pieces you link to in post #120 are great – especially the Sandra Smith interview.
I read the first page of the Matthew Ward translation on amazon and felt that his prose was awkward, especially when compared to the beginning of the book in French.
Be careful, if you order the Smith translation – I saw comments on amazon that people had ordered it and received a different one.
I’m so excited about this reading choice that I’m tempted to plunge in right away. It seems so fascinating and “meaty,” plus there is plenty of available literary criticism of The Stranger. However, I should probably wait a bit because I tend to forget so much, even when I take notes to refer to!
I can’t tell you how relieved I am that apparently I’m not the only person on the planet that tends to forget what they’ve read in books! It’s a downside to being an audiobook person. Not at all convenient to go “paging” back to re-read a passage.
Anyone want to write about what they have been reading lately?
I’ll start:
*The Association of Small Bombs* by Karan Mahajan. An extraordinary novel about how a fictional terrorist attack by Kashmiri separatists, in a market in India, affects two families whose sons are killed or wounded by a bomb. Another character in the book is a young man who falls in with a terrorist group more-or-less by accident.
*Lincoln in the Bardo* by George Saunders. A critically acclaimed and extremely inventive recent novel having to do with the death of Abraham Lincoln's young son Willie and related occurrences that are loosely based on real events but mostly imagined.
*When Breath Becomes Air* by Paul Kalanithi. Moving memoir by a gifted young doctor dying of cancer.
*Every Man in this Village is a Liar* by Megan K Stack. A woman reporter eloquently describes her personal experiences in a number of conflict-ridden Middle Eastern countries. Published in 2010, but still timely today.
Oh these reviews are interesting. I would have translated the last quote from the last review, “I couldn’t care less if he wanted to be a pal, but it seemed to mean a lot to him.” I’ll probably get the Smith translation, but I think my French is still good enough that I will try to read it. (I spent a school year in France before college and spent about three weeks doing research for my senior thesis, but apart from the occasional movie, I haven’t used my French since my youngest was 6 years old and we spent a couple of weeks in France. He’s almost 25.
As for what I’m reading. Well still reading A Suitable Boy, I’ve gotten stuck in a bit with a character I’m just sooooo not interested in. So taking a break again.
Instead I’m reading Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. I believe it was his first novel. It’s got a spunky very likable heroine who does the wrong things for the right reasons often enough to keep things interesting. There’s a prince who’s a little too good to be true, an an assortment of interesting bad guys. And because it’s Sanderson, some complicated magic system that doesn’t make much sense to me, but is different from anything you’ve met up with before.
I like nonfiction. I’ve been reading a lot about Watergate and Nixon (gee, I wonder why) to refresh myself about what occurred during those years. Right now I’m reading a relatively new book (2015) by Tim Weiner called One Man Against the World, which is very good. It includes a lot of information that has only recently been declassified. I recently finished All the President’s Men by Woodward and Bernstein and The Last of the President’s Men by Woodward. I enjoyed both very much and learned a lot from them.
I also just finished Megyn Kelly’s book called Settling for More. I found it very interesting.
I love biographies and autobiographies of women.
I also recently read The Dinner by Koch – loved it. Excellent book.
@veryhappy if your post refers to the book mentioned “the almost nearly perfect people of Scandinavia” yes, I would recommend that book. Booth admits he is a curmudgeon, like Bill Bryson at times- enjoyable journey.
@veryhappy I read “a year of living danishly” by Helen Russell, first, and recommend reading that one first if you are interested in Scandinavian lifestyle.