|
trained-pianist
|
 |
« Reply #420 on: 10:10:35, 22-08-2008 » |
|
JP_Vinyl,
I probably read some Aitmatov. Do you like the last book you on your list? I mean do you like The day lasts more than a hundred years?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
JP_Vinyl
Gender: 
Posts: 37
|
|
« Reply #421 on: 10:23:56, 22-08-2008 » |
|
trained-pianist: So far, it is very gripping in an earthy manner, as well as heartbreaking in its depiction of the consequences of the Stalin-era purges. The author also weaves in elements of folklore very well. The science fiction elements are a little less succesful. I feel the translation is a bit wooden at times, but obviously can't compare it tothe original (although I learned a little Russian in school).
I understand Aitmatov died earlier this year. Oddly, I'd just left for a vacation, with this book packed in my luggagge at the time I heard the news. It's the first Aitmatov book I've read.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
I am not going to be shot in a wheel-barrow, for the sake of appearances, to please anybody.
|
|
|
|
trained-pianist
|
|
« Reply #422 on: 10:30:17, 22-08-2008 » |
|
JP_Vinyl,
I will try to look if the have this book in the library here.
I can also ask more knowledgeable people here if they read this book or may be they have it.
If I will find out I will let you know.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
JP_Vinyl
Gender:
Posts: 37
|
|
« Reply #423 on: 10:51:04, 22-08-2008 » |
|
I'd be interested to know what you think of it!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
I am not going to be shot in a wheel-barrow, for the sake of appearances, to please anybody.
|
|
|
|
time_is_now
|
|
« Reply #424 on: 12:22:13, 22-08-2008 » |
|
Aitmatov died earlier this year. Oddly, I'd just left for a vacation, with this book packed in my luggagge at the time I heard the news. It's the first Aitmatov book I've read. That happened to me with the poet Thom Gunn (who is responsible for both my screen name and avatar on another forum than this). I'd just packed a volume of his poetry which I'd recently become very keen on, so that I could introduce it to the friend I was about to meet up with on holiday in Italy. I went online to look up some biographical information and discovered Gunn had died a few weeks before. Probably one of the oldest victims of the American gay scene's crystal meth epidemic. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
|
|
|
|
George Garnett
|
|
« Reply #425 on: 12:34:40, 22-08-2008 » |
|
I 'eard that Thom Gunn reading his poems once, you know. 'im along with Pier Paulo Pasolini, Tennessee Williams and Allen Tate that night.
Do I get points for that or a slap upward the head?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
time_is_now
|
|
« Reply #426 on: 12:39:30, 22-08-2008 » |
|
That's an impressive line-up, George!
(And ... oh dear. At least two of the others also died in less than desirable circumstances.)
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
|
|
|
|
George Garnett
|
|
« Reply #427 on: 12:42:30, 22-08-2008 » |
|
Sadly so, yes indeed, t-i-n.
Golly gosh, and the next night it was Thom Gunn and Allen Tate again, together with Wole Soyinka, W H Auden and Octavio Paz. Heady days when poetry readings were big events.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 12:51:39, 22-08-2008 by George Garnett »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
time_is_now
|
|
« Reply #428 on: 12:57:49, 22-08-2008 » |
|
Heady days when poetry readings were big events.
I only ever went to one poetry reading, actually. It was by Geoffrey Hill, a poet I like quite a bit (though not without some fairly major reservations), and all most of it served to do was to convince me yet again that a man is not his work. There was one exception - a beautiful moment when he stopped ranting and recited from memory some of his favourite poems by other writers (admittedly there were other moments when he stopped ranting to read his own, but I can do that myself) - but I don't think I want to hear him talk again. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
|
|
|
|
pim_derks
|
|
« Reply #429 on: 15:04:48, 22-08-2008 » |
|
Thom Gunn (who is responsible for both my screen name and avatar on another forum than this).
Probably one of the oldest victims of the American gay scene's crystal meth epidemic. Never heard of Thom Gunn before, t-i-n. Wikipedia tells me that during the 1960s and 1970s, his verse grew bolder in its exploration of drugs, homosexuality, and poetic form. This reminds me of the South African poet Johann de Lange who's known for his "sexual liberating" poetry. Although I think not many of the members on this message board can read Afrikaans I still would like to quote a poem by De Lange: Coke & Sodomie
Ons is die post-vigs generasie.
Ons naai nie met kondome nie,
ons suip en glo aan bigamie
en leer vir coke en sodomie.
Gee ons cocktails in die môre,
cocaine vir 'n High Ball;
'n Kamikaze, Velvet Hammer,
of 'n Slow screw against the wall.
Gee ons Charlie Manson,
Jack the Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer.
Gee ons liefde elke nag
in die donker galgekamer.
Gee ons onbeperkte seks:
Dionusus en Oedipus Rex.
Christus as 'n rent boy,
die Madonna as 'n heks.
Deesdae het ons threesomes:
ek en jy en ou Sluipdood
saam op die hemelbed,
kom almal finaal onder skoot.
Ons pęlle chop nog kort-kort af;
die virus draf ons stilweg kaf.
Maar ons is nie sonder drome nie:
gee ons coke en sodomie.
Johann de LangeI think Americans would describe this poem as "weird". |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"People hate anything well made. It gives them a guilty conscience." John Betjeman
|
|
|
|
time_is_now
|
|
« Reply #430 on: 15:33:06, 22-08-2008 » |
|
I'd be rather interested to see a translation of that, Pim, although perhaps a PM would be more appropriate! ...
Surprised you haven't heard of Thom Gunn. I'm sure I've mentioned him a few times on the Poetry Appreciation Thread. Interesting that your South African ("de Lange" or "De Lange"?) mentions Jeffrey Dahmer: Gunn wrote some poems 'in the voice of' Jeffrey Dahmer - I'll try and post one or two when I have the chance.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
|
|
|
|
pim_derks
|
|
« Reply #431 on: 15:36:09, 22-08-2008 » |
|
I don't visit the poetry thread on this message board very often, t-i-n. I have to change this!
Those Dahmer poems by Gunn sound interesting.
I'll see if I can find/do a translation of the De Lange poem.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"People hate anything well made. It gives them a guilty conscience." John Betjeman
|
|
|
|
trained-pianist
|
|
« Reply #432 on: 15:44:36, 22-08-2008 » |
|
JP_Vinyl,
I am not a scolarly person and I am not an avid reader.
My friend knows this book. It has completely different title in Russian. It sounds in Russian something like this: One day lasts more than a century. (It had been corrected in the later post).
My friend said to me: "You can try to read it, but I would not read it second time. "
He has send me Russian version from the net. I read introduction and it sounded like Cervantes Don K or may be Coelho.
Then the language became typical Soviet. It is a good language, but heavy and difficult to read, phrases are long. It is a slow reading.
Now the style is different. It is fast moving and easy to read language.
Also may be the subject is not interesting for Russians anymore.
I will look at it again if I will have time.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 15:58:23, 22-08-2008 by trained-pianist »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
time_is_now
|
|
« Reply #433 on: 15:50:02, 22-08-2008 » |
|
It has completely different title in Russian. It sounds in Russian something like this: One day lasts more than a century.
It's the same, t-p: A day lasts more than a hundred years. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
|
|
|
|
trained-pianist
|
|
« Reply #434 on: 15:52:19, 22-08-2008 » |
|
Ops, It was my friend who confused me with the title. Now I understand that he just said that in Russian the book's title is ....
I am waiting for his reply if he thinks my attitude toward this book is correct.
Now I got his reply. He is completely agreed with my opinion.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 16:07:31, 22-08-2008 by trained-pianist »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
