Hi
I'm 26 yrs old, finishing my master's thesis in Germany on James Merrill's poetry. I study American, German and French lit and will be unemployed and starving once I'm done.
I can speak and understand Russian, as I am partly of Russian descent, but I read Russian books in translation because my Russian is not nearly good enough. I write prose and poetry. I read a lot. I can read fluently in English, German and French and am currently getting teh hang of Italian, although I have not segued into serious literature yet, same thing goes for Spanish.
I am deeply mistrustful of translations, as
László Krasznahorkai said: "I don't believe in translations. Zero komma zero zero per cent."
However, it's all we have to access world literature without learning dozens of languages. So I read lots of translated prose, I oscillate between french, English and German translations, depending on which is better (Or cheaper). Japanese books mostly in english translation, dutch books mostly in German translation, everything else fluctuates. I have Pavese's journals in the awardwinning German translation and his poetry in the English one.
I very very very rarely read translated poetry, because any translation of poetry is bound to be a fuckup. Some of the most beautiful translations I own, for instance, Celan's translation of Ungaretti, are at least as much Celan's work as they are Ungarettis.
I read many many books at the same time, there's a constant flux of books from my shelves to the reading pile and back again. I am, as far as reading is concerned, an omnivore, Currently I have Stephen KIng, The Tale of Genji and Killoyle in my reading pile.
I love books, words and ideas.