I want to check it out mostly for Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis!
Recently finished books?
- Thread starter Mirabell
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Hamishe22
Well-known member
Frédéric Mistral Poet and Leader in Provence by Charles Alfred Downer
Reading this book was a weird way of familiarizing myself with Frédéric Mistral, as I couldn't manage to find any of his works for myself. This is not a book by Mistral but an academic dissertation on Mistral which deals with him as both a philologist and a poet. Of course, Mistral was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in both capacities. As a philologist, it's intriguing and interesting to read about his role in preserving the language of Provençal, but inevitably, due to the march of time, the science is not similar to what Mistral was doing at all. As a poet, the weirdness got much worse as I was reading the works of him in the form of a close reading and detailed analysis rather than the poems first, which felt bizarre and even to a degree wrong and perverse. Still, I feel like I have gleaned enough to say that the poems are definitely not bad but not very great either, and feel like run of the mill classic poetry. As much as I'm allowed to pass judgment, I'd say Mistral is a Nobel laureate who's not objectionable but one than has time has mostly left behind.
Reading this book was a weird way of familiarizing myself with Frédéric Mistral, as I couldn't manage to find any of his works for myself. This is not a book by Mistral but an academic dissertation on Mistral which deals with him as both a philologist and a poet. Of course, Mistral was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in both capacities. As a philologist, it's intriguing and interesting to read about his role in preserving the language of Provençal, but inevitably, due to the march of time, the science is not similar to what Mistral was doing at all. As a poet, the weirdness got much worse as I was reading the works of him in the form of a close reading and detailed analysis rather than the poems first, which felt bizarre and even to a degree wrong and perverse. Still, I feel like I have gleaned enough to say that the poems are definitely not bad but not very great either, and feel like run of the mill classic poetry. As much as I'm allowed to pass judgment, I'd say Mistral is a Nobel laureate who's not objectionable but one than has time has mostly left behind.
tiganeasca
Moderator
This entry offers a small number of Mistral's works, some of which are in both French and English translations. You can also find some other scattered bits here and here.
Hamishe22
Well-known member
T
Thanks!
Stevie B
Current Member
I'm a Laura Linney fan as well. As far as Olympia Dukakis is concerned, I'm old enough to remember when she came to national prominence for her role in "Moonstruck" as well as for being related to Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis. These two things coincided with one another one year. The dud candidate might have won if he had Olympia's spitfire personality. Also, he needed to learn that one shouldn't wear a dress shirt and a tie during a photo-op riding in a tank.
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