WLF Prize 2023 - António Lobo Antunes

[Bartleby]

This is a space for sharing thoughts on António Lobo Antunes's works read for our WLF Prize in Literature project.

Lost in Translation: The Curious Obscurity of António Lobo Antunes - The Millions

Considered by many to be Portugal’s greatest living writer, António Lobo Antunes’ relative obscurity in the English-speaking world is something of an enigma. Every October his name is among those bandied about for the Nobel Prize, yet mention him to most English speakers, even literary types...

themillions.com

Antonio Lobo Antunes on ‘The Land at the End of the World’

Portuguese author Antonio Lobo Antunes is the author of more than twenty books, including the novels The Return of the Caravels, Knowledge of Hell, The Natural Order of Things, The Inquisitors’ Manual, and What Can I Do When Everything’s On Fire? His book of newspaper “crónicas”—a free-form...

www.theparisreview.org

Feel free to share any links related to him, as well as ideas on where to start reading the author

 

[Ludus]

I haven't read any entire book by him. A few years ago I tried "An explanation of the birds" and felt completely disarmed by it's difficult structure and prose. Maybe I'm better equipped now to tackle him. I'll start with that one and then I'm gonna try "Fado Alexandrino". Am I shooting myself in the foot here?

 

[Ludus]

Also I'll be reading him in the Spanish translation, which I've heard is excellent.

 

[Bartleby]

Certainly @errequatro could speak better of Lobo Antunes than I, but I believe one should at least read 3 of his works, because his style changes considerably over time.

First one could choose from The Land at the End of the World (Os Cus de Judas) (1979), through Knowledge of Hell (1980), and An Explanation of the Birds (1981) till the titanic Fado Alexandrino (1983); then his middle period, with The Natural Order of Things (1992), The Inquisitor's Manual (1996), The Splendour of Portugal (1997), or Warning to the Crocodile (1999); finally one could choose from one of his more fragmented novels, such as What Can I Do When Everything Is on Fire? (2001), or Until Stones Become Lighter Than Water (2017). By the Rivers of Babylon (2010), and Commission of Tears (2011) are both coming in English translation by the middle of 2023.

 

[Ben Jackson]

Haven't read from Antunes yet, but I'll try and find recommendations from you guys. I think I might find his biography useful too.

 

[alik-vit]

It's great. He was my nominee too and I wrote many times, how I enjoyed his novels. I've read "Elephant's Memory", "South of Nowhere", "The returns of the caravels". My next read can be "Knowledge of Hell, "An explanation of the birds" or "The inquisitor's manual".

 

[hayden]

His English translations have the ugliest book covers, which has probably put me off (just a little), but the only novel I've read by him— The Land at the End of the World— is an incredible work, and I look forward to reading these this year—

The Inquisitors' Manual
&
The Natural Order of Things

 

[Leseratte]

I haven't read any entire book by him. A few years ago I tried "An explanation of the birds" and felt completely disarmed by it's difficult structure and prose. Maybe I'm better equipped now to tackle him. I'll start with that one and then I'm gonna try "Fado Alexandrino". Am I shooting myself in the foot here?

If you found some difficulty with him or didn´t enjoy his prose I would start with En el culo del mundo (1979), because it is probably his most important book and the one that provides a perspective for further reading.

 

[Leseratte]

A curiosity about Lobo Antunes. His birthday is on September 1st, same date as Annie Ernaux. He is exactly two years younger than the most recent Nobel laureate.

 

[errequatro]

What interesting choices! So it has been the nomination list, which I will keep it in mind in a future to check new writers!

Of the chosen three I've only read Fosse (I read recently his book Trilogy and loved it), from whom I'm going to order Septology, which right now in Spain is published up to the fifth volume, and the last two are expected to be published in 2023. This has been the perfect excuse to get them sooner ?

From Lobo Antunes, whom I knew by hearsay but had read absolutely nothing yet, I think I'm going to start with The Natural Order of Things. I will later ask for more recommendations in his post if I want to read more of his work, because his bibliography is massive ?

About Scholastique Mukasonga is more complicated because there is just one Spanish translation of all her work, a translation of La Femme aux pieds nus, but it is published in Argentina, so it is almost impossible to get into Spain. That's why I think I'm going to opt for the English translation (The Barefoot Woman) to begin with, and if I like it, I will continue with Cockroaches.

I will be commenting my appreciations about the authors and the works I read by them as I read each work in their respective posts, as well as I will read all of yours, because that it is the most important about this forum and prize: sharing and learning about literature.

Best regards,
Juanje

About Lobo Antunes... (and not wanting to brag) I am kind of a specialist (PhD, several articles and an upcoming book on him), so feel free to ask anything He is just about to publish yet another novel, his 31st (if I am not mistaken). Not everything is at the same level. His work has "evolved" and his latest novels (up until A Natureza dos Deuses or even Diccionario da Linguagem da Flores) have become a lot more rarefied, a lot more hermetic...
So I would reccommend starting with the early stuff. In fact, I do not reccommend reading just one novel. If needed, I could draw up a map (a guide) but I would rather not, for the pleasure in discovering his writing on one's own is irreplaceable

 

[errequatro]

I would love such a map. I've read 5 of his, and they're always a treat to get swept away by... In French translation, I've read: Explication des oiseaux, La farce des damnés, Le manuel des inquisiteurs, La splendeur du Portugal, and Exhortation aux crocodiles. The first two are earlier works, (but not early-early), and the latter three are mid-career, afaiu. The Splendor of Portugal was particularly stunning I thought. I'm very interested in this later, "hermetic" work: how is Jusqu'à ce que les pierres deviennent plus douces que l'eau?

So the collective wisdom of the forum goes for ALA, Fosse & Mukasonga. A good selection I think, though I'm disappointed Duong Thu Huong hasn't made the cut (yet); there's always next year, I suppose...

I'm always very impressed with ALA, though having read a couple I worry a bit about repetitiveness; I'll have to explore his later work.

I've read quite a bit of Fosse (both prose and theatre), and am likeways always very impressed. I'll read the Septology, both volumes of Melancholia and a couple more plays to make up my mind.

Mukasonga has been on my radar and my bookshelf, and I'm afraid she won't stand up to two such giants, but I will do my best to give her her due, and hope to be pleasantly surprised. I'll read Notre-Dame du Nil, maybe another novel or her short stories, a volume of her memoir.

I'm glad a poet came 4th, so I shall also be reading Carson. Autobiography of Red, Red Doc>, Men in the Off Hours, and some of her translations adaptations of Greek theatre (Antigone, An Oresteia) look especially interesting.

Happy reading, all. I look forward to reading everyone on this impressive selection!

Explication des oiseaux is a very peculiar one, actually. It is like a transition novel because it marks the end of what can be seen as a trilogy and the beggining of a new style. I don't think it is his most accomplished novel, but I do admire the kitchness he put into it.
So I would really advise you to read his earlier stuff... Before Explication des oiseaux. In particular Land at the End of the World and Knowledge of Hell.
As for his repetitiveness, it is a concern some readers (and critics) have expressed. However, I have a different perspective... And actual beef with a major academic because of this.
I think he writes in cycles and that he doesn't see the post-Explication des oiseaux as novels (with the exception of The Caravels). He sees them as a continuum pertaining to the same fictional flux. So yes, he returns obssessively to the same themes, environments and voices.
As a reader, I do find him exhaustiing. But as exhausting as Beckett was... in the same sense of requiring commitment and perseverance from the reader. He is much less bleak than Beckett and not as impenetrable.
I cannot recommend him enough. My opinion is that he is stretching our understanding of what a novel is. Pushing boundaries.

 

[Stevie B]

About Lobo Antunes... (and not wanting to brag) I am kind of a specialist (PhD, several articles and an upcoming book on him), so feel free to ask anything He is just about to publish yet another novel, his 31st (if I am not mistaken). Not everything is at the same level. His work has "evolved" and his latest novels (up until A Natureza dos Deuses or even Diccionario da Linguagem da Flores) have become a lot more rarefied, a lot more hermetic...
So I would reccommend starting with the early stuff. In fact, I do not reccommend reading just one novel. If needed, I could draw up a map (a guide) but I would rather not, for the pleasure in discovering his writing on one's own is irreplaceable

I was going to begin with South of Nowhere, but just found out from the bookseller that his copy is no longer available for sale (I suspect he realized that $10.00 for a like-new first edition was too much of a bargain). I shifted gears and just ordered a copy of Act of the Damned instead. Any reason why that novel wouldn't be a good starting for point for this author?

 

[errequatro]

I was going to begin with South of Nowhere, but just found out from the bookseller that his copy is no longer available for sale (I suspect he realized that $10.00 for a like-new first edition was too much of a bargain). I shifted gears and just ordered a copy of Act of the Damned instead. Any reason why that novel wouldn't be a good starting for point for this author?

No, this is a very good one actually... you won't get his more personal stuff about the Colonial War but you'll get his faulkerian dissection of those in power, the decay and fall from grace of a wealthy and powerful family linked with the dictatorial regime...

 

[Leseratte]

I would love advise from you R4 and/or guys. I read South of Nowhere many years ago for a university course and it was probably the best novel about the Portuguese colonial war I ever read. Some time ago I started Elephant's Memory which I thought had been written afterwards and the impact wasn´t the same. I read only the first few chapters. In fact I got a bit bored by that somewhat bored middle class doctor. I´m not sure if I should give the book another try or read something different.

 

[Liam]

@errequatro: Since you are, as you say, a kind of expert on his work, could you maybe list the top five of his novels that you think are absolutely indispensable: for those of us, myself included, who will not have a lot of free time on their hands next year to really delve into his books. I haven't read him before, and so far I have heard from both real lovers and real haters of his work. I'd love to make up my own mind on the subject,

 

[alik-vit]

I would love advise from you R4 and/or guys. I read South of Nowhere many years ago for a university course and it was probably the best novel about the Portuguese colonial war I ever read. Some time ago I started Elephant's Memory which I thought had been written afterwards and the impact wasn´t the same. I read only the first few chapters. In fact I got a bit bored by that somewhat bored middle class doctor. I´m not sure if I should give the book another try or read something different.

I have read "Elephant's Memory" 7 years ago and it was my first Lobo Antunes. I remember, it was impressive, but a little bit too typical "crisis writing". Basically, I think, you are right, it's the same voice as in "South of Nowhere", but in more personal tune, if I remember correctly, with colonial war as hazy background, not important setting. Maybe it's the same case as Philip Roth: too strong gender inclination?

 

[Stevie B]

No, this is a very good one actually... you won't get his more personal stuff about the Colonial War but you'll get his faulkerian dissection of those in power, the decay and fall from grace of a wealthy and powerful family linked with the dictatorial regime...

I read a few sample pages online and the narrator is not in a good mood.

 

[Leseratte]

I have read "Elephant's Memory" 7 years ago and it was my first Lobo Antunes. I remember, it was impressive, but a little bit too typical "crisis writing". Basically, I think, you are right, it's the same voice as in "South of Nowhere", but in more personal tune, if I remember correctly, with colonial war as hazy background, not important setting. Maybe it's the same case as Philip Roth: too strong gender inclination?

Thanks for your opinion @alik-vit. It is his first novel. So if one starts with it one has a chronological view. And maybe it is an preparation for the breakthrough represented by "South of Nowhere".

 

[Bartleby]

@errequatro: Since you are, as you say, a kind of expert on his work, could you maybe list the top five of his novels that you think are absolutely indispensable: for those of us, myself included, who will not have a lot of free time on their hands next year to really delve into his books. I haven't read him before, and so far I have heard from both real lovers and real haters of his work. I'd love to make up my own mind on the subject,

Conversely, which of his novels one should avoid?

 

[Liam]

And I don't care if they're recent, too, as long as you deem them the "greatest": like if somebody could only read five books by him, which five books should those be???