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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Raymond Chandler - Playback (++) The Kingdom of this World- Alejo Carpentier
Marvelous. I bought this and two other newly translated Carpentier novels a few weeks ago. I'm impressed by the structure. It is a short novel, but every few chapters, he shifts focus to other characters and then circles back to Ti Noel, the protagonist. The novel details the messiness of colonialism and liberation and sort of deflates the naive idea that liberation leads to utopia. Of course, this is a foundational magical realist text and I appreciated those flourishes. A novel that I can tell will need more re-reads to fully understand its workings.
Marvelous. I bought this and two other newly translated Carpentier novels a few weeks ago. I'm impressed by the structure. It is a short novel, but every few chapters, he shifts focus to other characters and then circles back to Ti Noel, the protagonist. The novel details the messiness of colonialism and liberation and sort of deflates the naive idea that liberation leads to utopia. Of course, this is a foundational magical realist text and I appreciated those flourishes. A novel that I can tell will need more re-reads to fully understand its workings.
Stevie B
Current Member
Are you suggesting that George Bush didn't create a utopia when he sent U.S. armed forces to liberate Iraq?
By the way, The Kingdom of this World is the only Carpentier book I've read. I spent two summers in Haiti during my grad school years, and this is one of the titles I read during that time. Do you have any recommendations for another book by the Cuban author?It is the first book I've read by him. The other two I bought were The Lost Steps and Explosions in a Cathedral. Haven't read them yet.Are you suggesting that George Bush didn't create a utopia when he sent U.S. armed forces to liberate Iraq?
Phil D
Well-known member
El siglo de las luces (Explosion in a Cathedral) is one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I've ever had. I've never understood why it isn't more famous in English. Spectacular novel.
Stevie B
Current Member
I just checked and Penguin recently released a new translation of this book that includes a forward by Alejandro Zambra.
Phil D
Well-known member
Great to hear it's been re-translated. I'm a little surprised they kept the previous English title, rather than going with something closer to the Spanish. Zambra could hardly be more different to Carpentier as a novelist but I'd still be interested to know what he's got to say about it.