The Dinner

The Dinner Herman Koch (Netherlands): 2009; translated by Sam Garrett, Hogarth, 2013.

I did not think I would enjoy this novel as it is immensely popular and most of my reading is of books which are not immensely popular. I was, however, surprised by how much I like The Dinner. The bulk of the action takes place over a dinner in a restaurant with two adult brothers and their wives as they plan to discuss the crime their two teenage boys have committed, The book is well written, fast-paced, and quite suspenseful. None of the characters are very likeable but that adds to the drama as it unfolds as one wonders, what are they going to do/say next?

The narrative also presents discussions throughout concerning morality, victims, the use of violence, and the self-deception we use to convince ourselves of our own health or the health of our relationships, although none of it in very great depth. While some may find the actions and philosophies of the characters, as well as the ending, off-putting, I found them to be a solid investigation and framework for discussion.

Ready to Burst

Ready to Burst Frankétienne (Haiti): 1968; translated by Kaiama L. Glover, Archipelago Books, 2014.

The storyline in Ready to Burst is easy to follow: Raynand and Paulin are two young men struggling through life in Port-au-Prince. They experience "...endless bad luck on the paths of sorrow" in their loves, ambitions, and goals. Raynard is alone in life and has difficulty negotiating his life in Haiti, while Paulin is slightly better off and is concerned with writing a novel which turns out to be Ready to Burst.

Both Paulin's novel and Ready to Burst are written from the point of view of Spiralism which views life as unfolding in an upward moving spiral. The novel is weakest on this point as I was left with a less than adequate understanding of Spiralism and its connection to historical Haiti. Granted, that could be the fault of my own ignorance and not of the writing, however, it did make for a bit of difficult reading. Even so, I found this aspect the most intriguing and it makes me look forward to Frankétiene's Ultavocal which is slated for a 2018 publication and supposedly covers Spiralism in depth.

Death With Interruptions

Death With Interruptions José Saramago (Portugal): 2005; translated by Margaret Jill Costa, 2008.

Saramago's 2005 novel is a fable where death ceases to occur one New Year's Eve. It seems like two novellas spliced together, albeit with continuities between the two pieces. The first half has a more societal level examination of what would occur should people stop dying. This half contains some astute observations on the ramifications of this occurrence, with plenty of humour to move the story along. 

The second half contains a more individual perspective as it explores a situation involving a cellist who does not die and his relationship to death. This half has more the feel of an independent short story without not enough provided to connect it to the novel as a whole or to propel the fable. Still, it is a good short story in spite of its typical male/female relationship struggles. The novel as a whole, was good reading but not nearly as good as Saramago's Blindness.

Homesick for Another World

Homesick for Another World Ottessa Moshfegh (USA): 2017.

This is a wonderful collection of 14 short stories dealing with personal degradation, loss, and striving for connection. They are all quite bleak, yet immensely entertaining and satisfying. None of the stories contain an overriding plot to keep the story moving, it is simply a picture of a life or lives, and consequences to decisions people make in a lifetime and day to day. The stories remind me of the better ones from Lucia Berlin that I have enjoyed so much.

The final story, "A Better Place," is a bit different than the rest but also summaries all the others quite well. It captures the essence of the title of the collection and explores our desires for someplace better through the eyes of two small children. Again, there is no ultimate resolution, but one is left, like in the other collected stories, wondering what keeps us coming back for more, dealing with our defects, and carrying on another day. Highly recommended.

The New Sweet Style

The New Sweet Style by Vassily Aksyonov (Soviet Union): 1999; translated by Christopher Morris, 1999.

I am not a trained literary critic or book reviewer, however, I do read quite a bit. In order to keep this blog more 'live' I am going to offer my amateur thoughts concerning the books I read. Most of them are books in English translation, but there is a scattering of books written in English, especially short stories as that is my focus for this year. And so, lets start with The New Sweet Style. 

I have read other books by Askyonov, specifically, The Winter's Journey, Generations of Winter, The Island of Crimea, and The Burn. all of which are worthy of reading time. So is this current book, which is almost two decades old. His coverage of the happenings in Russia and in the United States at the time resonate in today's political and social world. Things haven't actually changed that much. The book is a fairly difficult read but enjoyable all the same. The main character, Alexander Korbach, is a likeable man with a plentitude of talents, which help him negotiate the difficulties he has in Russia and during his emigration and settlement in America. The author moves around in time and point of view frequently, and also introduces several metafictional techniques throughout the novel. While some scenes and outcomes are predictable or drawn out, the overall narrative is fast-paced, fun, and stimulating.

The final section of the book (Part XII), with four short chapters, I found to be the weakest and least enjoyable of the novel. Characters go through some strange transformations and a general lunacy takes over until the conclusion, where all the characters from the book reunite. Still, in spite of the less than satisfying ending, this is a strong, challenging, and pleasant read.

Favourite Reads 2017

Below is a list of my favourite reads of 2017. All but one are novels or story collections translated into English; the last one is a collection of short stories from the US. I did not plan on a top ten, it just worked out that way. I track my reading and favourites throughout the year so each year I could end up with zero or many more favourites. So, for 2018, try a few of the listed books. 

• Don't Leave Me (Dalkey Alchive) Stig Saeterbakken; Translated by Sean Kinsella; Norway
• Moment of Freedom (Norvik Press) Jens Bjornboe; Translated by Esther Greenleaf Mürer: Norway
• Powderhouse (Norvik Press) Jens Bjornboe; Translated by Esther Greenleaf Mürer: Norway
• The Silence (Norvik Press) Jens Bjornboe; Translated by Esther Greenleaf Mürer: Norway
• Baboon (Two Lines Press) Naja Marie Aidt; Translated by Denise Newman; Denmark
• Rock, Paper, Scissors (Open Letter) Naja Marie Aidt; Translated by K.E. Semmel; Denmark
• The Mighty Angel (Open Letter) Jerzy Pilch; Translated by Bill Johnston; Poland
• Home (Open Letter) Leila S. Chudori; Translated by John H. McGlynn; Indonesia
• Antón Mallick Wants to be Happy (Hispabooks) Nicolás Casariego; Translated by Thomas Burnstead; Spain
• A Manual for Cleaning Women (FSG) Lucia Berlin; USA

2017 Reading Stats

The year is coming to a close and I am on my last 700 page book. I read 111 books this year, down slightly from the past two years. Ninety-eight of the books were translated into English. I added some new countries, such as Tunisia and Congo, while 8% were from France, 10% from Mexico, 12% from USA (mostly nonfiction), 13% from Spain, and 14% from Norway (my focus for the year). I read one trilogy a month, mostly Scandinavian, and unfortunately neglected short stories. I will remedy this next year. Female authors represented 32% of the total, a bit higher than the publishing total. I did not track gender of translators, but my guess is it is a match between male and female, if not dominated by females (my guess). Overall, a great year of reading. Looking forward to some great reading in 2018.

Summer Streets

My story "Summer Streets" was just published online at https://www.gravelmag.com along with lots of other free reading from numerous authors. Thanks to Gravel Magazine for including my work in their November issue. 

Seagull Books

Another outstanding publisher is Seagull Books out of Calcutta, India. They were founded in 1982 as an Indian publishing house, focusing on Indian theatre and art. Since early 2000, they have been releasing English translations from around the world, and now have quite an impressive catalog. They have a wide range of genres, but I focus on their literature, the picture below showing the books I have from them so far (except for the two I ordered this morning). While I have enjoyed all their books I have read, I am especially pleased that they publish some of my favourite authors, such as Hungarian László Krasznahorkai, and Austrians Thomas Bernhard and Elfriede Jelinek. While their focus is on extraordinary authors, their books are also beautifully crafted and a pleasure to look at and hold. 

TOM PETTY

I am finally getting around to posting about Tom Petty, who recently passed away. His was never the first LP I would turn to, but eventually, I would put on a Petty album and then wonder why his wasn't the first LP I put on the turntable. Great tunes, incredible lyrics, and absolutely individualised vocals. Much like a younger Bob Dylan. I always thought that Tom Petty and Rickie Lee Jones would make a great couple: similar vocals, lyrics, and ideas. But of course that was not to be. I was hiking the Rheinsteig when I heard about Petty's death and it overwhelmed me. Both his young age and his talent caused me to reflect on losses we suffer throughout life. Clearly, I have never met, let alone been friends with Tom Petty, but his music was such a part of my life and I will miss it.

It's nothing compared to the loss of Tom Petty, but when these musical losses occur, I always think back on my albums which my brother Matthew has adopted, and photographed. I believe I have more LP's of Tom Petty than digital files. I lost a lot of his music when I gave up my albums and decided to keep my music on my Apple. Certainly, I can purchase the bulk of Petty's collection on iTunes, but it is just not the same as having an LP to hold in your hands, clean, and place on a turntable. I did that a lot with his music and I hope my brother keeps spinning his music. I toast to Tom Petty, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and to albums. Prost.