I wish more Americans would read books in translation. If you think about it, reading in translation is a surrealist act as it disrupts the ordinary — defamiliarizes. Surrealists are the predecessors of Ricoeur’s hermeneutics of suspicion and many Surrealists embraced Marxism. World War I was the inciting incident in the Surrealist story. Director Edward Berger’s 2022 “All Quiet on the Western Front" should be required watching for all Americans. At the time, I had thought — really, another World War I movie? And then I watched it. It will haunt me forever, and I understand the Surrealists a little bit better.
Reading in translation, engaging with works outside of this country, thinking of oneself not as an artist of any one nation, I think these are all good things. But so are reading deep in your tradition, making work that is true to your environment and experience, and expressing deep understanding of very specific lifeways. Multitudes! Most importantly, writing and creating in earnest no matter how much irony your work contains.
Good piece! Still have my Richard Howard edition of Nadja, and just picked up the new Mark Polizzotti translation and can't wait to read it.
Glad to hear!
I wish more Americans would read books in translation. If you think about it, reading in translation is a surrealist act as it disrupts the ordinary — defamiliarizes. Surrealists are the predecessors of Ricoeur’s hermeneutics of suspicion and many Surrealists embraced Marxism. World War I was the inciting incident in the Surrealist story. Director Edward Berger’s 2022 “All Quiet on the Western Front" should be required watching for all Americans. At the time, I had thought — really, another World War I movie? And then I watched it. It will haunt me forever, and I understand the Surrealists a little bit better.
Reading in translation, engaging with works outside of this country, thinking of oneself not as an artist of any one nation, I think these are all good things. But so are reading deep in your tradition, making work that is true to your environment and experience, and expressing deep understanding of very specific lifeways. Multitudes! Most importantly, writing and creating in earnest no matter how much irony your work contains.
For certain one does not preclude the other.
Enjoyed this!
Another good piece. You should stick to writing full articles, rather than comments. (I'm joking (sort of)).
Ouch