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Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Greetings!
At the suggetion of CoffeeCup, I decided to spin-off the books from the Movie/Films & TV thread and this way we now have one thread for discussions about Music (and of course there is Lampada's fabulous music thread ), one for Film/TV, and now one for Literature/Books!
As with the other threads that I have started, even though I only speak English, please feel free to post about literature in any language. And as always, if you post in English, I will do my best to correct any mistakes that I may notice.
On the old thread, we have brought up the following literature/books:
- The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- The Twelve Chairs by Ilf & Petrov's[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- The Night Watch series by Sergei Lukyanenko[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray (a great review was written for this one) [/*:m:13s02t2z]
- The Reader by Bernhard Schlink[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe [/*:m:13s02t2z]
- Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe [/*:m:13s02t2z]
- A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (a play)[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams (a play)[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- P.S., I love you by Ahern Cecelia[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith[/*:m:13s02t2z]
AND...
If I understood Basil correctly, the following books all relate to a discussion about the movie Seventeen Moments of Spring and the intricacies of the plot and spies during that era and are all by Yulian Semenov:
- "Бриллианты для диктатуры пролетариата / Diamonds for the dictatorship of the proletariat" [/*:m:13s02t2z]
- "Пароль не нужен / Password is not needed"[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- Испанский вариант / Spanish version" [/*:m:13s02t2z]
- "Альтернатива / Alternative" [/*:m:13s02t2z]
- "Третья карта / The third card"[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- "Майор Вихрь / Mayor Vikhr' (Vortex). "[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- "Семнадцать мгновений весны /Seventeen Moments of Spring" by Yulian Semyonov[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- "Приказано выжить / Ordered to survive "[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- "Бомба для преседателя / Bomb for a chairman"[/*:m:13s02t2z]
:?: So, what book, play, poetry ...
- ...are you reading?[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- ...have your recently read?[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- ...are you contemplating reading?[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- ...author do you just love?[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- ...do you want to recommend or tell us you really did not like?[/*:m:13s02t2z]
- ...are you reading but are having difficulties with? (maybe it's in not written in your native language or like me it has references to places or uses some non-native words, and you want to know more details or if the book is accurate) [/*:m:13s02t2z]
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
I'm currently reading my first Russian novel, "Casual - повседневное". It might not be high literature, but, equipped as I am with good dictionaries, it does offer contemporary Russian and everyday vocabulary.
Before that, I read the novel 'The Gargoyle' by Andrew Davidson. As this forum is about learning Russian, here's a short text I wrote as an e-mail to someone in Russian, with some amendments included which I got by way of reply; if there are any errors left, feel free to point them out, anyone:
Роман рассказывает историю мужчины, который переживёт тяжёлую аварию. Он просыпается в больнице. У него очень тяжёлие ожоги.
Спустя какое-то время женщина посещает его в больничной палате. Она тоже пациентка, но в психиатрическом отделении. Она рассказывает ему, что они знают друг друга с давних пор - на самом деле с средневековья.
Конечно, он думает женщина сумасшедшая, но она знает факты о нём, которые она не может знать. И исторические факты, которые она упоминает в своей истории, позже оказиваются верными.
Она рассказывает, что они любят друг друга - любили друг друга в разных жизнях. Как-нибудь им нужно выполнить общую судьбу.
Роман начинается очень страшными сценами. Авария, процедуры в больнице описываются очень ужасно. Но связь между протагонистам развивается очень интересно и глубоко чувствуется.
Роман мне очень понравился.
And the same in English:
The novel tells the story of a man who survives a terrible accident. He awakens in a hospital, having suffered very heavy burns.
After a while a woman visits him in his room in the hospital. She is a patient as well, though in the psychiatric ward. She tells him that they have known each other for a long time - in fact, since the middle ages.
Of course he believes the woman to be insane, but she does know facts about him she shouldn't know. And the historical facts she mentions also turn out to be true.
She tells him that they are lovers - have been lovers through various lives. They need to find a way to resolve their destiny.
The novel takes off with very gruelling scenes. The accident, the procedures in the hospital are described in a very horrendous fashion. But the relationbetween the characters develops in an interesting and emotional way.
I like the novel a lot.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
They say that Mikhail Sholokhov's "And Quiet Flows the Don" is the best novel of 20th century in russian. I agree. =)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../Tihiy_Don.jpg
wiki:
Quote:
The novel is often compared to "War and Peace" (1869) by Leo Tolstoy. Like the Tolstoy novel, "And Quiet Flows the Don" is an epic picture of Russian life during a time of crisis and examines it through political, military, romantic, and civilian lenses.
Also there is an excellent film.
http://www.kino-teatr.ru/don/pv_30.jpg
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by bitpicker
Роман рассказывает историю мужчины, который пережиЛ тяжёлую аварию. Он просыпается в больнице. У него очень тяжёлые ожоги.
Спустя какое-то время женщина посещает его в больничной палате. Она тоже пациентка, но в психиатрическом отделении. Она рассказывает ему, что они знают друг друга с давних пор, на самом деле -- с средневековья.
Конечно, он думает что женщина сумасшедшая, но она знает факты о нём, которые не может знать. И исторические факты, (упоминаемые ею в своей истории) которые она упоминает в своей истории, позже оказЫваются верными.
Она рассказывает, что они любят И любили друг друга в разных жизнях, и что им нужно найти способ выполнить то, что предначертано им обоим по судьбе (Им нужно НУЖНО НАЙТИ СПОСОБ выполнить общую судьбу).
Роман начинается очень страшными сценами. Авария И процедуры в больнице описываются очень ужасно. Но РАЗВИТИЕ СЮЖЕТНОЙ ЛИНИИ между ГЛАВНЫМИ ГЕРОЯМИ ЗАХВАТЫВАЕТ и глубоко чувствуется.
Роман мне очень понравился.
And the same in English:
The novel tells the story of a man who survives a terrible accident. He awakens in a hospital, having suffered very heavy burns.
After a while a woman visits him in his room in the hospital. She is a patient as well, though in the psychiatric ward. She tells him that they have known each other for a long time - in fact, since the middle ages.
Of course he believes the woman to be insane, but she does know facts about him she shouldn't know. And the historical facts she mentions also turn out to be true.
She tells him that they are lovers - have been lovers through various lives. They need to find a way to resolve their destiny.
The novel takes off with very gruelling scenes. The accident, the procedures in the hospital are described in a very horrendous fashion. But the relationbetween the characters develops in an interesting and emotional way.
I like the novel a lot.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
I too would like to read "Quiet flows the Don" and I am aware that it is one of the best Russian books of the 20th century.
But it's at least a year until this is realistic. In the meantime I am downloading the film, with subtitles.
So I read this books!
"Modern Russian Grammar"
http://www.liber.se/productimage/large/2106269o.jpg
http://www.edu.nykoping.se/Tessin/ut...ry/larobok.jpg
etc. Very exciting plot: :D What will happen to Lena and Maria as they travel to St Petersburg from Helsinki?
"Oh no, the train is delayed...." Lena cannot find her seat at the treain... Maria has lost her passport. Marias bags are missing...
:yahoo:
Perhaps they'll even meet some great Russian guys and spice up the plot a bit....
As for novels - no time at the moment.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
In the meantime I am downloading the film, with subtitles.
imho, there is the one and only great movie version of that novel - directed by Sergei Gerasimov in 1958. I hope you downloading that one.
The newest film http://www.quietflowsthedon.com is so... :wacko:
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by BappaBa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
In the meantime I am downloading the film, with subtitles.
imho, there is the one and only great movie version of that novel - directed by Sergei Gerasimov in 1958. I hope you downloading that one.
The newest film
http://www.quietflowsthedon.com is so... :wacko:
BappaBa, I found the version you are speaking about with English subtitles by T.Kameneva (from original DVD).
© Moscow M.Gorky Film Studio, 1957.
http://narod.ru/disk/7562825000/Quie...art-1.avi.html part 1
http://narod.ru/disk/7582286000/Quie...art-2.avi.html part 2
http://narod.ru/disk/7570336000/Quie...art-3.avi.html part 3
Johanna, if you need instruction on how to download these, they are on the Film thread. Also, after you watch, it would be great if you could write a review for the film thread as well and then I will add the links to the master document.
Thanks!
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by BappaBa
They say that Mikhail Sholokhov's "And Quiet Flows the Don" is the best novel of 20th century in russian. I agree. =)
Maybe it's my bad taste but if we are talking about the best novel of the 20th century in Russian my vote is for Peter I by Alexey Tolstoy. Despite all the talks the author was a "Red count" and the novel was ordered by Stalin etc...
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
BappaBa - Thanks for the tips on the right film version. I totally trust you; older films tend to be more true to the books.
Rockzmon, thanks for download tips! Hey, you're becoming an "accidental expert" on all things Russian.. The next time you run into a Russian person in the US, you can totally surprise them by discussing details of Russian culture they never expected an American to know of...
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
I like to read, but have been very busy lately and I have not had energy for good litterature for
many years. In England people are not familiar with Russian culture and have not heard of the great Russian litterary works. Since I moved here I have mainly read litterature by English speaking writers. As a result I have neglected litterature from Russia, Germany etc since I left Sweden in 2000. (That's my excuse!)
Quote:
Russian book that I plan to read:
"Taras Bulba" by Gogol
I was giving some thought to what Russian litterature I have actually read. The answer is: Not very much! After some consideration, this is the Russian litterature I can remember reading.
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Read by myself:
"Doctor Zhivago" (Pasternak) -Great, easy read... Good story.
"My universities "(Gorky) -But I did not read the first two books in this trilogy...
"War and Peace" (Tolstoy) -Enjoyable, but slow in places
"Lolita" (Nabokov) -Did not like...
In school, as European litterature
"Master and Margarita" (Bulgakov) -Really good! I will re-read it in Russian in the future.
"The Inspector (a play) " (Gogol) -Funny play on peoples snobbery and corruption
"A Day in Ivan Denisovitj' Life" (Solszenitsyn) -Very depressing...
"Mother" (Gorky) -Good because of the female perspective on social matters
A colletion of poems by Majakovsky -Confusing! I don't like/understand his poetry...
Childrens books when I was young (don't remember details)
Some very good adventure books about animals and people in Siberia.
Collection of Russian folk tales
"Kyra and Shurik" about a boy and a nurse during the Leningrad siege
I have actually never read anything by Pushkin or Sholokov..... :oops:
I don't know much about Pushkin at all, and the only thing I know about Sholokov is that he wrote the "Don" books and won the Nobel prize...
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
A colletion of poems by Majakovsky -Confusing! I don't like/understand his poetry...
Did you read it in Russian or in translation? I'm asking because it's impossible to like/understand poetry in translation, and especially such poetry like Majakovsky's. Even if you read his poems in Russian, I don't think you knew and know the language well enough to judge about them... His poetry, as well as the whole "silver age" of Russian poetry, as well as the whole Russian poetry (especially Russian, I think), is hard, or, let's be honest, impossible to translate into another language.
In general, only natives can enjoy poetry in full (not only Russian).
Majakovsky is a great poet. Just trust me. :wink:
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by Оля
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
A colletion of poems by Majakovsky -Confusing! I don't like/understand his poetry...
Did you read it in Russian or in translation?
(...)
Majakovsky is a great poet. Just trust me. :wink:
Yeah, I think you're right.
I did read the poems in translation... That is probably the reason. I know he is supposed to be an outstanding poet. I think it must be a langauge problem.
I don't enjoy reading Shakespeare either (foreign langauge to me). The only translated poetry I have enjoyed is German poetry - but that might be because of the similarities between Swedish and German. Perhaps poetry can really only be appreciated by native speakers of the language it was written in. (Or closely related languages).
Here is Mayakovski's most famous poem (I think) translated into English:
Quote:
A Cloud in Trousers
by Vladimir Mayakovsky, translated from the Russian by Andrey Kneller
Your thought,
Fantasizing on a sodden brain,
Like a bloated lackey on a greasy couch sprawling, --
With my heart’s bloody tatters, I’ll mock it again.
Until I’m contempt, I’ll be ruthless and galling.
There’s no grandfatherly fondness in me,
There are no gray hairs in my soul!
Shaking the world with my voice and grinning,
I pass you by, -- handsome,
Twentytwoyearold.
Gentle souls!
You play your love on the violin.
The crude ones play it on the drums violently.
But can you turn yourselves inside out, like me
And become just two lips entirely?
Come and learn--
You, decorous bureaucrats of angelic leagues!
Step out of those cambric drawing-rooms
And you, who can leaf your lips
Like a cook turns the pages of her recipe books.
If you wish--
I’ll rage on raw meat like a vandal
Or change into hues that the sunrise arouses,
If you wish--
I can be irreproachably gentle,
Not a man -- but a cloud in trousers.
I refuse to believe in Nice1 blossoming!
I will glorify you regardless, --
Men, crumpled like bed-sheets in hospitals,
And women, battered like overused proverbs.
From my flashcards, lol! As you can see I am not quite ready for poetry yet!
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...07/rusbook.jpg
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Russian book that I plan to read:
"Taras Bulba" by Gogol
One of the Gogol's worst imho. :|
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Which one do you recommend?
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Which one do you recommend?
I'm not a big fan of Gogol but if you want to read one of his books about Ukraine I recommend Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
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Originally Posted by bitpicker
Before that, I read the novel 'The Gargoyle' by Andrew Davidson.
I went on Amazon to learn more about this book and I loved the opening of the first review!
Quote:
Read this book. Read it. Just shut up and read it, already. Are you reading it? Why not? I told you to read it!
"But it's yucky!" you complain. "The narrator gets all burned and gross, and he's mean, and what's up with the crazy lady?"
You said you liked it; however, was it as good as all that and as the same reviewer wrote, "Stephen King would probably turn green at some of these scenes,"? :bad:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Here is Mayakovski's most famous poem (I think) translated into English:
How good is the translation that Johanna read?
Is there a "better" poem of Mayakovski's that she should look at?
I do understand what Olya is saying and how difficult it is to translate poetry; yet, I have read some amazing writing on this forum!!! Word choices, combinations and expression of feeling and passion that I have not read anywhere else. Is there anyone who wants to try and translate this poem or another poem (even part of it) from Russian into English so she might have a better understanding and feel for Mayakovski???
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
http://www.bok.nu/img.php?imageid=148560&width=150
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rockzmom
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Here is Mayakovski's most famous poem (I think) translated into English:
How good is the translation that Johanna read?
Is there a "better" poem of Mayakovski's that she should look at?
I do understand what Olya is saying and how difficult it is to translate poetry; yet, I have read some amazing writing on this forum!!! Word choices, combinations and expression of feeling and passion that I have not read anywhere else.
Wow!
Actually, I posted that poem in English mainly for your benefit, and that of other English speakers. I don't like to read poetry in English. I actually read this particular Russian poem back in school, in a Swedish translation. There was a section on Majakovski in a little book about Russian-speaking poets - basically just to introduce the poets, their style and major works. My litterature teacher loved Majakovski and ignored the other Russian poets. I wrote an essay about his work. As I recall it: He shot himself at a young age but I don't remember why. He was originally a social democrat, but had to adapt to the Russian political situation during his lifetime.
The section that I pasted is not the whole work, just the prologue... After reading the posts here I think Rockzmom and everybody else are of a more poetical disposition than me! To be honest, I really only appreciate Swedish poetry of the more "basic" sort... (About beautiful nature and sentimental feelings. Ideally rhyming!)
Rockzmom, in case you haven't heard; Russians are known across Europe for being more serious about litterature and poetry than anybody else... The rumour is that an average Russian person reads more good litterature in a year than many other Europeans do during their entire lifetime. Practically everybody appreciates, or even writes poetry... Something like that... I feel a bit out of my league! I am more of a science geek and a practical person.
Perhaps one day I can be good enough to read Maykovski in Russian and appreciate it.
I am beginning to make some progress now.
"Me"
http://hd.se/multimedia/archive/0017...pg_170756c.jpg
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by Basil77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Which one do you recommend?
I'm not a big fan of Gogol but if you want to read one of his books about Ukraine I recommend
Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka.
Thanks! I didn't know about this book. I'll read it instead of Taras Bulba.
I just wanted to read something by Gogol and another friend of mine said she liked it.
It would be nice to read a story that takes place in Ukraine.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockzmom
How good is the translation that Johanna read? Is there a "better" poem of Mayakovski's that she should look at?
From the standpoint of a Russian poetry lover, the translation is not good at all. Finding a translation of any poem by Mayakovski that is as good as the original may be a very hard, if not impossible proposition.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockzmom
I do understand what Olya is saying and how difficult it is to translate poetry; yet, I have read some amazing writing on this forum!!! Word choices, combinations and expression of feeling and passion that I have not read anywhere else. Is there anyone who wants to try and translate this poem or another poem (even part of it) from Russian into English so she might have a better understanding and feel for Mayakovski???
It is not just a matter of emotion, passion, or word choices. For one thing, the phonetics of Russian poetry is quite different than that of English-language poetry. For example, "see" and "be" is considered a perfectly good rhyme in English. In Russian, it is not a rhyme at all. "Treat" and "greet" is a much better rhyme, because here we have identical consonants rather than just vowels. Yet to the demanding Russian ear, it still doesn't sound like a really "rich" rhyme . And Mayakovski was a master of rhymes, alliterations, and consonances. He perfected his mastery for years.
Rhythm is also very important. And Mayakovski was also a great master of rhythm. In fact, the rhythm of his poems was often so novel that he is considered to have opened a new chapter in Russian poetry. It is important to understand that most Russians just don't dig meterless, rhythm-less poetry. We are a like bunch of spoiled children in that we expect good poetry to have everything at once :) . Perhaps we could buy "blank" rhymeless verse with a strong rhythm and greate imagery. Maybe we could buy verse with a broken rhythm provided that the rhymes and imagery are great. But poetry without either rhymes or rhythm? Oh, no, ma'am, this toy is no good, please show me another one.*
* (Well, that may be a bit of overgeneralization. There are always exceptions. Japanese tankas and haikus do not formally meet the above requirements, yet many people enjoy them. Maybe it's because they are so short).
And last but not least—the words, the very stuff from which poetry is made, the flesh of it. Mayakovski was a great wordsmith. He coined a lot of new words and expressions, finding new ways to say what he wanted to say. And, like any true poet, he was very good with his similes, avoiding clichés like the plague. For example, if he were writing in English, he would be unlikely to say "avoid something like the plague"—he would have come up with an expression that would be totally new and fresh, yet idiomatic and natural.
Do you get the idea? :-o :).
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
He was originally a social democrat, but had to adapt to the Russian political situation during his lifetime.
Hmm.... What a strange statement. :) It's too oversimplified, at least. To me, "Majakovski" and "had to adapt" sound incompatible together. Probably politics was the last thing that interested him in his life. As for his suicide, it's one of Russian mysteries of XX century. Actually, no one knows if he really did it himself. There is a version that it was a murder. However, the motive could be his unhappy love and other "everyday life" troubles (I'm afraid it's bad translation for what I am trying to say, but I can't express it better). Everything is more difficult, like any human life, actually.
Quote:
Practically everybody appreciates, or even writes poetry... Something like that...
Nowadays, it is not true, unfortunately.
P.S. I totally agree with translationsnmru.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by translationsnmru
...Oh, no, ma'am, this toy is no good, please show me another one....Do you get the idea? :-o :).
I love this forum! :yahoo:
Yes, you have once again proven how talented you Russian's are and how high your standards are as well (and your great sense of humor too).
I have mentioned previously how you make me feel so undereducated around all of you. I look at the writings in what I mistakenly thought was the makings of a book and I see my words no longer through rose colored glasses. I judge them more harshly when I reread them. I think to myself "What would the Russian's think of this if they were to read this?" and I know that I must change the words I am using. My words are not good enough. I must admit, have not written in months. It is not that I am blaming or complaining. You all are pushing me and showing me that I need to be better, that I can be better.
The same goes for my girls and their writing. Sometimes I show them the things you all write on this forum. How you describe things and how vivid the detail is that you give. It is like seeing the world for the first time, as if we have never had any senses before. All of your unfathomable metaphors and similes you dream up, put us to shame.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockzmom
You said you liked it; however, was it as good as all that and as the same reviewer wrote, "Stephen King would probably turn green at some of these scenes,"?
Yes, it was one of the best books I read in recent times. And indeed, some of the scenes, especially those about the protagonist's treatment in hospital, are very drastic - in the way that there are many people who have no problems with limbs flying everywhere in a movie but cringe at the very thought of a syringe. It's not because it is over-the-top violence, but that it's a treatment which is supposed to make you better. Torture that's actually for your own good.
Robin
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
I believe that poetry is intranslatable in principle. I mean any kind of poetry. I think even that it is a good definition for the term "poetry": poetry is what can never be translated to another language.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by it-ogo
I believe that poetry is intranslatable in principle. I mean any kind of poetry. I think even that it is a good definition for the term "poetry": poetry is what can never be translated to another language.
I'd say I agree with this. The exception could be languages that are very closely related.
Even if you know a language very well - natively - it still doesn't stir up the same emotions as if you heard the poem in your mother tongue.
Intresting to read the comments by translationsMRU - since you are in a position judge the quality of the translation against the original. I just skimmed the poem earlier, but like you said: It's not a good translation and it probably does not do Maykovsky justice.
@Rockzmom - you've got an ace talent though, so dont' worry! You are a natural born film critic with a very sharp eye for details. I for one have been really impressed by your reviews of Russian films.
Sorry I didn't use the English transliteration of the name earlier - I'll start being careful about checking the English transliteration of the Russian names.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
The next generation is learning about Russia in "The 39 Clues, The Black Circle," by Patrick Carman.
For those of you not up on youth literature, The 39 Clues series was started by Scholastic Books and the books are designed to teach history. The series also combines online gaming and card collecting. This is all away to get kids invovled in the series, reading and to make it fun by being interactive. There are even prizes that can be won.
The first book in the series was written by the famous youth/teen author Rick Riordan who wrote the Percy Jackson series (the first book soon to be a major motion picture). The rest of the books are written by other authors so that new books in the series can be released quickly.
Both of my girls have been reading this series and they picked up book five tonight and came rushing in the door to excitedly inform me that it takes place in RUSSIA!!! The first clue in the book is the inside cover as it has a coat of arms and the following is written on it, Рэмэмбэр Мадэлэинэ. The plot of the book is for the characters (children) to go deep into Russia and uncover the truth behind the murder of the last Russian royal family.
So, as soon as my girls finish this book, I will read it and then let you all know what the three of us think and how Russian's are portrayed. I am hoping this is a NEW start for our youth and I do like how they have used the Cyrillic alphabet for the clues! (yes, I typed out the clue and translated it for my girls... it took me forever to hunt and peck on my keyboard for the right letters as I NEVER type with the Cyrillic font, I just cut and paste. :D )
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
The Hunger Games/ГОЛОДНЫЕ ИГРЫ (see below), by Suzanne Collins was released on September 14, 2008 and quietly sat on shelves until...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen King
"The Hunger Games is a violent, jarring, speed-rap of a novel that generates nearly constant suspense...I couldn't stop reading. ... is as addictive (and as violently simple) as playing one of those shoot-it-if-it-moves videogames in the lobby of the local eightplex; you know it's not real, but you keep plugging in quarters anyway."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephenie Meyer, author of The Twilight Saga
I was so obsessed with this book I had to take it with me out to dinner and hide it under the edge of the table so I wouldn't have to stop reading. The story kept me up for several nights in a row, because even after I was finished, I just lay in bed wide awake thinking about it...The Hunger Games is amazing."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick Riordan, author of The Percy Jackson Series and The 39 Clues
The Hunger Games is as close to perfect an adventure novel as I've ever read. I could not put it down. Collins has transformed the ancient Labyrinth myth into a terrifyingly believable tale of future America. Readers will be hungry for more."
Now, it is in 26 languages and the rights to make a movie for the novel have been snapped up and there is an PRG game of it as well.
Collins was smart as she released the first chapter of her book online. One could go online and legally, read it and then be hooked! That is exactly what happened to us. I started to read it aloud to older daughter. At first she was like, blah, blah, blah...but then all of a sudden, part way into the chapter, she was like, "No mom! don't stop!" and then once the chapter ended, she demanded that we go out and purchase the book that night!
This SciFi book is really a more grown-up young adult book. I was surprised it was even a young adult book as the concepts it deals with have mature thoughts. This book has themes that hopefully, makes kids think as they read. At least my kid did because we talked about it.
The plot:
The Hunger Games takes place in an unidentified future time period after the destruction of North America, in a nation known as Panem. Panem consists of a rich Capitol and twelve surrounding, poorer districts. As punishment for a previous rebellion against the Capitol, every year one boy and one girl from each district are forced to participate in "The Hunger Games", a televised event whereby the participants, or "tributes", must fight to the death in an outdoor arena until only one remains. The story follows the "games" for that year. From the selection of the tributes, to their preparation, to their actual playing of the game for survial. It has great character development and many twists and turns (some of which can easily be guessed by an adult). The action and storyline does move quickly and it is a page turner!
Collins second book in the series, Catching Fire, is out today, and older daughter has already asked that as soon as she comed home from school we race to the bookstore and purchase it.
:arrow: I located what I believe is the Russian version of the first chapter of Hunger Games/STARVING GAMES/ГОЛОДНЫЕ ИГРЫ http://www.bakanov.org/samples/Suzanne%20Collins.htm
:?: Let me know if you read this version or if you find the entire book in Russian. Please post a link so others have a chance to read it and practice their Russian and this should be a lower level difficulty of reading, yet a good read. (Is that possible in Russian like in English? Or is it all the same level of difficulty?) :search:
Here is the video teaser (in English)
[video:2z33z7cf]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TnxXoMpF3c[/video:2z33z7cf]
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
I recently read an interesting novel called 'The City and the City' by China Miéville. It's a strange book based on a weird concept. There's a fictional city in a just as fictional Eastern European country, but for reasons which never become quite clear it is actually two cities superimposed over each other. Theirs is both an artificial and a supernatural separation. Physically, a street or a house can be adjacent to one which is politically (and architecturally) situated in the other city; sometimes the border between cities might even segregate flats in a house. The border is one the inhabitants recognize instinctively, it is not obvious. Except for a nexus which is situated at the city center, there is no place where it is allowed to cross from one city into the other, people actually avoid even noticing things in the other city. In fact, it is possible that two cars or pedestrians use the same street but are in different cities, and are therefore supposed not to notice or even interact with each other. The inhabitants have even developed terms such as 'unseeing', 'unnoticing' for the act of consciously ignoring what is going on on the other side of the border.
The somewhat supernatural component is called Breach - it is a force but also a group of people which makes sure that any violation of the border is punished.
This is the backdrop for a crime story with a twist: a woman is found dead in one city, but turns out to have been murdered in the other, which constitutes Breach - or does it?
The novel is pretty kafkaesque in its imagery and concepts. I enjoyed it a lot.
Robin
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
I just finished watching the movie "The Lady with the Little Dog/Дама с собачкой" and while writing up the review, I found online both the Russian and English versions of this is a short story by Anton Chekhov first published in 1899.
Story in Russian
Story in English
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
I recently read " the Element of blood ". The book of the modern writer. A genre - a detective. But I read and as has visited Soviet Union. To the truth I have not found in the Internet of an English variant
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by bitpicker
I recently read an interesting novel called 'The City and the City' by China Miéville. (...)
The novel is pretty kafkaesque in its imagery and concepts. I enjoyed it a lot.
Great to get such a good review of a book by Miéville. I haven't read anything by him but I have seen this and several other books by him in the shops.
Sounds like an interesting read.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Has anyone read "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck? If so, please let me know what you thought of it. Thanks!
Here it is In Russian.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Интересно. Такие сюжеты уже описывались не раз. Но... всегда трогает душу.
А по стилистике, такое впечатление, что в конце писал совсем другой человек.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockzmom
Has anyone read
"The Pearl" by John Steinbeck? If so, please let me know what you thought of it. Thanks!
Unfortunately not yet :oops: . But thanks for pointing this one, now it's in my "top ten I'm planning to read first". (The easy thing that I have this novel right here on my bookshelf :)). I read a couple of Steinbeck's novels and liked them very much. Btw, have you read this one:
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/143...ianjournal.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Russian_Journal
http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Journa.../dp/0141180196
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by Basil77
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockzmom
Has anyone read
"The Pearl" by John Steinbeck? If so, please let me know what you thought of it. Thanks!
Unfortunately not yet :oops: . But thanks for pointing this one, now it's in my "top ten I'm planning to read first". (The easy thing that I have this novel right here on my bookshelf :)). I read a couple of Steinbeck's novels and liked them very much. Btw, have you read this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Russian_Journal
Actually, I have only read ONE book by Steinbeck and that was "Grapes of Wrath" which I had to read in 11th grade and I was put to sleep by that one. :oops:
"The Pearl" has been assigned to older daughter so, as I try to read all the books they are reading, I get to read this one, yippie skippy. Let me know if you decide to bump this up to the top of your top 10 list and we can exchange notes about it!
I did find the movie that was made based upon the novella and Steinbeck himself helped with the script.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...9305038327668# It is in Spanish however I found subtitles in English. Maybe you can find some in Russian?
:?: Also, has anyone heard of or had a teacher use the "The Socratic method of teaching" or "Socratic Seminar?"
Quote:
The Socratic method of teaching is based on Socrates' theory that it is more important to enable students to think for themselves than to merely fill their heads with "right" answers. Therefore, he regularly engaged his pupils in dialogues by responding to their questions with questions, instead of answers. This process encourages divergent thinking rather than convergent.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockzmom
:?: Also, has anyone heard of or had a teacher use the "The Socratic method of teaching" or "Socratic Seminar?"
Being a student I've attended a quantum mechanics course. The course consisted of lectures, where a professor read us the theory, and seminars, where we, divided in small groups, were practicing in resolving problems. When our seminar's teacher putted a problem situation onto the board we asked "How should we start to solve it?" He responded "Think!" His answer never changed whatever we asked him. Each seminar started with our question and the same teacher's answer. After that we were "thinking" for sometime and there was a silence in the room. Only when somebody of us made an assumption (not a question!) he in return asked us the question "How your assumption can help you to solve the problem?" So step by step our silence intervals became shorter while voices became easily. To the end of the seminar we were about to solve the problem for ourselves.
This type of teaching may be not as like as Socratic method. Our teacher never responded with a question to a question. He always responded with a good answer "Think!" But he really made us to think for ourselves.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Re: Mayakovsky's poetry. I did find a translation much better than the excerpt from the Prologue of The Cloud in Trousers , as rendered above. I cannot do justice to him in Russian yet - maybe never, I agree with all above at the difficulty of understanding poetry, with its deep roots, as a non-native speaker - but this translation helps English readers appreciate a bit more, I think. It does much more with sounds, striking language combinations, and clashing images:
Prologue
I'll tease your thought musing
on soft tissue overstuffed
flunkey on a greasy sofa
I'll razz away brazen and acid
these bloody rags
Without a grey hair in my soul
or snip of senility's gentleness
Raiding the world with
sheer force of voice I'm strutting
handsome
22 years old
You tune your loves on violins
tender ones
The crude club them on drums
but you can't turn them
insideout like me
become pure lips alone
Come on and learn your satiny
prim functionary of
angelic leagues and you
leafing through lips like
a cook paging recipes
You want I be meateating madman
or changing tone like a sky
You want I'll be irreproachably
tender no man but a cloud
in trousers
Screw Nice and its pretty flowers
Once more to intone
men bedsick as hospital women
decrepit proverbs...
translated from the Russian by Jack Hirschman and Victor Ehrlich
Selection taken from Poems for the Millenium, Vol I, edited by Jerome Rothenberg and Pierre Joris, pub by University of California Press, 1995. ISBN 0-520-07225-1
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
I posted a passage from this book on the Movie thread...
:?: Would someone please locate the original Russian verison and post the link to it?http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/sign/sign0092.gif
"What is Art?" (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1904), by Leo Tolstoy, ed. by Aylmer Maude
http://www.archive.org/details/whatisart00tolsuoft (on the lefthand side are choices to read online or download as a pdf)
This essay (originally published in 1896) and the translation by Alymer Maude (first published in 1899) are in the public domain and may be freely reproduced.
What Is Art? is the result of fifteen years of reflection about the nature and purpose of art.
Summary: Tolstoy claims that all good art is related to the authentic life of the broader community and that the aesthetic value of a work of art is not independent of its moral content. The book is noteworthy not only for its famous iconoclasm and compelling attacks on the aestheticist notion of "art for art's sake" but even more for its wit, its lucid and beautiful prose, and its sincere expression of the deepest social conscience.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Hehe, I also posted something on the Movie thread that lead me to think about posting here.
The fragment I posted there is from a short story by J.D. Salinger. I wonder if anyone here read his books. A long time ago, when I was much, much younger, Salinger used to be my favorite author, and I considered "The Catcher in the Rye" one of the best books I had ever read. I am not so enthusiastic about it anymore, but I still consider it a good book. And some of Salinger's stories, especiall the Glass saga—and especially the Franny and Zooey cycle— are still among my favorites.
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockzmom
I coldn't find a read-online version, but it can be downloaded as a Word document on this page: http://photo-element.ru/philosophy/tols ... e_art.html
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Re: Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As
Quote:
Originally Posted by translationsnmru
A long time ago, when I was much, much younger, Salinger used to be my favorite author, and I considered "The Catcher in the Rye" one of the best books I had ever read. I am not so enthusiastic about it anymore, but I still consider it a good book.
http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/sign/sign0013.gif...but... I cannot begin to tell you how much I loathed "Catcher in the Rye" when I was forced to read it in high school! I tell you, it was one of the books which turned me OFF reading and contributed to the downfall of my vocabulary! That and "The World According to Garp" by John Irving and as I mentioned previously, The Grapes of Wrath. These books did nothing for me except make me hate to read as a child and young adult. :cry:
Maybe one of you can explain to "poor little old me" why these books are soooo fabulous??? What am I missing here?http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/sign/sign0009.gif
Catcher in the Rye (English)
http://www.iktmmedia.com/files/J.D._Sal ... he_Rye.pdf