tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post8536573420488875184..comments2024-02-26T13:12:10.143-05:00Comments on Lizok's Bookshelf: Benigsen’s Rayad and Krzhizhanovsky’s Letter KillersLisa C. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10139281544357167953noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-33068800742600301532021-09-18T19:20:25.816-04:002021-09-18T19:20:25.816-04:00I'm glad you posted your link, Languagehat, I&...I'm glad you posted your link, Languagehat, I'm in complete agreement with you about philosophy in fiction! Lizokhttps://lizoksbooks.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-22349400683960788882021-09-18T18:05:23.597-04:002021-09-18T18:05:23.597-04:00I've finally read Клуб убийц букв, and I agree...I've finally read Клуб убийц букв, and I agree with you; here's my review:<br />https://languagehat.com/two-new-authors/Languagehathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13285708503881129380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-6820332844227157552012-01-08T19:01:34.364-05:002012-01-08T19:01:34.364-05:00I agree, Tom, about GenAcide... I thought the book...I agree, Tom, about <i>GenAcide</i>... I thought the book was laugh-out-loud funny in places, even if the structure felt a bit off. With <i>Rayad</i>, though, it felt like Benigsen found a good structure but couldn't get an optimal balance of humor, sociopolitics, and energy. Resulting, alas, in a competent but mediocre novel.Lisa C. Haydenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10139281544357167953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-89576701612710067902012-01-08T04:57:49.969-05:002012-01-08T04:57:49.969-05:00That said, his satire of the liberal intelligentsi...That said, his satire of the liberal intelligentsia myths and stereotypes is hilarious. But then, that was the best part of Genatsid, right?<br /><br />I look forward to hearing about the new Dobrodeev. I really need to find time to buy and read it.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09736658350029922934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-84961888534865665962012-01-07T19:44:15.265-05:002012-01-07T19:44:15.265-05:00Thank you, Tom, for your kind comment! I was espec...Thank you, Tom, for your kind comment! I was especially interested to read your thoughts on VITCh: I saw it at a discount on one of my book sites but read a review or two and decided "не стоит". <br /><br />I see this pattern of "great idea, lousy execution" all too often with contemporary Russian -- and American -- novels. I seem to read a lot of novels that could use another rewrite!Lisa C. Haydenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10139281544357167953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-64139915476043220852012-01-07T11:53:15.126-05:002012-01-07T11:53:15.126-05:00I haven't read Raiad, but I've read a few ...I haven't read Raiad, but I've read a few reviews and yours seems to confirm Benigsen's general pattern of unfulfillment.<br /><br />His latest, VITCH, has an intriguing idea at the heart of it, much like his others, but fails to deliver. I remember one reviewer (I think it was Alla Latynina) praising him for his ability to come up with anekdoty, but his problem is that he stretches them out for 400 pages. VITCH suffers from this horribly. He needs an editor. <br /><br />Thank you for a great blog!<br />TomTomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09736658350029922934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-69592223816112797052012-01-03T09:01:18.102-05:002012-01-03T09:01:18.102-05:00Thank you, Andrea G. and Russian Dinosaur, for you...Thank you, Andrea G. and Russian Dinosaur, for your comments!<br /><br />Andrea G., I didn't think the *words* in this particular novella were so difficult but I found that I often had to reread, to be sure I was absorbing meaning. Platonov has the same effect on me; I think it's the unusualness of how and what these writers write. I'm not sure if I'll ever enjoy Krzhizhanovsky as much as I enjoy Platonov but who knows what more reading will do! <br /><br />Russian Dinosaur, I didn't realize that you're a big Krzh fan, though I'm not surprised you liked the science fiction story best! I'll have to look for "Книжная закладка"... I think I'll enjoy Krzhizhanovsky more as I read more, and it would probably help to read pieces that link thematically.Lisa C. Haydenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10139281544357167953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-3506257999382832632012-01-03T04:16:56.339-05:002012-01-03T04:16:56.339-05:00Dear Lisa, Thank you so much for posting about The...Dear Lisa, Thank you so much for posting about The Club of Letter Killers! As you know, I'm a big Krzhizhanovsky fan. I read this story many years ago while doing PhD research, and (perhaps predictably) my favourite storylet was the science-fiction episode. I also liked The Bookmark (Knizhnaia zakladka), another Krzh story with a similar multiple-brief-tales structure. This type of frame tale makes me think of Hoffmann's Serapion Brothers's storytelling circle (as I'm sure I'm meant to do) and also of the odd Manhattan gentleman's club where macabre stories are exchanged in Steven King's 'The Breathing Method' (as I'm sure I shouldn't!).Russian Dinosaurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708798725927250672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-80230862226611474212011-12-30T17:22:59.776-05:002011-12-30T17:22:59.776-05:00Hi Lisa! I was interested to hear what you though...Hi Lisa! I was interested to hear what you thought of Krzhizhanovsky. I've not looked at The Letter Killer's Club, but I translated a few of his stories years back that were so, so hard! Like, entire sentences where I didn't recognize a single word. In many cases I struggled to even recognize verb forms and root words. I had a Russian help me with stuff I just couldn't crack, and he said there were a fair number of invented words the definitions of which he (in his fluent English) had difficulty explaining. There was a quote from Krzhizhanovsky I found in his biography that I translated as something like, "When I die, don't clear the nettles from my grave. Let them sting." I thought it appropos for how difficult he is to read, translate, and ultimately, I discovered, publish. <br /><br />Anyway, I'm impressed you tackled K. in Russian. When I look at his text in the original I go cross-eyed.Andrea G.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-23288032204681063422011-12-30T09:12:00.578-05:002011-12-30T09:12:00.578-05:00Thank you for your comment, Bibliobio... I was hop...Thank you for your comment, Bibliobio... I was hoping that someone would say what you said! The book definitely has a certain appeal; my reading biases/preferences lean more toward character but I certainly found it interesting. <br /><br />I'm not sure if other readers would feel unexpectedness as I did but I found a certain suspense, wondering what the next week's story would be. And then what the next odd turn would be within the story. I'll be interested to see what you think!<br /><br />L.Lisa C. Haydenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10139281544357167953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-8118108315743243032011-12-30T04:01:31.524-05:002011-12-30T04:01:31.524-05:00I don't know why, but your description of The ...I don't know why, but your description of <i>The Letter Killers Club</i> actually has me interested. Maybe it's the storytelling aspect, but the premise does actually hold some appeal for me. And if you think the unexpectedness is one of its virtues... well, I'll just see if this one finds its way to me. Fate, do your magic!Meytal Radzinskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15805413335735169073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-90866955785079255172011-12-29T19:51:35.404-05:002011-12-29T19:51:35.404-05:00Thank you for your lovely greeting, Catherine! It&...Thank you for your lovely greeting, Catherine! It's nice to hear that you enjoy the blog so much, and I wish you lots of fulfilling translation (and publishing!) in 2012, too. <br /><br />You'll be happy to know that we are still eating vegetables from the back yard, despite some temperatures in the teens: we had a nice salad (lettuce and spinach) last night and there is still a bit more to come!Lisa C. Haydenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10139281544357167953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932429135630556215.post-2206491618257681862011-12-29T12:31:31.520-05:002011-12-29T12:31:31.520-05:00Dear Lisa, a big thank you for all your wonderful ...Dear Lisa, a big thank you for all your wonderful (and very useful) posts. You're my favorite read of the week. Wishing you to find the right publisher(s) for your translations, authors able to lift your spirits and make you want to be their voice in English, enthusiastic students, and generous crops from your garden. For a gentle and healthy 2012!<br />:)Catherine Cauvin-Higginshttp://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Cauvin-Higgins/e/B004IW6QU4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1noreply@blogger.com