Name: Isaac Bashevis Singer
Year Won: 1978
Read: Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories
Original Language: English (although most of his work apparently was in Yiddish)
Reason: "for his impassioned narrative art which, with roots in a Polish-Jewish cultural tradition, brings universal human conditions to life"
About: "Zlateh the Goat" is one of many short stories in a collection for short children by that name. All take place in rural Jewish communities (I'm guessing in Poland?) and cover silly, colorful characters basically going about their daily lives. A man dreams he is wealthy, eats all the treats for Haunakkah, tries (unsucessfully) to poison himself and is scolded by his wife. An elderly goat is sent to the slaughter, but then saves a child and is treated as a hero. Demons threaten, but never too harshly. These are all cute, if fairly prosaic stories.
What I liked: The short stories are cute and show a fun, rural slice of ordinary life. It's a rather refreshing view of the lives of ordinary people doing relatively ordinary things.
What I Disliked: I'm really not the audience for this book, which I think is mostly the 5-8 set.
Should it have won a Nobel: It's hard to tell. Based on this, no. But clearly children's stories weren't why Singer won the Nobel.
I suspect that, had I read his more "serious" work, I might not have liked it as much. Singer seems like the kind of person that the Nobel committee often awards prizes to because they "feel" this particular sort of thing deserves a prize. With that said, I might very much enjoy his other pieces, too. If nothing else, these stories were definitely enjoyable and not in the least pretentious, which if he extends to his adult novels, would be a refreshing change from many of those I've read as part of this project.
Next Up: "Eros, Eros, Eros" by Odysseas Elytis
Saturday, July 30, 2022
Sunday, July 10, 2022
"Poesia Completa" by Vicente Aleixandre
Name: Vicente Aleixandre
Year Won: 1977
Read: Poesia Completa
Original Language: Spanish
Reason: "for a creative poetic writing, which illuminates man's condition in the cosmos and in present-day society, at the same time representing the great renewal of the traditions of Spanish poetry between the wars"
About: "Poesia Completa" is a poetry anthology (quite long) covering the Aleixandre's poetry. So, as is true for most poetry collections, there is no plot...just poems. They are also all in Spanish, although a simpler, less literary Spanish than a number of the collections I've read.
What I liked: I found the poetry to be beautiful. The metaphors conjured up were often unique and startling. That they often did this simply and readably was a pleasant and enjoyable surprise. Although I haven't finished his anthology (poetry reading is slow...), I suspect I will given time. I really am enjoying his work.
What I Disliked: Nothing, really. I found this to a be a breath of fresh air. Literally.
Should it have won a Nobel: Probably, yes. I get that these are often awarded more because the committee was trying to make a point (I suppose in this case probably thinking that they hadn't properly recognized Spanish literature post civil war or somesuch), but I found these poems to be quite lovely. Of course, I did read them in a language not my own, which may mean that I'm misinterpreting their brilliance (what sounds startling and interesting to a non-native speaker might sound contrived or trite to someone with a better understanding of the language). But I still genuinely liked these, which seems to be an achievement of sorts.
Next Up: "Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories" by Isaac Bashevis Singer
Year Won: 1977
Read: Poesia Completa
Original Language: Spanish
Reason: "for a creative poetic writing, which illuminates man's condition in the cosmos and in present-day society, at the same time representing the great renewal of the traditions of Spanish poetry between the wars"
About: "Poesia Completa" is a poetry anthology (quite long) covering the Aleixandre's poetry. So, as is true for most poetry collections, there is no plot...just poems. They are also all in Spanish, although a simpler, less literary Spanish than a number of the collections I've read.
What I liked: I found the poetry to be beautiful. The metaphors conjured up were often unique and startling. That they often did this simply and readably was a pleasant and enjoyable surprise. Although I haven't finished his anthology (poetry reading is slow...), I suspect I will given time. I really am enjoying his work.
What I Disliked: Nothing, really. I found this to a be a breath of fresh air. Literally.
Should it have won a Nobel: Probably, yes. I get that these are often awarded more because the committee was trying to make a point (I suppose in this case probably thinking that they hadn't properly recognized Spanish literature post civil war or somesuch), but I found these poems to be quite lovely. Of course, I did read them in a language not my own, which may mean that I'm misinterpreting their brilliance (what sounds startling and interesting to a non-native speaker might sound contrived or trite to someone with a better understanding of the language). But I still genuinely liked these, which seems to be an achievement of sorts.
Next Up: "Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories" by Isaac Bashevis Singer
Friday, June 17, 2022
The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow
Name: Saul Bellow
Year Won: 1976
Read: The Adventures of Augie March
Original Language: English
Reason: "for the human understanding and subtle analysis of contemporary culture that are combined in his work"
About: "The Adventures of Augie March" follows Augie March from childhood through adulthood and describes his life. There is no plot. There are no stakes. There is no escalation of stakes. That's basically it. A 600 page description of someone's life.
What I liked: As might be expected, the writing is quite lovely. As might not be expected, but is true, the writing is often quite funny. There's as hint of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" to this piece. The characters are lively and interesting.
What I Disliked: There is no plot. I get that for whatever reason, literary types seem to hate plot with the blinding passion of a thousand suns. But without it, stories aren't stories so much as seemingly random descriptions of events. That's kind of this. Just a bunch of events, told in sequential order. This means that it never really grips and lets go the way books that have good plots do. (Even fairly bad books with good plots, like, say, "The DaVinci Code". Or hell, even "50 Shades of Grey".)
Should it have won a Nobel: I mean, this is the kind of thing the Nobel committee loves so probably, yes. Do I wish that literary types would concede that the best books have some magical combination of great characters, solid writing, AND a plot? Yes, yes I do. Am I holding my breath on this ever happening? (Laughs uproariously.)
Next Up: "Poesia Completa" by Vicente Aleixandre (entirely in Spanish - ooh!)
Year Won: 1976
Read: The Adventures of Augie March
Original Language: English
Reason: "for the human understanding and subtle analysis of contemporary culture that are combined in his work"
About: "The Adventures of Augie March" follows Augie March from childhood through adulthood and describes his life. There is no plot. There are no stakes. There is no escalation of stakes. That's basically it. A 600 page description of someone's life.
What I liked: As might be expected, the writing is quite lovely. As might not be expected, but is true, the writing is often quite funny. There's as hint of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" to this piece. The characters are lively and interesting.
What I Disliked: There is no plot. I get that for whatever reason, literary types seem to hate plot with the blinding passion of a thousand suns. But without it, stories aren't stories so much as seemingly random descriptions of events. That's kind of this. Just a bunch of events, told in sequential order. This means that it never really grips and lets go the way books that have good plots do. (Even fairly bad books with good plots, like, say, "The DaVinci Code". Or hell, even "50 Shades of Grey".)
Should it have won a Nobel: I mean, this is the kind of thing the Nobel committee loves so probably, yes. Do I wish that literary types would concede that the best books have some magical combination of great characters, solid writing, AND a plot? Yes, yes I do. Am I holding my breath on this ever happening? (Laughs uproariously.)
Next Up: "Poesia Completa" by Vicente Aleixandre (entirely in Spanish - ooh!)
Friday, June 10, 2022
The Poems of Eugenio Montale
Name: Eugenio Montale
Year Won: 1975
Read: The Selected Poems of Eugenio Montale
Original Language: Italian
Reason: "for his distinctive poetry, which, with great artistic sensitivity, has interpreted human values under the sign of an outlook on life with no illusions"
About: "The Selected Poems" is pretty much what it sounds like - a collection of Montale's poetry. It's poems. Like, 500 pages of them. They are many.
What I liked: The poetry is quite pretty.
What I Disliked: It's poems. Are these poems better than other poems? I don't know. They seemed kind of generic to me, but then again, I can't read Italian, so would likely miss the nuances that make these poems slightly better (or worse) than any other poems.
Should it have won a Nobel: I have no idea. I feel like even asking this with prose is hard. With poetry, it becomes close to impossible. None of these struck me as immortal genius, but then again, that might have been the translator's fault. Or maybe I just don't care much for Montale's poetry for my own reasons.
Next Up: "The Adventures of Augie March" by Saul Bellow
Year Won: 1975
Read: The Selected Poems of Eugenio Montale
Original Language: Italian
Reason: "for his distinctive poetry, which, with great artistic sensitivity, has interpreted human values under the sign of an outlook on life with no illusions"
About: "The Selected Poems" is pretty much what it sounds like - a collection of Montale's poetry. It's poems. Like, 500 pages of them. They are many.
What I liked: The poetry is quite pretty.
What I Disliked: It's poems. Are these poems better than other poems? I don't know. They seemed kind of generic to me, but then again, I can't read Italian, so would likely miss the nuances that make these poems slightly better (or worse) than any other poems.
Should it have won a Nobel: I have no idea. I feel like even asking this with prose is hard. With poetry, it becomes close to impossible. None of these struck me as immortal genius, but then again, that might have been the translator's fault. Or maybe I just don't care much for Montale's poetry for my own reasons.
Next Up: "The Adventures of Augie March" by Saul Bellow
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Dreams of Roses and Fire by Eyvind Johnson
Name: Eyvind Johnson
Year Won: 1974
Read: Dreams of Roses and Fire
Original Language: Swedish
Reason: "for a narrative art, farseeing in lands and ages, in the service of freedom"
About: "Dreams of Roses and Fire" is set in 17th century France and seems to mostly involve nuns being seduced by demons. Seriously. The demons appear to them at night and go absolutely wild. They caress their thighs, they arouse them, they make them cry out in pleasure. I'm fairly sure the demons are supposed to be exorcised as well, but mostly it's nun on demon sex for pages and pages and pages.
What I liked: I mean, who doesn't like some hot demons seducing nuns (who, of course, are always young and nubile).
What I Disliked: I'm not sure that there is a plot. In many ways, this reads almost like fan fiction, in which some hot demons get it on with some hot and sexually frustrated nuns.
Should it have won a Nobel: I always sigh a little when I see that the writer is Swedish. These stories are rarely as good as those where the writer is from literally everywhere else. This is no exception to that rule.
Next Up: "Aniara" Harry Martinson
Year Won: 1974
Read: Dreams of Roses and Fire
Original Language: Swedish
Reason: "for a narrative art, farseeing in lands and ages, in the service of freedom"
About: "Dreams of Roses and Fire" is set in 17th century France and seems to mostly involve nuns being seduced by demons. Seriously. The demons appear to them at night and go absolutely wild. They caress their thighs, they arouse them, they make them cry out in pleasure. I'm fairly sure the demons are supposed to be exorcised as well, but mostly it's nun on demon sex for pages and pages and pages.
What I liked: I mean, who doesn't like some hot demons seducing nuns (who, of course, are always young and nubile).
What I Disliked: I'm not sure that there is a plot. In many ways, this reads almost like fan fiction, in which some hot demons get it on with some hot and sexually frustrated nuns.
Should it have won a Nobel: I always sigh a little when I see that the writer is Swedish. These stories are rarely as good as those where the writer is from literally everywhere else. This is no exception to that rule.
Next Up: "Aniara" Harry Martinson
Monday, February 14, 2022
The Hanging Garden by Patrick White
Name: Patrick White
Year Won: 1973
Read: The Hanging Garden
Original Language: English
Reason: "for an epic and psychological narrative art, which has introduced a new continent into literature"
About: "The Hanging Garden" is about...well, I'm not 100% sure what it's about, seeing as it's unfinished and mostly seems like a series of (very well written) vignettes about a bunch of children and later teenagers. I suppose, maybe, it was supposed to eventually gather a plot. But in its scant 200 pages, it really doesn't.
What I liked: The imagery is sublime. I have literally never read descriptions as innovative as some of them within this book. And the characters are brilliantly crafted.
What I Disliked: There is no plot. None. In one way, I suppose maybe that's a blessing (since otherwise there might be a cliffhanger, seeing as the work is unfinished). But it means that the story just sort of is...there's nothing that propels it forward. (And, in case you're wondering even most psychological novels have some kind of plot. "Mother" had a fairly strong one and "The Old Man and the Sea" at least had some semblance of one. I could at least say what both were about beyond "um, existing, I guess?"
Should it have won a Nobel: For this, no. But really, he was awarded the Nobel for other novels that I'm assuming are more engaging? And his writing is delightful.
Next Up: "Dreams of Roses and Fire" by Eyvind Johnson
Year Won: 1973
Read: The Hanging Garden
Original Language: English
Reason: "for an epic and psychological narrative art, which has introduced a new continent into literature"
About: "The Hanging Garden" is about...well, I'm not 100% sure what it's about, seeing as it's unfinished and mostly seems like a series of (very well written) vignettes about a bunch of children and later teenagers. I suppose, maybe, it was supposed to eventually gather a plot. But in its scant 200 pages, it really doesn't.
What I liked: The imagery is sublime. I have literally never read descriptions as innovative as some of them within this book. And the characters are brilliantly crafted.
What I Disliked: There is no plot. None. In one way, I suppose maybe that's a blessing (since otherwise there might be a cliffhanger, seeing as the work is unfinished). But it means that the story just sort of is...there's nothing that propels it forward. (And, in case you're wondering even most psychological novels have some kind of plot. "Mother" had a fairly strong one and "The Old Man and the Sea" at least had some semblance of one. I could at least say what both were about beyond "um, existing, I guess?"
Should it have won a Nobel: For this, no. But really, he was awarded the Nobel for other novels that I'm assuming are more engaging? And his writing is delightful.
Next Up: "Dreams of Roses and Fire" by Eyvind Johnson
The Casualty by Heinrich Boll
Name: Heinrich Böll
Year Won: 1972
Read: The Casuality
Original Language: German
Reason: "for his writing, which through its combination of a broad perspective on his time and a sensitive skill in characterization has contributed to a renewal of German literature"
About: The Casuality is a series of short stories mostly focusing on the perspectives of normal Germans (especially lowly soldiers) during WWII. They're beautifully written, but stark and depressing. (Which I guess makes sense?) There's a kind of horrible brutality to them - wealthy soldiers buy wounds to get them away from the front lines, soldiers murder an officer who's been promoting aggressive fighting, etc.
What I liked: The writing is beautiful and the themes, while depressing, are interesting, unique, and really powerful. If you want a sense that war is hell well...this collection definitely makes you feel that war is, indeed, hell. (And more so because of how it enables the terrible than just because of the freezing in trenches part.)
What I Disliked: These stories are dark and hard to read.
Should it have won a Nobel: Yes. Boll is a phenomenal writer and these stories feel fresh and unique the way so many others don't. He's phenomenal.
Next Up: "The Hanging Garden" by Patrick White
Year Won: 1972
Read: The Casuality
Original Language: German
Reason: "for his writing, which through its combination of a broad perspective on his time and a sensitive skill in characterization has contributed to a renewal of German literature"
About: The Casuality is a series of short stories mostly focusing on the perspectives of normal Germans (especially lowly soldiers) during WWII. They're beautifully written, but stark and depressing. (Which I guess makes sense?) There's a kind of horrible brutality to them - wealthy soldiers buy wounds to get them away from the front lines, soldiers murder an officer who's been promoting aggressive fighting, etc.
What I liked: The writing is beautiful and the themes, while depressing, are interesting, unique, and really powerful. If you want a sense that war is hell well...this collection definitely makes you feel that war is, indeed, hell. (And more so because of how it enables the terrible than just because of the freezing in trenches part.)
What I Disliked: These stories are dark and hard to read.
Should it have won a Nobel: Yes. Boll is a phenomenal writer and these stories feel fresh and unique the way so many others don't. He's phenomenal.
Next Up: "The Hanging Garden" by Patrick White
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