As you all know, we will be reading The Brothers Karamazov. What you may not know is that you should get the Constance Garnett translation, which Matt says is the original and still definitive English translation.
Here is a picture to add color to this page:
I have also, you no doubt see, created a little slideshow of various authors. I hope it brings you some pleasure.
Garnett's is the first, although there is much debate as to what translation is best. I do believe we should read hers, if only because it has been the most widely read for the past century.
ReplyDeleteThe New Yorker published an interesting (though long) article on Garnett, Brothers K, and the problems of translation.
(The Pevear/Volokhonsky team mentioned in this article also translated "The Master and Margarita," by Mikhail Bulgakov, which is a wonderful book, as Greg can attest, and one I recommend to all.)
So far my favorite part of the article: "For example, where a passage in the Garnett of 'Anna' reads, 'Holding his head bent down before him,' Nabokov triumphantly notes, 'Mark that Mrs. Garnett has decapitated the man.'"
ReplyDeleteYes, I liked that line too!
ReplyDeleteWho's on board? Are we setting a start date? Read first X pages by June Y? (where Y>12)