Virgil -- I've looked through the thread, and find only a few scant remarks on the comparative merits of different English translations. Feel free to quote any posts that you feel settle the matter. Thanks.
I'm leaning toward Smollett, based on the introduction to a modern volume by Carlos Fuentes, and on Salmon Rushdie's glowing remarks. And I think I'll keep a volume of Grossman on hand as well.
Thanks all
JB
I heard wonderful things about Grossman's translation, but for some reason or another I avoided that one. I can't remember why, but I will look into it for you.Originally Posted by Joe Beamish
nessgavin I plan on addressing some of the things you bring up in your post. Hold tight for a little while and I will get to it, time isn't permitting right now.
"So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss, and my heart turns violently inside of my chest, I don't have time to maintain these regrets, when I think about, the way....He loves us..."
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5xXowT4eJjY
Oh sorry. Perhaps it was another thread where we discussed translations. I used the Grossman translation and found it well written. I can't swear to it's accuracy but I think Grossman is a well respected translator of Spanish into English.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
grace86 and Virgil -- Thanks for your replies.
grace86, I too have been hesitant about the Grossman translation in the face of rave reviews -- perhaps specifically because of the rave reviews, and Harold Bloom's introduction.
The further that Bloom wanders from Shakespeare and the Bible, the less interested I usually am in his perspective. Although he typically advocates the "difficult pleasure" of reading in favor of the academy's now firmly entrenched practice pigeonholing books into politically correct categories, I don't always get the feeling that he's having a lot of fun even in the books he purportedly loves.
I also suspect that the Grossman translation will share the merits and faults of so many artistic enterprises in today's America: Accurate to the letter, but missing something in spirit, like a movie that's superbly faithful to the period clothing and bric-a-brac, but not necessarily the stuff underneath.
Smollet, himself a novelist, at least posthumously enjoys the highest praise of novelists Salmon Rushdie and Carlos Fuentes for his translation.
Hey! I've just started reading Don Quixote and am most impressed. I don't know if my translation is any good or not but I'm liking it (especially as it cost me all of £1.00 from the charity shop - whoopee!).
Interestingly it was The New York Trilogy that got me interested in Don Quixote. There's a whole section about a theory about who wrote Don Quixote in City of Glass and it intrigued me. Not disappointed so far.
Want to know what I think about books? Check out https://biisbooks.wordpress.com/
Hello!
I'm new on this site, but am quickly falling in love with it!
I picked up Don Quixote this summer on a recommendation (from Tom Sawyer!)
You have intrigued me to read it right away! I would love to chat about it when I get through it!
Hairy Faery
Good luck Hairy. I just finished it about an hour ago. Choked me up. But more than that, trying to figure it all out. It's a puzzle. So many ways to read it.
I'm glad so many have found an interest in reading Don Quixote. Glad you finished it Nessgavin! It does choke you up, after reading it and getting so involved with Don Quixote and Sancho, it is hard to put down after the pages are up. I cried at the sheer fact that the book was over!!
Beamish, what translation did you end up settling on?
I loved the fact that there were so many ways to read the book. It was multi faceted, if I wanted to think about it in a more analytical way...the possibilities are endless, but if I just wanted to enjoy a good tale on knight errantry and chivalry..it was that too. So have fun thinking on it. It definitely occupies one's thoughts for awhile.
"So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss, and my heart turns violently inside of my chest, I don't have time to maintain these regrets, when I think about, the way....He loves us..."
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5xXowT4eJjY
Glad you liked it Grace. So many read it as a simple story, but I can't imagine how that could be. I don't know if you're familiar with Plato's dialogs but the book reminded me of them. It raises a million questions.
i read grossman's edition and found it awesome. Bloom's intro was dull and more about hamlet than don quixote.
I've never read any other translations, but found that once i let my internal voice have a spansih accent and tempo, grossman's read fluently. It doesn't work with anglo cadences.
most of her footnotes were great, but many interruptted the story to tell me about some old spanish governor i didn't care about. hope that helps.
This is the comic I write: http://www.snmcomics.com/
It's where crude toilet humor somehow meets snobby literature allusions.
Yes, I must say the Grossman translation was enjoyable.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
Hi,
I'm amazed with your discussions about the Don Quixote. Currently, I have to write an essay about risk of reading and i have to choose a book to reference to it. I think Don Quixote is the best choice. Do anyone know how to write the essay out??Need it really bad. Thanks!!!!
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