Comments on: What I’ve Been Reading (Other than Henry James) http://www.readinghenryjames.com/2010/02/01/what-ive-been-reading-other-than-henry-james/ In which I undertake a reading of all of Henry James's fiction, and comment on the works, the reading process, Henry's life, and sundry other elements as they strike my fancy. Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:51:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: JHarris http://www.readinghenryjames.com/2010/02/01/what-ive-been-reading-other-than-henry-james/#comment-622 JHarris Fri, 09 Apr 2010 18:16:02 +0000 http://www.readinghenryjames.com/?p=301#comment-622 Hi Kirk, Looking forward to reading some more of your posts about our beloved Maître. It might interest you to know that a series of James' stories have just been translated into German by Ingrid Rein (who also translated Wuthering Heights), grouped together under the title of Benvolio. I went along to a reading of them and I have to say, I was most unimpressed: despite the beautiful quality of the translation and reading, James' nuances were largely lost in German. The story in question ('A Landscape Painter') sounded, in a word, camp, particularly as a lot of this what a friend calls 'tea-party' English was left untranslated ('Milord', 'Milady' - I think that's the case in French too). All of which might go some way toward explaining why James is so little read and praised in Germany and in German - his success is bound up with that carefully modulated, ironic but not facetious, nigh on impossible to translate, style. A good weekend! James Hi Kirk,

Looking forward to reading some more of your posts about our beloved Maître. It might interest you to know that a series of James’ stories have just been translated into German by Ingrid Rein (who also translated Wuthering Heights), grouped together under the title of Benvolio.

I went along to a reading of them and I have to say, I was most unimpressed: despite the beautiful quality of the translation and reading, James’ nuances were largely lost in German. The story in question (‘A Landscape Painter’) sounded, in a word, camp, particularly as a lot of this what a friend calls ‘tea-party’ English was left untranslated (‘Milord’, ‘Milady’ – I think that’s the case in French too).

All of which might go some way toward explaining why James is so little read and praised in Germany and in German – his success is bound up with that carefully modulated, ironic but not facetious, nigh on impossible to translate, style.

A good weekend!

James

]]> By: Kirk http://www.readinghenryjames.com/2010/02/01/what-ive-been-reading-other-than-henry-james/#comment-594 Kirk Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:34:59 +0000 http://www.readinghenryjames.com/?p=301#comment-594 Yes, it was his passing the led me to (re-) read them as well. I had read about 20 of them, and decided to start over at the beginning. I've re-read about a dozen so far. I've been neglecting my James reading lately, having also decided to re-read Ulysses (and the books that talk about Ulysses). I should get back to the James and post a few more story summaries. I'll try and do one or two this weekend. Yes, it was his passing the led me to (re-) read them as well. I had read about 20 of them, and decided to start over at the beginning. I’ve re-read about a dozen so far.

I’ve been neglecting my James reading lately, having also decided to re-read Ulysses (and the books that talk about Ulysses). I should get back to the James and post a few more story summaries. I’ll try and do one or two this weekend.

]]> By: Holly http://www.readinghenryjames.com/2010/02/01/what-ive-been-reading-other-than-henry-james/#comment-593 Holly Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:29:56 +0000 http://www.readinghenryjames.com/?p=301#comment-593 I am not at all familiar with Camus, but we do share one current reading activity - I have started reading Parker's Spenser series, and am now on book 7, "Early Autumn." The passing of Robert B Parker was what led to this activity, which has rapidly developed into a sort of consuming passion. I had listened to a couple of Spenser audiotapes, out of order, but once I started reading "The Godwulf Manuscript", I was so taken with Spenser, that I could think of nothing I would rather do than spend time with him. However, my James stories have just arrived, so I'm prepared to give ample time to Henry also! And the next time I'm at the library, I'll check out a Camus book too, an English translation! Very limited French, I give thanks for the notes at the end of the LOA James book. I am not at all familiar with Camus, but we do share one current reading activity – I have started reading Parker’s Spenser series, and am now on book 7, “Early Autumn.” The passing of Robert B Parker was what led to this activity, which has rapidly developed into a sort of consuming passion. I had listened to a couple of Spenser audiotapes, out of order, but once I started reading “The Godwulf Manuscript”, I was so taken with Spenser, that I could think of nothing I would rather do than spend time with him. However, my James stories have just arrived, so I’m prepared to give ample time to Henry also! And the next time I’m at the library, I’ll check out a Camus book too, an English translation! Very limited French, I give thanks for the notes at the end of the LOA James book.

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