An excerpt from my review of We Kiss Them With Rain by South African writer Futhi Ntshingila, which can be read in its entirety over at Necessary Fiction. It might be the mood I’m in, but I’m finding subtle allusions to the Victorian-era in quite a few of the books I’ve been reading. Frankenstein In Baghdad is the most blatant call-out, but there’s also The … Continue reading We Kiss Them With Rain by Futhi Ntshingila
Title: Quiet Creature on the Corner Author: João Gilberto Noll Translator: Adam Morris Publisher: Two Lines Press, San Francisco (2016) ISBN: 978 1 931883 51 1 Quiet Creature on the Corner is a weird tale told from the point of view of an adolescent boy being punished for the rape of a young girl. The assault occurs in an abandoned lot behind the slum-like apartment building where they both live and the boy describes the … Continue reading Quiet Creature on the Corner by João Gilberto Noll (tr. Adam Morris)
Title: The Sleep of the Righteous Author: Wolfgang Hilbig Translator: Isabel Fargo Cole Publisher: Two Lines Press, San Francisco (2015) ISBN: 978 1 931883 47 4 In his introduction to Wolfgang Hilbig’s The Sleep of the Righteous, the Hungarian author Laszlo Krasznahorkai wrote: “Many have thought and have said about him that because his fate and writerly art are so closely tied with … Continue reading The Sleep of the Righteous by Wolfgang Hilbig, tr. Isabel Fargo Cole
This week’s review can be found over at The Rumpus. Soundcheck: Tales from the Balkan Conflict is a book of short stories by Galician author & journalist Miguel-Anxo Murado, translated by Carys Evans-Corrales. This War of Mine is a computer survival game based on the Siege of Sarajevo. Each compliments the other – forcing readers (and players) to re-evaluate the way we think about war. Arguably in … Continue reading The Bosnian War – In Short Stories & A Computer Game
Title: The Pope’s Daughter Author: Dario Fo Translator: Antony Shugaar Publisher: Europa Editions, New York (2015) ISBN: 978 1 60945 274 2 Dario Fo – playwright, comedian, Nobel Laureate – is an admirer of the 16th century form of street theater known as commedia dell’arte. These roving theatrical troupes employed masks, improvisation, wordplay and slapstick comedy to entertain the masses. The actors and actresses performed broad … Continue reading The Pope’s Daughter by Dario Fo (Antony Shugaar, translator)
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