🦋 An Object, Almost
 So I started reading one of Saramago's early works in Spanish translation, because I believe it is not available in English*: Objecto Quase (1978) was translated by Eduardo Naval in 1983 as Casi un objeto (online as PDF at www.inabima.org). It is 6 longish short stories told in Saramago's magnificent, inimitable voice -- the same voice we see in Blindness 20 years later, the same voice we see in The Elephant's Journey 30 years later, and I'm surprised to see it so fully developed this far back, ten years before his breakthrough with Balthazar and Blimunda in 1987.
I have started working on an experimental translation of the third story, "Ebb-tide" -- possibly this is hubristic, I can't imagine the Saramago foundation giving me permission to publish it... but I can dream. Even if it goes unpublished, it is a great exercise in understanding his voice. It seems (most of it, so far) almost ridiculously easy to render nicely in English, makes me wonder if I'm missing something... There are to be sure a few passages where I am having trouble figuring out the meaning, but these are distinctly in the minority.
 *English Wikipædia has a stub page for it titled "Quasi Object" but there is no information about translator or publication, it seems like somebody just ran the Portuguese title through a mechanical translator. The page does contain the tasty information that a film adaptation of the second story, "Embargo", was released this year in Portugal. If I'm understanding Wikipædia's layout correctly, Saramago has a number of works of fiction, of poetry and of memoir which have not yet been translated, and I find this a bit surprising.
posted afternoon of Saturday, October 9th, 2010
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Almost a couple of years ago I wrote a short review of this book. Style-wise it's a mixed affair, with some works clearly showing his future style, while others with a more classic format, but very enjoyable as a whole.
¿Ebb-tide is Reflujo? It's some sort of a Death with interruptions but the other way around!
My review: http://jorgelopez.cl/2008/11/13/jose-saramago-casi-un-objeto/
BTW, have you read any Vargas Llosa yet? if you haven't you should go for his early works, as his later stuff can be a bit of a mixed bag. Conversación en la Catedral is a truly challenging masterpiece!
posted afternoon of October 9th, 2010 by Jorge López
I've only read (I believe) The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta, which I don't remember at all -- I must have read that in 1999 or so. I was leaning toward reading Death in the Andes soon, but I'm also very interested in La ciudad y los perros and The War at the End of the World. I had heard Conversation in the Cathedral is very difficult reading, maybe I will put that on the list for after I've read a few of his others.
Yes, Ebb-tide is my working title for "Reflujo" -- it's a lot of fun, I hadn't thought of the comparison to Death with Interruptions. Thanks, I'll check out your review.
posted afternoon of October 9th, 2010 by Jeremy
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