War & Peace 1
Another reason to read this blog (like you need one). This is a Dan exclusive. I am breaking ground and it is only in the blogsphere.
When the new translation of Proust was just coming out, the reviewer at the economist asked why we needed a new translation of Things Past when we already have a classic and still highly readable version in the revised ScottMontcrief version. The only answer was, for those who love Proust just one edition is never enough.
Well, I have never read Proust, but I have read Tolstoy's War and Peace, and I am anxiously waiting for the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of it to come out, due some time in 2007. But there is news on this front now. It looks like Penguin has beat them to the punch. I imagine that Penguin was afraid that their sales where going to drop when the Pevear and Volokhonsky version comes out, so they had Anthony Briggs do a new one for them.
What does this have to do with anything? Well, this new translation only came out a few weeks ago, and so far it is only out in the UK. What I will do is give you poor saps stuck in America with your Garnett and Maude translations a day by day review of the new version. Ok, maybe not day by day but as often as I so choose. This should be a project that I'll be working on for a good long time (this version is 1358 pages, and I do have a bunch of graduate classes to study for).
Then, you can sound snotty at all those artsy parties you go to. You can say, "well yes I could see why you think that of Prince Andrew, but that is only because you have not read the Briggs yet" and you'll be implying that you have. Which, of course, you have not because you are stuck in America like the sap you are.
Here is the what I have to say about the book so far. Its a good readable type, and a good hand sized hard back. This is essential for any book, because if it wont fit in your hand it will be a miserable read. So far I have only read the afterward's defense for a new translation. It is interesting to note that this is the first translation of War and Peace to be done only by a man. It probably will have no effect on anything but it iskind of strange (also the two translations that are collaborations are husband and wife teams, the Maudes and Pevear and Volokhonsky).
Now to the book.
When the new translation of Proust was just coming out, the reviewer at the economist asked why we needed a new translation of Things Past when we already have a classic and still highly readable version in the revised ScottMontcrief version. The only answer was, for those who love Proust just one edition is never enough.
Well, I have never read Proust, but I have read Tolstoy's War and Peace, and I am anxiously waiting for the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of it to come out, due some time in 2007. But there is news on this front now. It looks like Penguin has beat them to the punch. I imagine that Penguin was afraid that their sales where going to drop when the Pevear and Volokhonsky version comes out, so they had Anthony Briggs do a new one for them.
What does this have to do with anything? Well, this new translation only came out a few weeks ago, and so far it is only out in the UK. What I will do is give you poor saps stuck in America with your Garnett and Maude translations a day by day review of the new version. Ok, maybe not day by day but as often as I so choose. This should be a project that I'll be working on for a good long time (this version is 1358 pages, and I do have a bunch of graduate classes to study for).
Then, you can sound snotty at all those artsy parties you go to. You can say, "well yes I could see why you think that of Prince Andrew, but that is only because you have not read the Briggs yet" and you'll be implying that you have. Which, of course, you have not because you are stuck in America like the sap you are.
Here is the what I have to say about the book so far. Its a good readable type, and a good hand sized hard back. This is essential for any book, because if it wont fit in your hand it will be a miserable read. So far I have only read the afterward's defense for a new translation. It is interesting to note that this is the first translation of War and Peace to be done only by a man. It probably will have no effect on anything but it iskind of strange (also the two translations that are collaborations are husband and wife teams, the Maudes and Pevear and Volokhonsky).
Now to the book.
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