tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1246220242273461143.post5451733197734880717..comments2024-03-29T00:47:12.051+00:00Comments on Biblibio: Translations, cultural ubiquity and Anglo-American superiority - a rantMeytal Radzinskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15805413335735169073noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1246220242273461143.post-90751595432383289132011-07-08T03:39:19.316+01:002011-07-08T03:39:19.316+01:00Thanks so much for translating the article.
I m...Thanks so much for translating the article. <br /><br />I may be setting myself up for some angry comments, but I believe you may be being a bit too hard on Stein. I think what he was speaking to was the ubiquitous nature of American (and British) pop-culture. For better or worse - we're excellent at advertising. And while the Dutch comparison is extreme, because of all the Hollywood/movie tie-ins names like Harry Potter (British, but Anglo), Stephen King, Charlaine Harris, etc. are probably more pervasive internationally. Now whether or not you (or I) agree with his comment is another matter, but I don't believe it is completely invalid.<br /><br />What I do agree with is that he is trying to excuse the inexcusable - and avoid the bigger question. The U.S. doesn't publish enough translations. And those that are published are nowhere near as well marketed as their American & British counterparts. I believe the publishing industry is partly at fault - creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. The success of authors like Larsson, Bolaño, Márquez, Coetzee, etc. prove that there is a readership for translations in this country - if those books are brought to the public's attention. (Personally, I've never met anyone who put down a book because it didn't have a "Made in America" label). <br /><br />By the way, I've become completely addicted to 3% as well! Have you listened to their podcast?BookSexy Reviewhttp://booksexyreview.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1246220242273461143.post-59586819705818270002011-07-07T12:46:11.730+01:002011-07-07T12:46:11.730+01:00I believe that the reason why American books are t...I believe that the reason why American books are translated is because most of them are highly commercial, appealing to most readers from all over the world. Many of these books have the beautiful girl, the handsome dark-eyed man and the inevitable happily ever after. If a book as these characteristics it won't make the reader step outside his comfort zone, making the book highly profitable.<br />The truth is that many of the good literary fiction from all around the world aren’t translated because not every reader is able to read that kind of book, making it less profitable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1246220242273461143.post-75592656174711920752011-07-04T08:33:51.677+01:002011-07-04T08:33:51.677+01:00Thank you for translating this for us. The problem...Thank you for translating this for us. The problem is that he doesn't seem to be really answering the questions - just skirting round the issue. I think the problem here in the UK (and probably the US too) is that we have no exposure to translated fiction as children. I had no idea how good it could be until I stumbled across it as an adult. I think that people are interested in issues from around the world, but most people need to be educated about the fact it actually exists.Jackie (Farm Lane Books)http://www.farmlanebooks.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1246220242273461143.post-51815661419294533292011-07-04T04:25:11.741+01:002011-07-04T04:25:11.741+01:00it sort of makes some sense to me. the bottom line...it sort of makes some sense to me. the bottom line of course is numbers, but i think he may be on to something with respect to WHY American readers tend to be relatively uninterested in foreign literature.Marie Cloutierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14938166831865436287noreply@blogger.com