Last night I had the pleasure of attending two events. First,
Natasha Wimmer, famed translator of
Roberto Bolaño, spoke in conversation with
The Nation's literary editor John Palattella at
McNally Jackson. Afterwards, we walked over to Crosby street for "I like your glasses too", a singles mixer for book lovers at
Housing Works Bookstore. One of my game companions remarked that the two events had nothing in common, and thinking back on the evening, sweet, peace-loving Elka DePierre does politely, if firmly, disagree. Because what is translation really, but a relationship between two writers? It is a kind of soul connection, much like the one the imbibing love-lost were seeking down the street.
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| Natasha Wimmer |
Think of the relationship between the author and translator, it borders on the sadomasochistic, doesn't it? The author dominates with his enormous genius, his powerful deadness, his reputation. He works for himself, for the cause of his own voice. The translator, however, must protect his words, using her equally masterful, if quieter gifts to tend lovingly to his sentences, supplicant to his giant, commanding intention. Last night's speakers, since they were there to promote Wimmer's fifth Bolaño translation, a book of essays called
Between Parentheses, conversed mostly about the author's life and opinions. And there was nothing school-girlish or twittery about the way Ms. Wimmer relayed her expertise, she had the poise and sanguinity befitting her reputation. (For more on that conversation, check out the writeup on
Bookstalker)
But still, and maybe it is my own romanticism, or maybe I've been spending too much time with lit slut
Tropica Cancer, but I couldn't help but think of Ms. Wimmer's intimacy with Bolaño, not as an academic's with her subject, but as a woman's with a beloved.
Then we headed to Housing Works, where people engaged in a more traditional manner of courtship...
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| This is Larry Hartsell. He came to see Natasha Wimmer because of his affection for her previous translation, 2666. "I like big books," he said. |
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| Sexy librarians and co-wingwomen, Kate and Stephanie. |
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| Dan Wilbur, the brains behind www.betterbooktitles.com entertained us with some comedy. I asked if he had advice for how to pick up women at an event like this. He responded, "Be on the show." (He also wants his girlfriend to know that he was speaking hypothetically. 'Love you, honey!') |
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| Nathan Lump (left) with Gregory Edwards (right). I asked Nathan if he'd ever picked anyone up at a reading. "Once," he said. Looking for a hairdresser, he approached a young man with an admirable cut. Though the love connection did not last, he stayed loyal to their shared stylist. "Until she quit cutting hair to become a full-time lesbian. And teacher," he sighed. |
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| From left: Therese, Lara and Tropica! I asked these ladies what books they would read in a bar if they wanted to get picked up. The answers: Unbearable Lightness of Being, Borges and Pale King. What say you? |
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A swarm of literary love-seekers
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