Friday, December 31, 2004
On Gratitude
Three New Pieces into Hungarian. Thanks to Andi here they are.
Slowly and with much caring attention, this project is growing, in-between our so many responsibilities. I'm so grateful to all of you, my dear beloved friends: to Andi and Natalia and Mehdi, Vladi and Victor and Helen and Armand - your noble attention fills me with gratitude.
I wish you, and the world at large, a much more improved 2005.
May those sad last accords of 2004 inspire in our political leaders a bit of selfless humility.
Let us remind them frequently how much such a change of hearts is desired.
How do you say "Happy New Year!" in all those languages?
Friday, December 17, 2004
A Great Apology (and thanks) to Mehdi
Here is the story:
A few days ago Mehdi had sent me, in rightfully great excitement, a link to the Iranian paper "Shargh" , which has just published a huge article on Elfriede Jelinek - and suggested I pass the information to her.
While I did so, I was ignorant enough to assume the Iranian paper will alert Elfriede and told Mehdi how sure I am they would contact her.
Today Elfriede responded in amazed thanks:
"Dear Corinna, this IS interesting what you send my from Iran! One of the feminist front-states. Thanks!"
Of course the thanks belong to Mehdi. If I understand correct Farsi... It seems to me from the photos that the article was put together from foreign media news and interviews.
Mehdi, please kindly tell us in a new post here, some more about Shargh, the journalist, the article itself and the special Iranian comments the journalist had inserted in the article.
Cheers!
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Sunday, December 12, 2004
"A Woman and Her Seven Sons"
1.
While reading Italo Calvino's Italian Folktales, I noticed all of a sudden the heaps of good measures those folktales bestow upon women.
Truth is... read on...
Friday, December 10, 2004
Do You Love Folktales, or Feminism?
1.
I was telling Natalia that these nights I'm trying to go to bed by 11:30 PM.
"Can you really fall asleep that early?"
The truth is that I must first read, and I read until my eyelids close - which usually happens before the book itself closes.
Lately, I've been reading Italo Calvino's huge collection, or selection, of Italian Folktales. I've bought this book two years ago in Oxford, England where, quite ironically, I went to talk to a conference on Russian Women Writers on my "Noffey Haneffesh" (Once She Was A Child).
I love folktales and buy them as much as I can afford to seize those treasures.
I'm thinking now that actually, since my childhood was cut short by WW2, the return to folktales is for me also a way to revive it.
2.
When you read a collection, you can better discern patterns.
The female, be her a princess or a "beautiful maiden" is passive, almost an object. She is taken or given to the daring guy, put in a cellar or in a tower. Her only way to dissent is to announce a competition in a seemingly impossible task, but do not worry, in the end she is won over and they live happily forever.
Her best qualities are complete silence, modesty (she won't be seen at a window), obedience, patience, and excellent embroidery craft.
Hence every little girl is told, "How beautiful! Like a princess! Where is your prince?"
While each boy is taught his role, her role.
3.
It's the Hanukkah vacation.
My 11 years old granddaughter came to visit. We were exchanging folktales like in a game of cards, and in all of them we found the same threads.
Are those patterns characteristic of Italian heritage alone?
Friday, December 03, 2004
Thanks to Victor, who led us to this distinguished literary Russian site, thanks to Vladi whose translation paved the way - thanks to Chief Editor, Ms. Valeria Shishkina - we are now entering the literary Russian stage:
"Thank you very much for introducing me to your literary work. The reading
was rewarding in many respects, and what is also important - it is
consistent with the aesthetics and style of Topos. I appreciate the fact it
was translated into Russian."
L'hayim! To Life!
"Thank you very much for introducing me to your literary work. The reading
was rewarding in many respects, and what is also important - it is
consistent with the aesthetics and style of Topos. I appreciate the fact it
was translated into Russian."
L'hayim! To Life!