阅读中:土耳其作家纳迪姆·居尔塞尔的《魔鬼、天使与共产党员》

伊斯坦布尔法国领事馆的图书馆对外开放,我几乎每几天在那儿复习土语、搞文学翻译、做白日梦。地方不大,但采购书的负责人很有品位。我最近借到了获得了 2013 年法国地中海奖(Prix Méditerranée)的外国作品奖,《L’ange rouge》。原文是土耳其语的 《Şeytan, Melek ve Komünist》。据我所知,本书至今没有中文版。 作为不愿意讨好官方的土耳其作家, Nedim Gürsel (纳迪姆·居尔塞尔)的经历是比较典型的:两次被告,部分作品 -- 《A Summer without End》和 《The First Woman》-- 有段时间被禁,后来他定居海外,在法国的大学教当代土耳其文学。80 年代被控诽谤当时掌权的军队;第二次是他 2008 发表的小说 《Daughters of Allah》被认为是亵渎宗教。不过,两次都没判有罪。 《L’ange rouge》围绕着二十世纪土耳其著名诗人 Nazım Hikmet (纳奇姆·希克梅特) 流亡东德和苏联的故事,涉及到伊斯坦布尔、柏林与莫斯科。虽是虚构的小说,但 Hikmet 确实是左派人士,1963 年在莫斯科病故。  

土耳其文学翻译基金会项目:保加利亚语版本比中文多九倍?

土耳其官方在文学作品 “输出”正在学日本颇成功的老路。文化与旅游部下的 “土耳其文学翻译基金会” (TEDA) 至今一共资助 了 1,132 本土耳其语书的外译与出版。 目标语言的选择有时很微妙。五分之一是译成德文的,但这无可厚非,因为六十年代以来到德国工作之后流下来定居已经有三百多万土耳其人及其后代。部分这些青年甚至读不懂土语,必须通过德文才能接触土耳其文学。 排在第二位是保加利亚语,一共 194 本。保加利亚曾经是奥斯曼帝国的领土,如今人口七百万,等于上海人口的一半。 那么,得到翻译与出版资助的中文版本有多少呢?21 本,即保加利亚语版本的九分之一左右。不过,比中文版的数目更少的也有,包括荷兰文 (20)、西班牙语(20)和日文(5)等。(点击见原表)

Elif Şafak: Ballot-box Victory Is Not a License to Criminalize Criticism

Best-selling Turkish novelist Elif Şafak talks to Ceyda Nurtsch at Qantara.de about everything from the ill health of Turkey's democracy to when she prefers writing in Turkish vs. in English (Lack of Democratic Culture in Turkey):  Ceyda Nurtsch: You were one of the writers who signed a petition against the recent Twitter ban in Turkey. In … Continue reading Elif Şafak: Ballot-box Victory Is Not a License to Criminalize Criticism

Chinese Authors in Turkish: Obligatory Pretty Face, Nobel Stamp of Approval

Since I arrived in Turkey in mid-June 2013 and resided in Ankara, Antalya and now Istanbul, I’ve seen 3—yes, 3—contemporary novels by Chinese authors in Turkish translation on bookstore shelves. Mind you, 2 of them I saw just a few weeks ago . . . and I go book-shopping at least once a week. They … Continue reading Chinese Authors in Turkish: Obligatory Pretty Face, Nobel Stamp of Approval

Elif Şafak’s New Novel: A Great Ottoman Architect, An Elephant and His Keeper

Dec 7 2014 update: Review of The Architect's Apprentice The author of eight novels including the best-selling and controversial Bastard of Istanbul, Elif Şafak, has just launched her ninth—Ustam ve Ben—in Turkish. The title literally means “My Master and I.” Curiously, though she wrote it in English, according to Sunday’s Zaman (Homage to Mimar Sinan) … Continue reading Elif Şafak’s New Novel: A Great Ottoman Architect, An Elephant and His Keeper

Jangar Culture & Arts Palace Opens in Xinjiang

(Posted: April 24, 2014) With the recent opening of the “Jangar Culture & Arts Palace” (江格尔文化艺术宫), China’s campaign to project itself as a nation with a rich multi-ethnic past and present continues apace.  According to a report republished on the web site of the China Writers Association (建成投用), the building covers over 6,000 square meters … Continue reading Jangar Culture & Arts Palace Opens in Xinjiang

Wang Gang’s “Ingilizce” : Intriguing look at the Cultural Revolution for Turkish Readers

As China’s fiction “exports” pick up, it will be interesting to watch which novels and themes win an Exit Permit to foreign lands, and how they are received there. Take Wang Gang’s 《英格力士》, for instance.  This semi-autobiographical novel set in Xinjiang during the Cultural Revolution was snapped up by Penguin, and rendered in English by … Continue reading Wang Gang’s “Ingilizce” : Intriguing look at the Cultural Revolution for Turkish Readers

Time to Open up the Orhan Pamuk/Mo Yan Monopoly to Competition?

At his press conference yesterday in Istanbul after a five-day stay in the city, Mo Yan called for the governments of China and Turkey to actively promote literary translation. “I could have [the] chance to read only the books of Orhan Pamuk as he was the only Turkish writer whose books have been translated into … Continue reading Time to Open up the Orhan Pamuk/Mo Yan Monopoly to Competition?

Excerpt: Uyghur Writer Alat Asem’s “Sidik Golden MobOff”

Here's an excerpt from my translation of Sidik Golden MobOff (《斯迪克金子关机》) by the bilingual Uyghur author, Alat Asem (阿拉提 · 阿斯木), that is published in full in Issue 14 of Chutzpah!: IN A WORLD of snow and ice, buses began to budge and Muslims began to discuss Sidik Golden MobOff in hushed tones. One comment reached … Continue reading Excerpt: Uyghur Writer Alat Asem’s “Sidik Golden MobOff”

“Manba Rasang” (满巴扎仓): Secret Mongolian Pharmacopoeia, Manchu Villains and a Stubborn Translator

The editor wanted to title the nouvella The Mongolian Pharmacist (蒙古药师), but Mongolian-to-Mandarin translator Hasen (哈森) resisted. After all, she argued, the setting for this new thriller was Manba Rasang Temple in 19th century Ordos. It served as a center for studies of ancient traditional medicine and treatment, and was frequented by Mongols, Tibetans, Manchus … Continue reading “Manba Rasang” (满巴扎仓): Secret Mongolian Pharmacopoeia, Manchu Villains and a Stubborn Translator