Category: Reading

  • Resale Re-inscription (dedicatoria)

    At the used bookstore the other day, waiting for the staff to pick over my only moderately delectable sack of we-don’t-want-them-anymore tomes, I wandered through the aisles reading novel blurbs and tidbits and first pages, sampling sections I often skip–browsing, like a deer in a tulip bed. In one of those sections, I pulled off […]

  • What I’m Reading (February)

     La Siberia, Cristina Siscar (a novella–that of the title–and stories). I found this collection in my search to read more about Patagonia. These are stories about travelers in Patagonia, Amsterdam, Valparaiso, locals and foreigners adrift or stranded, sometimes physically, sometimes in memory. There are some wonderful translation moments embedded in the stories, and rich, perplexing […]

  • What I’m reading (January)

    La Virgen Cabeza, by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara (what a great name, no?). One of the writers who leapt to mind for her when I asked Angélica Gorodsicher last October, “who else should I read?” A striking, unexpected voice, just enough left unexplained, left for the reader to assemble. Fast moving, abrasive yet sympathetic. And having […]

  • Summer Reading (I)

     Not stacked in order. But summer’s just started, so I’ve just started reading. First Tumba de jaguares. This is my next translation, so this is a re-read. Here are the first two sentences: “Soñé que estaba en el cielo. No en El Cielo paraíso de almas bienaventuradas sino en el cielo, ese ¿élitro? azul celeste que oficialmente nos cubre, tanto para religiones […]

  • 5th annual Wine and Words–with a contest!

    This will be the fifth year I’ve helped to organize a Wine and Words tasting at Winter’s Hill Estate. I’ve written here before about the fun of reading aloud, and listening to others. Back in February 2011, no less, with Tasting Notes after our first event. This year’s word flights will include fiction, poetry, translation, and–for […]

  • Lovely present becomes lovely help

    One of my most favorite books in childhood was Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present (Charlotte Zolotow, illus. Maurice Sendak), in which Mr. Rabbit helps the little girl assemble a birthday gift for her mother. One of the book’s refrains (the story is structured around nested repetitions with variation) has been coming back to me lately […]

  • Spotlight on Intralingo (& other summer inspirations)

    Translator Lisa Carter has been running a series of Translator Spotlights on her blog, Intralingo. Today, I’m the lucky guest. I hope you’ll visit (http://intralingo.com/?p=2938)–and have a look at some of the other translators who’ve been spotlighted as well!  I’ve benefitted from Lisa’s collegiality and goodwill off line, too, so I’ll take this opportunity to […]

  • Reading in the Summer Workshop

    I was invited to read from Detours at the IPRC on Wednesday night, with other Burnside Review writers, celebrating the publication of Burnside Review 9.1. Great audience, great hosts–thank you, all! Nothing like an appreciative crowd and a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. And I came home ready to make stuff. Make books.   For those who’ve never been there, the […]

  • Novel as How-To (reading to write)

    I’ve been thinking about the physical description of characters–how to work it in gracefully, how much is enough, what might a reader want or need to know. So I was struck by an instance of description in Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior. Now, there are plenty of things to admire in Kingsolver’s writing; I’m just going to […]

  • Wine and Word Celebration at Winter’s Hill Feb. 16

    Counting down. . .  Tomorrow is the the third annual Wine and Word Celebration at Winter’s Hill Vineyard.  The tasting room is open 11-5; we’ll have readings and word tastings on the hour, starting at noon. Pinot noir and Pinot gris from Winter’s Hill, paired with poetry, science fiction, baseball, watershed restoration, dramatic monologue, translation, more wine. […]