Just a quick post today 2014 is coming on us tomorrow and I am actually working overnight which I haven’t done before but hoping for a quiet night and maybe a chance to read a bit .Well what does 2014 hold what resolutions am I doing for the next year ?
1 to review every book read in 2014 with in a week of finishing it ,I hope this will stem overflow of unreviewed books I have
2 read more translations yes I can see you laughing at the back there .Bymyt my actual percentage read in translation dropped from 92% to 90% this year so I will be trying to up that .
3 less new book and some more of my own books .I constantly buy second hand books 95% are old translated titles in a vein effort I’m trying to read century of books from around the world over next couple of years so this will mean using my own tbr pile to fill gaps .
4 better record keeping ,I’m terrible at tracking what I read through a year so will be trying to keep a more accurate record .
5 Fun end day this blog is fun my hobby I want bring the fun back and get the non converted to translated reading converted and fun is the way so yes more crappy film comparison in reviews more football linked post because I want to spread how much pleasure books from around the world can bring every reader !!!
What your ideas for next year ?
Reading resolutions for 2014
31 Dec 2013 32 Comments
in A LIFE IN BOOKS, winston speaks
Stoner ,stoner how many translations could be discovered like stoner
26 Dec 2013 13 Comments
in #translationthurs, A LIFE IN BOOKS, thoughts, TRANSLATIONS Tags: lost classics, lost fiction, Translation
Well unless you’ve been under a rock for last couple of years .you won’t have missed the rise and rise of Stoner a slow climber a writer book it is said ,I enjoyed it but maybe not as much as others the style had the soft spoken style you find in a number of European writers ,this as I start considering a review of stoner , set me thinking of how many stoners are out there either translated and out of print or not even translated ? For me the answer is more than we imagine every year sees a few gems that have been waiting for a publisher to take a dive to translate or a publisher to reissue people like pushkin press , Peirene ,NYRB , Dalkey archive and twisted spoon have in recent years all discover gems Walser ,Zweig , Fallada , Vanderbeke to name a few of many .I’ve been buying and looking at books towards my century of translation project and am amazed what has been translated and fallen out of print .So let’s hope the next stoner is a translation and sets about a wave of rediscovery of lost writers from around the world ?
have you a writer in translation you think should be highlighted ?
Humbooks 2014 my choices for Lisa
25 Dec 2013 9 Comments
in A LIFE IN BOOKS, TRANSLATIONS
Well a very happy Christmas from Winston and I .I am virtual gifting books again this year was so happy when I got an E mail from Lisa saying she would love to be partnered with me this year to swap virtual books around this christmas tree so I have thought long and hard of something different to give Lisa SO here are my choices for Lisa –
Public enemies by Michel Houuellebecq and Bernard Henri-Levy
I have read and not reviewed this book as i want to fully read it twice before reviewing it and think like me it is one Lisa will find a lot in ,the book consists of a series of e-mail exchanged between these two great intellects ,they talk about everything but it is a lot about themselves and the books and ideas they love a unique glimpse into the French mind . Also the Houellebecq section was translated by Frank Wynne .
Khirbet Khizeh by S .Yizhar
I have reviewed this book a few years ago on the blog it is considered a classic of modern Hebrew literature it follow a troop of seven men as they attack a small Palestine village in the Israeli,this is one day in the conflict a short intense shot of the war ,S Yizhar went on to serve in the Israeli government and did also write the epic Days of Ziglag ,which hopefully will reach us in English someday soon and I’m hoping that if Lisa loves this she will join me in reading the 1100 page book that follows seven days in the conflict and is considered the best book of modern Hebrew literature (a question is why we will have to wait over 40 years to read when it comes out in English ?)
Pascal Garnier
My last choice isn’t a single book but a selection of books from the darkly witty late french writer Pascal Garnier .I have reviewed two so far and read the other two available in english .I think Lisa will love his dark humour and the world he describes ,my favourite was A26 a brother and sister fight the oncoming of the modern world as best they can .
Now I will be cheeky and choose two for the host of this event –
For Emma
Encyclopaedia Of Snow by Sarah Emily Miano
I did pick this as my book that needs a wider audience a few years ago on Kim’s reading matters blog .Miano was a student of Sebald at Uea and this was her debut novel it takes the form of a journal that has been found in the snow about snow a collection of piece poems clippings form a great piece of digression fiction in the style of Sebald
For Guy
Raid and the Blackest sheep by Harri Nykanen
For Guy I struggled to find something but then remember I had review a noirish Finnish crime book over a year ago that Guy might enjoy Raid and the blackest sheep follows a criminal that is a hitman but with a moral code and in this book is sorting out some wrongs at the time I compared him to the Saint but he is darker .Also I will do a bonus for guy as I know he loves noir crime and that is to point him in the direction of the podcast down these mean streets ,a podcast I have been following for about seven months that plays old radio detectives .What makes this one stand out is the guy that runs it gives great info on the shows and it also has a killer jazz intro to it .
So once again Thanks to the site Freelang one worth looking at many great piece on translations and will give you free translations
| TRANSLATION | |
| AFRIKAANS | geseënde Kersfees |
| ALBANIAN | gëzuar Krishtlindja |
| ALSATIAN | gleckika Wïanachta |
| ARABIC | ميلاد مجيد (miilaad majiid) |
| ARMENIAN | Shnorhavor Surb tsnund |
| AZERI | Noel bayraminiz mubarak |
| BASQUE | Eguberri on |
| BELARUSIAN | З Божым нараджэннем (Z Bozym naradzenniem) |
| BENGALI | subho baradin |
| BOSNIAN | sretan Božić |
| BRETON | Nedeleg laouen |
| BULGARIAN | весела коледа (vesela koleda) |
| BURMESE | Christmas nay hma mue pyaw pa |
| CATALAN | bon Nadal |
| CH’TI | joïeux Noé |
| CHEROKEE | ulihelisdi danisdayohihvi |
| CHINESE | 圣诞快乐 (shèng dàn kuài lè) |
| CORNISH | Nadelek lowen |
| CORSICAN | bon Natale |
| CROATIAN | sretan Božić |
| CZECH | veselé Vánoce |
| DANISH | glædelig jul |
| DHOLUO | bedgi sikuku maber |
| DUTCH | vrolijk Kerstfeest |
| ENGLISH | merry Christmas |
| ESPERANTO | gojan Kristnaskon |
| ESTONIAN | häid jõule |
| FAROESE | gleðilig jól |
| FILIPINO | Maligayang Pasko |
| FINNISH | hyvää joulua |
| FRENCH | joyeux Noël |
| FRISIAN | noflike Krystdagen |
| FRIULAN | bon nadâl |
| GALICIAN | bo Nadal |
| GEORGIAN | gilocav shoba axal wels |
| GERMAN | frohe Weihnachten / fröhliche Weihnachten |
| GREEK | Καλα Χριστούγεννα (kala christougenna / kala xristougenna) |
| HAITIAN CREOLE | jwaye Nowel |
| HAWAIIAN | mele Kalikimaka |
| HEBREW | חג מולד שמח (hag molad saméa’h) |
| HINDI | Krismas ki subhkamna |
| HUNGARIAN | boldog karácsonyt |
| ICELANDIC | gleðileg jól |
| IGBO | annuri Ekeresimesi |
| ILOCANO | naragsak a paskua |
| INDONESIAN | selamat Natal |
| IRISH GAELIC | Nollaig shona |
| ITALIAN | buon Natale |
| JAVANESE | sugeng Natal |
| JAPANESE | merii kurisumasu |
| KABYLIAN | tameghra tameggazt |
| KHMER | រីករាយបុណ្យណូអ៊ែល (rik reay bon Noel) |
| KINYARWANDA | Noheli nziza |
| KIRUNDI | Noheli nziza |
| KOREAN | 메리크리스마스 |
| KURDISH | Noela we pîroz be |
| LAO | souksan van Christmas |
| LATIN | felix dies Nativitatis |
| LATVIAN | priecīgus Ziemassvētkus |
| LIANGMAI | mathabou Christmas |
| LIGURIAN | bón dênâ / bón natâle |
| LITHUANIAN | su Kalėdomis / linksmų Kalėdų |
| LOW SAXON | vrolik Kersfees |
| LUXEMBOURGEOIS | schéi Chrëschtdeeg |
| MACEDONIAN | среќен Божиќ (srećen Božić, formal) / Христос се роди (Hristos se rodi, informal) / Навистина се роди (Navistina se rodi, as a reply to the informal greeting) |
| MALAGASY | tratry ny Krismasy / arahabaina tratry ny Krismasy / arahaba tratry ny Krismasy |
| MALAY | selamat hari natal |
| MALAYALAM | Christmas ashamshagal |
| MALTESE | il-milied it-tajjeb / milied hieni |
| MANX | Nollick ghennal |
| MAORI | meri Kirihimete |
| MIZO | Krismas chibai |
| MONÉGASQUE | bon Natale |
| MONGOLIAN | zul sariin bayariin mend hurgie |
| NORMAN | jostous Noué |
| NORMAN (JÈRRIAIS) | bouan Noué |
| NORWEGIAN | god jul |
| OCCITAN | bon Nadal |
| OROMO | baga ayyaana dhaloota Kiristoos isin ga’e |
| PAPIAMENTU | bon pasku |
| PERSIAN | کریسمس مبارک (Christmas mobaarak) |
| POLISH | wesołych świąt bożego Narodzenia |
| PORTUGUESE | feliz Natal |
| ROMANI | baxtalo Krečuno |
| ROMANIAN | un Crăciun fericit |
| RUKIGA | Noheiri nungi / webale Noheiri |
| RUSSIAN | с Рождеством Христовым (S rozhdestvom Khristovym) |
| SAMOAN | ia manuia le Kerisimasi |
| SARDINIAN | bona pasca’e Nadale (logudorese) / bona paschixedda (campidanese) |
| SCOTTISH GAELIC | Nollaig chridheil |
| SERBIAN | Христос се роди (Hristos se rodi) |
| SHONA | Krisimas yakanaka |
| SILESIAN | Radosnych godów |
| SINDHI | Chrismas joon wadhayoon |
| SINHALESE | suba nattalak wewa |
| SLOVAK | vesele vianoce |
| SLOVENIAN | vesel božič / vesele božične praznike |
| SOBOTA | dobro dedek |
| SPANISH | feliz Navidad |
| SRANAN | switi Krisneti |
| SWAHILI | heri la Krismasi |
| SWEDISH | God Jul |
| TAGALOG | Maligayang Pasko |
| TAHITIAN | ‘ia ‘oa’oa e teie Noera |
| TAMIL | கிறிஸ்மஸ் தின நல் வாழ்த்துக்கள் (Krismas dina nal vaagethoukkal) |
| TELUGU | Krismas shubhakankshalu |
| THAI | สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาส (souksaan wan Christmas) |
| TONGAN | mele Kilisimasi |
| TSWANA (SETSWANA) | Keresemose sentle |
| TURKISH | Noeliniz kutlu olsun |
| UDMURT | Shuldyr Ymuśton |
| UKRAINIAN | З Різдвом Христовим (Z Rizdvom Khrystovym) / Щасливого Різдва Христового (ʃtʃaslyvogo rizdva Hrystovogo) |
| VIETNAMESE | Mừng Chúa Giáng Sinh |
| WALOON (“betchfessîs” spelling) | djoyeus Noyé |
| WELSH | Nadolig llawen |
| WEST INDIAN CREOLE | jénwèl |
| YIDDISH | אַ גוטע ניטל (a gute nitl) |
| YORUBA | e kun odun Keresimesi |
| ZULU | UKhisimusi omuhl |
a couple of great christmas songs and a bonus story
24 Dec 2013 12 Comments
in MEME, MUSIC Tags: 2013, music, musings
Well I am having a rather quiet ,uneventful christmas this year we coming of a bad year and decide to hold back and go big in 2014 on our christmas then .But I must admit Christmas does always bring me to a few of my favourite christmas songs the first is obvious as it was recently voted the nation favourite christmas song and also is in the single charts for the umpteenth year (always tickles me with Shane McGowan birthday falling on Christmas day ,he must make a tidy sum year on year from this classic ) The song is a story of a couples american dream falling apart around christmas and for me it’s as much about being in love and yes your dreams fail at times but you have each other and have your memories to fall back on .
The second song was from a few year ago and it was from the Bob Dylan christmas album it turns out after listening to the theme time radio hour Bob did on christmas he is a fan of christmas he even told every one on that show how he made his figgy pudding ,I ‘m sure this theme time show is online somewhere but couldn’t find it this evening .The song is called “it must be santa ” is also actually is rather Irish in its tune as well, has a feel of a reel as the song winds up and seems to speed up just as a reel does when it is played .The video was fun for this ,wouldn’t we all love bob at our Xmas party?
Now I promised you a story ,I do think in some ways literature is the poor relation of christmas ,I know there are a number of christmas stories but it isn’t as big in novels as it is for singer and filmmakers both of whom seem to draw inspiration from the festive period more than writers .But one writer that did try a different take on the Christmas story is Paul Auster with his long short story Auggie wrens Christmas here it is read on a npr show from 2004 , by the writer himself .The story also form part of a film that Auster made with Wayne Wang an interlocking series of stories all connect with Auggie wren and his tobacconists ,if you haven’t watched it do as it has two great lead roles from Harvey Keitel and William hurt ,also a Forrest Whitaker tour de force as a father discovering his son for the first time .
Have you a favourite Christmas story or song ?
Happy christmas from Winston and I to you all ,I will be back with my Humbook choices tomorrow .
What is your blogging routine ?
23 Dec 2013 53 Comments
in questions, thoughts, winston speaks Tags: blog routine, blogging questions

Hello all today I’m asking a question of you my fellow bloggers writers and that is what is your blogging routine ? I feel this last year I’ve lost a rhythm I once had and just can’t find it ,with 2014 looming large in the background it is the perfect time to push on and try and improve my posting and writing routine .My question is what time do you write , how many post do you do at a time I.E do you do all your post once a week then just comment through the week or daily .I didn’t go to college etc which may have help me work a way to build a routine as I want to move winstonsdad to the next level of being a constant blog that post regularly and keeps up with the amount of books I read which I have struggled with for the last two years .Any advice will be gratefully received many thanks for following my blog and may I note this is the 800th post on winstonsdad







