The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Albert Sánchez Piñol's historical novel of The Fall of Barcelona (in 1714, during the War of the Succession), Victus -- a book that came out in English a couple of weeks ago and has gotten astonishingly limited coverage.
Interestingly, Catalan-author Sánchez Piñol did not write this, like his earlier work, in Catalan, but rather in Spanish. Interestingly, too, it has proven to be a somewhat controversial book -- given all the Catalan secessionist rumblings, many Spaniards don't seem to be too thrilled about how Sánchez Piñol presents this particular bit of history (and the Spanish ...). The controversy has been stirred up further by things like -- as the Catalan News Agency see it -- Spanish Embassy in The Netherlands censors presentation of novel on 1714 Barcelona's siege.
A greater cause for scandal than Sánchez Piñol's portrait of the Spanish is US publisher Harper's not giving the translation copyright to translators Daniel Hahn and Thomas Bunstead; instead, it's simply: "Copyright © 2014 by HarperCollins Publishers".
I can't believe how often I am seeing this outrageous (mis)appropriation of what should be a translator's fundamental contractual and legal (and moral) right; it shouldn't even be up for negotiation or debate.
Interestingly, Catalan-author Sánchez Piñol did not write this, like his earlier work, in Catalan, but rather in Spanish. Interestingly, too, it has proven to be a somewhat controversial book -- given all the Catalan secessionist rumblings, many Spaniards don't seem to be too thrilled about how Sánchez Piñol presents this particular bit of history (and the Spanish ...). The controversy has been stirred up further by things like -- as the Catalan News Agency see it -- Spanish Embassy in The Netherlands censors presentation of novel on 1714 Barcelona's siege.
A greater cause for scandal than Sánchez Piñol's portrait of the Spanish is US publisher Harper's not giving the translation copyright to translators Daniel Hahn and Thomas Bunstead; instead, it's simply: "Copyright © 2014 by HarperCollins Publishers".
I can't believe how often I am seeing this outrageous (mis)appropriation of what should be a translator's fundamental contractual and legal (and moral) right; it shouldn't even be up for negotiation or debate.