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booksbythewindow's review
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
For Full Review: Translating Libya – Books by the Window (wordpress.com)
Summary: Chorin has divided this book up into three sections: the first and third of which are about the Libyan cultural context and the analysis that can be made from the stories. These two sections are more of a collection of essays, particularly the third section which draws some interpretation out of the stories on subjects such as migration, women, and minorities. The middle section, then, is where the short stories themselves are found. These, again, have been divided into three by their geographical region: East, South, and West. Each story is accompanied by a short section about the particular setting and occasionally some thoughts on the ease or difficulty with which the story was tracked down and permission given to translate.
Overall Thoughts: The short stories included were by far my favourite aspect of this book. I really enjoyed the range of them and the broad view of Libyan culture and landscape that they gave. Although I enjoyed the analysis of the stories found in Part 3 of Translating Libya, I struggled with the sections that Chorin had written between each story in Part 2. It was interesting to hear how he had come across each story and got permission to translate them, but often it felt more like an interruption to the stories than anything else. Despite this, Translating Libya was a good introduction to Libyan short stories. For those interested in a more academic way in literature from around the world, this would be a helpful introduction to it and I would definitely recommend it for that purpose.
Summary: Chorin has divided this book up into three sections: the first and third of which are about the Libyan cultural context and the analysis that can be made from the stories. These two sections are more of a collection of essays, particularly the third section which draws some interpretation out of the stories on subjects such as migration, women, and minorities. The middle section, then, is where the short stories themselves are found. These, again, have been divided into three by their geographical region: East, South, and West. Each story is accompanied by a short section about the particular setting and occasionally some thoughts on the ease or difficulty with which the story was tracked down and permission given to translate.
Overall Thoughts: The short stories included were by far my favourite aspect of this book. I really enjoyed the range of them and the broad view of Libyan culture and landscape that they gave. Although I enjoyed the analysis of the stories found in Part 3 of Translating Libya, I struggled with the sections that Chorin had written between each story in Part 2. It was interesting to hear how he had come across each story and got permission to translate them, but often it felt more like an interruption to the stories than anything else. Despite this, Translating Libya was a good introduction to Libyan short stories. For those interested in a more academic way in literature from around the world, this would be a helpful introduction to it and I would definitely recommend it for that purpose.
lucyreading's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
This is a great introduction to a wide variety of Libyan writing (though more women would have been good, as always). I was a bit cynical about the vokume as Chorin is American and I wondered if that woukd give the book a particular slant, or whether he' d be sensitive to the past. That said, it appeared to me that this book was born very much out of a love for Libya and an exasperation that its literature was so inaccessible to English speakers. I like that kind of attitude. I'd love to hear what Libyan people think of it though!
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