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saareman 's review for:
Pietr the Latvian
by Georges Simenon
Should it have been Peeter the Estonian?
Review of the Penguin Classics paperback (2013) of a new translation by [a:David Bellos|15926|David Bellos|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1311694554p2/15926.jpg] from the French language original [b:Pietr-le-Letton|2260534|Pietr-le-Letton|Georges Simenon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500974252l/2260534._SY75_.jpg|135636] (Serialized 1930/Published 1931)
Although Chief Inspector Maigret's chase during Pietr the Latvian regularly refers to the title suspect as the leader of an international criminal "Latvian gang", the character himself is gradually revealed to be of Estonian origin. This is likely a minor issue for most readers, but since I'm of Estonian heritage it was a source of extra interest to me.
This 1st Maigret investigation is full of regular twists and cliffhanger chapter endings, probably characteristic of its serialized origins. Maigret himself is constantly frustrated and is even shockingly wounded during the hunt. He persists in cornering his quarry which produces yet another final surprising twist.
The details about the Korp! Ugala university student fraternity in Tartu, Estonia were particularly interesting to read and made me wonder where Simenon came across this sort of information.
Original photograph by Harry Gruyaert, used as a cropped image for the cover of the new Penguin Classics edition of "Pietr the Latvian." Image sourced from Magnum Photos.
I've now read several of the early Maigret novellas in the past few weeks and they continue to impress with how different they are not only from each other but also from other "Golden Age of Crime" novels of that interwar era. What is even more impressive is that the first dozen were all published in 1931 as if he wrote one every month. Perhaps it is not that surprising from an author who wrote over 500 books in his lifetime, but it still an eyeopener.
In an exception to the other books in the series, this is Maigret #1 in the both the Penguin Classics series of new translations (2013-2019) of the Inspector Maigret novels and short stories, and also Maigret #1 in the previous standard Maigret Series Listopia as listed on Goodreads.
Trivia and Links
* Name redacted in order to conceal a key plot twist.
Pietr the Latvian, under its original French title Pietr-le-Letton, was adapted for French television in 1972, as part of the TV series Les enquêtes du commissaire Maigret (The Investigations of Commissioner Maigret) (1967-1990) with Jean Richard as Inspector Maigret.
There is an article about the Penguin Classics re-translations of the Inspector Maigret novels at Maigret, the Enduring Appeal of the Parisian Sleuth by Paddy Kehoe, RTE, August 17, 2019.
Review of the Penguin Classics paperback (2013) of a new translation by [a:David Bellos|15926|David Bellos|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1311694554p2/15926.jpg] from the French language original [b:Pietr-le-Letton|2260534|Pietr-le-Letton|Georges Simenon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500974252l/2260534._SY75_.jpg|135636] (Serialized 1930/Published 1931)
Although Chief Inspector Maigret's chase during Pietr the Latvian regularly refers to the title suspect as the leader of an international criminal "Latvian gang", the character himself is gradually revealed to be of Estonian origin. This is likely a minor issue for most readers, but since I'm of Estonian heritage it was a source of extra interest to me.
This 1st Maigret investigation is full of regular twists and cliffhanger chapter endings, probably characteristic of its serialized origins. Maigret himself is constantly frustrated and is even shockingly wounded during the hunt. He persists in cornering his quarry which produces yet another final surprising twist.
The details about the Korp! Ugala university student fraternity in Tartu, Estonia were particularly interesting to read and made me wonder where Simenon came across this sort of information.
... an individual by the name of __*, born Pskov, Russian Empire, of Estonian nationality, unemployed, residing at ... - an excerpt from Pietr the Latvian
Clearly visible in the middle of the table was a slate with the legend: Ugala Club, Tartu
Students have clubs of that kind in universities all over the world. One young man, however, was separate from the others. He was standing in front of the display without his cap. His shaved head made his face stand out. Unlike most of the others, in lounge suits, this young man was wearing a dinner jacket - a little awkwardly, as it was still too big for his shoulders. Over his white waistcoat he wore a white sash, as if he'd been made Knight Commander of something. It was the sash of office of the captain of the club. - an excerpt from Pietr the Latvian
... Captain of the Ugala Fraternity, became an important person, and he was taken seriously by people of substance. He didn't yet have a hair on his lip, but he was already being talked about as a potential leader of Free Estonia. - an excerpt from Pietr the Latvian
Original photograph by Harry Gruyaert, used as a cropped image for the cover of the new Penguin Classics edition of "Pietr the Latvian." Image sourced from Magnum Photos.
I've now read several of the early Maigret novellas in the past few weeks and they continue to impress with how different they are not only from each other but also from other "Golden Age of Crime" novels of that interwar era. What is even more impressive is that the first dozen were all published in 1931 as if he wrote one every month. Perhaps it is not that surprising from an author who wrote over 500 books in his lifetime, but it still an eyeopener.
In an exception to the other books in the series, this is Maigret #1 in the both the Penguin Classics series of new translations (2013-2019) of the Inspector Maigret novels and short stories, and also Maigret #1 in the previous standard Maigret Series Listopia as listed on Goodreads.
Trivia and Links
* Name redacted in order to conceal a key plot twist.
Pietr the Latvian, under its original French title Pietr-le-Letton, was adapted for French television in 1972, as part of the TV series Les enquêtes du commissaire Maigret (The Investigations of Commissioner Maigret) (1967-1990) with Jean Richard as Inspector Maigret.
There is an article about the Penguin Classics re-translations of the Inspector Maigret novels at Maigret, the Enduring Appeal of the Parisian Sleuth by Paddy Kehoe, RTE, August 17, 2019.