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A review by ashleylm
Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything by David Bellos
4.0
I liked it, but it was an unusal experience. Many books are straight lines: we deal with this, then we deal with that, etc., but this book was like a spiral out from the center, and you continually felt like you were brushing against the same topics, over and over, only from a different viewpoint. It's not a bad thing, it's like an impressionist painting rather than an Ingres, sometimes you're not sure what you're getting, which suits a book whose main thrust seems to be that Translation is not what you think it is.
It was interesting at all points to read. Never did I think "I'm bored, move to the next subject," and the author speaks from his own knowledge (he's apparently a fairly successful translator, as far as translators go, which is apparently not far according to the author) and has truly unique points to make.
I'm a fan.
Can't give five stars because I save that rating for the ones that make me laugh, cry, move me in some way, that I love so much I'm sure I'll re-read, or are just evidently staggering achievements. This is a really good, interesting book about translation, but until Goodread puts in a 4.5 option, it's a very good 4 star book for me.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, but I grade on a curve!
It was interesting at all points to read. Never did I think "I'm bored, move to the next subject," and the author speaks from his own knowledge (he's apparently a fairly successful translator, as far as translators go, which is apparently not far according to the author) and has truly unique points to make.
I'm a fan.
Can't give five stars because I save that rating for the ones that make me laugh, cry, move me in some way, that I love so much I'm sure I'll re-read, or are just evidently staggering achievements. This is a really good, interesting book about translation, but until Goodread puts in a 4.5 option, it's a very good 4 star book for me.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, but I grade on a curve!