sat., 11 apr. thru wed., 23 apr., 2015: l.a.times festival of books notes: give us This Day our Daily Curse

[NOTE: We’ll be in sunny SoCal from 13 apr. to 22 apr. for the L.A. Times festival of books... In that spirit, some literary disses...]

AFRIKAANS:  As dit die nuutste Nadine Gordimer boek is sale k wag vir die fliek, en dot ook mis’.  ‡

AFRIKAANS:  As dit die nuutste Nadine Gordimer boek is sale k wag vir die fliek, en dot ook mis’.  ‡‡

FRENCH:  Qu’est ce qui fait que les gens qui lisent Michel Houellebecq se comportent toujours comme Michel Houellebecq?  ‡‡‡

FRENCH: Qu'est ce qui fait que les gens qui lisent Jean Genet se comportent toujours à Jean Genet ?  ‡‡‡‡

GAELIC, IRISH: Tá sé mar Séamus Ó hÉanaí ag teacht amach ó mo thóin.  ‡‡‡‡‡

ITALIAN:  Se questo e’ un alto libro di Umberto Eco, aspettero’ il film e saltero’ anche quello.  ‡‡‡‡‡‡

ITALIAN:  Perche’ quelli che legono Pasolini sempre si comportano como Pasolini?  ‡‡‡‡‡‡

JAPANESE: 文学生命は最初に切腹せずには残念ですよ。 —  Bungaku semei wa saisho ni seppuku sezu ni wa zannen desu yo.  ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡

RUSSIAN:   Почему человек читающий Достоевского становится похож на него? — “Počemu čelovek čintyuši Dostoevskogo stanovitsya poǩož na nego?” ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡

SPANISH:  Esa vieja historia es como cuento de Juan Rulfo…muerto por el culo.  ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡

‡) “If that’s another Nadine Gordimer book, I’ll wait for the movie & skip that, too.”  

‡‡) “If that’s another Doris Lessing book, I’ll wait for the movie & skip that, too.”  

‡‡‡) “Why is it that people who read Michel Houellebecq act like Michel Houellebecq?”  —  (Fr. transl. courtesy of J.H.) 

‡‡‡‡) “Why is it that people who read Jean Genet act like Jean Genet?” —  (Fr. transl. courtesy of J.H.) 

‡‡‡‡‡) “It’s like Seamus Heany emerging from my arse.”  /  “It’s like Seamus Heany emerging from my ass.”   

‡‡‡‡‡‡) “If that’s another Umberto Eco book, I’ll wait for the movie & skip that, too.”

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡) “Why is it that people who read Pasolini act like Pasolini?” 

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡) [On Yukio Mishima…] “Too bad he didn’t start his career with seppuku?”

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡) “Why is it that people who read Dostoyevsky always look like Dostoyevsky?” — attrib. to G. McL. & R. F.

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from curse + berate in 69+ languages, from Soft Skull Press.

http://softskull.com/?p=271

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