Visited Klopstock‘s grave today (photos later). Took the opportunity to start a reread of his magisterial Messias. Ah, poetry.
Sing, unsterbliche Seele, der sündigen Menschen Erlösung,
Die der Messias auf Erden in seiner Menschheit vollendet
Und durch die er Adams Geschlechte die Liebe der Gottheit
Mit dem Blute des heiligen Bundes von neuem geschenkt hat.
Also geschah des Ewigen Wille. Vergebens erhub sich
Satan wider den göttlichen Sohn, umsonst stand Judäa
Wider ihn auf; er tat’s und vollbrachte die große Versöhnung.
Hi Marcel,
This is Jacek, whom you may remember from the Woods. I’m writing first of all to let you know that I’ve been digging around here and there in your blog and occasionally stumbling upon posts that are both of interest to me and very good (the ones on Herta Muller and Elfriede Jelinek, for example), so do make sure to keep doing those long reviews and author surveys along with the small stuff, too!
I also would like to ask a favor which might be rather troublesome for you, though. I am trying to turn a German-reading acquaintance of mine onto Mr. Hans Henny Jahnn, with whose writing he is completely unfamiliar. He asked me to pass on some samples to him, but of course I can only read the English, and as far as Thirteen Uncanny Tales goes (haven’t read The Ship yet so can’t comment on that one) the translation seems to be far from the best. However, some pieces I love despite the translation and I’m sure they’re even more astonishing in the original.
As my library does not have that particular book in German but DOES have Perrudja as well as the entirety of River Without Shores, do you think you could – one day, when you find you have some free time on your hands – see if you could find where in River Without Shores “The Watchmaker” and “The Gardener” appear? On the one hand, I understand that it’s an immense novel so finding these tiny tales could be a huge challenge, but on the other, I always take great pleasure from flipping back through my favorites and pounce on any excuse to do so.
The library records for Das Holzschiff and Epilog tell me “Frankfurt am Main: Europaische Verlagsanstalt,” while for Die Niederschrift des Gustav Anias Horn nach dem er neunundvierzig Jahre alt geworden war, the record says “Munchen: W Weisman.” All three of them (or four, rather, as Die Niederschrift… is in two volumes) are uniform, beautiful hardbound editions, though – makes me REALLY wish I could read them! But yeah, I don’t know whether yours are different, so even if you’re willing to accommodate me pagination blues may be a problem…
Thanks for reading in any case. Take care!
Jacek
Hiya. I’ll take a look.
As for longer pieces, I post reviews about once a week
https://shigekuni.wordpress.com/?s=ISBN&submit=GO
except for very busy weeks, or when I’m on holiday, as I am this week.
I’m glad you like this place, by the way. And as I said, I’ll get back to you re: Jahnn.
Great, thank you! And good to know that you do reviews once a week; I’ll be sure to keep checking in, then.
Be well,
Jacek
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