#aetherial worlds

[finita--la--commedia]

I was nowhere. It’s the most important place in the world — nowhere. Everyone should spend time there. It’s scary, empty, and cold; it’s sad beyond all bearing; it’s where all human communication is lost, where all your sins, all your shortcomings, all lies and half-truths and double-dealings emerge from the dusk to look you in the eye with neither disapproval nor empathy, but simply and matter-of-factly. Here we are. Here you are. “And filled with revulsion, you read the story of your life.” And you make decisions.

Tatyana Tolstaya (born 1951), from “Nowhere” in: “Aetherial Worlds. Stories”, translated from the Russian by Anya Migdal “ Я была нигде. Это самое важное место на свете: нигде. Всякий должен

 там побывать. Там страшно, там пусто, там холодно, там нестерпимо печально, там оборваны все человеческие связи; и все твои грехи, все пороки, все лжи, все лукавства и двурушничества чередой выходят из летних ленинградских сумерек и смотрят тебе в лицо без осуждения, без сочувствия, а просто по факту, как есть. Вот мы. Вот ты. И это правильно. Так и должно быть. И с отвращением ты читаешь жизнь свою. И принимаешь решения.

[the-cosmic-bookshelf]

“Now as I write this, you know nothing about anything, about what awaits you, the kind of world you will be born into. And I know nothing about you.”

- Karl Ove Knausgaard, “Autumn.”

[universitybookstore]

One of the greatest living practitioners of the short story and one of Russia’s greatest living writers, Tatyana Tolstaya finally has a new collection in translation from Knopf, Aetherial Worlds: Stories.

[finita--la--commedia]

“Tell me something surprising about your alphabet. The Russian alphabet.” “In Russian we have the letter Ъ. The ‘hard sign.’ ” “What does it sound like ?” “Like nothing.” “At all ?” “At all.” “Then why do you have it ?” “It’s a certain type of silence. Our alphabet has elements of silence.” -- Tatyana Tolstaya (born 1951), from “Smoke and Shadows” in: “Aetherial Worlds. Stories”, translated from the Russian by Anya Migdal “– Расскажи мне что-нибудь удивительное про ваш алфавит. Про русский алфавит.

– В русском алфавите есть буква Ъ. Твердый знак. – Как она звучит ? – Никак.–  Совсем ? – Совсем. – Тогда зачем она ? – Это такой вид молчания. В нашем алфавите есть знаки молчания.”

[finita--la--commedia]

When I see him, my heart swells. But what swells in him—I just don’t know.

Tatyana Tolstaya (born 1951), from “Smoke and Shadows” in: “Aetherial Worlds. Stories”, translated from the Russian by Anya Migdal “ У меня при его виде – сердцебиение. А что у него – не знаю. “

[finita--la--commedia]

Our affair proceeds with some complications, and, frankly, it’d be better if it weren’t happening at all... So what do I need this love for ? As I keep telling myself: I’d be better off without it. Or maybe it just seems that way.

Tatyana Tolstaya (born 1951), from “Smoke and Shadows” in: “Aetherial Worlds. Stories”, translated from the Russian by Anya Migdal “ Наш роман протекает сложно, и лучше бы его не было… Тогда зачем мне эта любовь ? Говорю же: лучше бы ее не было. Или мне так кажется. “

[kaggsy59]

“Life is but smoke and shadows” #WITMonth #TatyanaTolstaya @DauntBooksPub

Aetherial Worlds by Tatyana Tolstaya Translated by Anya Migdal

You’ll recall me having a grumble back at the end of June about how hopeless I am with reading challenges(although I’m happier with the concept of projects, and *have* got back on board with some during July). However, as I mentioned in my post yesterday, one event I always love to join in with is Women in Translation month; and my…

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