Sarah Adams, who translated Faïza Guène’s Kiffe Kiffe Demain into English interviews the author in the Guardian. (I’ve read Adams’s translation, by the way; it’s very good.) The book will be out in the U.S. next month, under the title Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow. Oh, and instead of the “voice of the suburbs,” this time Guène was called “voice of the people.” It’s becoming a cacophony.
Karla Starr profiles Charles D’Ambrosio for the Willamette Week. His new collection of short stories, The Dead Fish Museum is now out, and he’ll be reading at Annie Bloom’s on May 15. Be there, if you know what’s good for you.
Over the last week, I’ve been working my way through the media library for PEN’s World Voices festival. I’ve listened to the lecture given by Orhan Pamuk and to his talk with Margaret Atwood; to the Faith and Reason readings; and to the conversation between Etgar Keret and George Saunders. Sometime today I plan on listening to the debate between Amartya Sen and Salman Rushdie on identity, politics, and religions.
Looks like Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm) had quite an angry reception when he came to town to read from his new book, A Death in Belmont.
Christopher Hitchens offers his take on Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s The Caged Virgin. Well, not so much a ‘take.’ He doesn’t really talk about the book, except to say that one should “go out and buy it.” Why? Well, because he likes her, he really likes her! I must note, with some amusement, that he mentions her “arresting and hypnotizing beauty.” Her intellectual arguments, however, he doesn’t really have the time to go into. You just have to take his word for it. I will have a whole lot more to say on this book very soon, by the way. Watch this space for news.
Yesterday, Bangladesh celebrated the 145th anniversary of its man of letters, Rabindranath Tagore. As I was browsing through some Tagore links, I found this conversation between Tagore and Einstein, which was recorded in 1930. Interesting stuff.