May 19, 2007
Well I have been tagged by Paula for some book recommendations. There was some really interesting literature there. I mostly appreciate litterature that makes the most of the language. Sadly this means that most of it can’t really be translated to other language’s. Well, here is my attempt, anyhow:
Three non-fiction books everyone should read:
The faith explained, by Leo J Trese A wonderful book, with extensive, in depth, explanations of the Catholic faith. It explain in a very pedagogic manner topics such as Grace, the Trinity, the Creation and so on and so forth. The Nineteenth century Sonnet by Joseph Phelan A detailed account of the revival of the sonnet during the Victorian epoch. Scholasticism by Josef Pieper A great introduction for us that do not know to much about the Scholastic thinkers.
Three works of fiction that everyone should read:
Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins Because they are divine. The Christmas Oratorio by Göran Tunström A good reading tip for those interested in Sweden. A very poetic book. The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek Because it makes you smile.
Three authors everyone should read:
August Strindberg. His prose is as interesting as his plays. The book black banners is a settlement with the cultural elite of his time, but it works just as fine today. Franz Kafka. Because even despair can be funny. Gunnar Björlin Well you would have to learn Swedish to read this author - but it’s totally worth it! 
Three books that nobody should read:
There are to many of them, but Sara Lidman, a famous Swedish author once gave me this tip on how to determine if you should read a book or not: Open the book in three places and read three lines at each place. Two out of three got to be interesting if the book should be worth the effort. - Than she picked up her then latest book, the stone of Nabot, and tried it. First she didn’t pass it, and then she gave her a second chance and passed the test.
So I tag the following bloggers, if you do find the time that is: Marie and Ginny, Leah, Therese, Zach, and all the ladies at dcf ladies blogring
May 19, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Joakim, interesting list indeed. I read the soldier Svejk!…and laughed a lot.
May 19, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Švejk is wonderful. I feel happy just looking at the picture of him.
I found your list very interesting too. Dostoevsky is one of my favorites.
Perhaps you can translate The diary of happiness for us? I’m sure it wouldn’t be impossible to find a Catholic publisher who would be interested in publishing it.
May 19, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Ah, you are right Joakim…I have thought some time ago about translation and I will try to find it.
Fr Nicolae de la Rohia was a sophisticated intellectual of Jewish origin. He was an agnostic previous his conversion. Arrested by the communists in the 50s along with many others from the intellectual elite, he was already thinking about becoming a Christian.
Only in the prison he became one, actually. He was baptized in a prison cell by an Orthodox priest while a Greek-Catholic one was assisting. A very ecumenical ceremony indeed.:-).
After his liberation he entered a monastery, Rohia, in North-Romania. He was a fine writer and a poet.
I remember reading his Diary some 10 years go…Rarely I have felt so happy during my life, as I was while reading the book.
It will be a very difficult translation I think…Romanian is a beautiful and very complex language. Fr Nicolae writes in a somehow savory, arhaic Romanian.
May 19, 2007 at 10:12 pm
P.S: I will translate a bit on my blog.
Next week, I hope.:-). Joakim, you reminded me something that I wanted to do since a long time…thanks.
May 19, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Wow. that would be very interesting! I look forward to read it.
May 20, 2007 at 9:25 am
I will let you know when I will post it. The blog about the Gulag is a better place to post the translation than my main site.
Pax
May 24, 2007 at 12:00 am
“Franz Kafka. Because even despair can be funny.”
This is the ONLY effective argument for reading Kafka I have ever heard!