Zola : Rougon-Macquart.

Parmi les différents livres que je lis, j'ai commencé avec le troisième roman des "Rougon-Macquart. Histoire naturelle et sociale d'une famille sous le Second Empire". Ma femme me demande si je suis devenu un masochiste ! Après ce troisième roman, il m'en reste 17 !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Honoré de Balzac, Olivier Soutet et Peter Englund

Comme souvent, j'ai plusieurs livres en cours de lecture et l'année dernière, j'ai commencé de relire Honoré de Balzac, car il y avait 220 ans après sa naissance, le 20 mai 1799. 220 ans vous dites ? Ce n'est pas 200 ou 250 ! Non c'est vrai mais ça ne m'empêche pas de relire Balzac.

Les livres lus : Le chef d'oeuvre inconnu (1831) ; La Maison du chat-qui-pelote (1830) ; Le Bal de Sceaux (1830). Je suis en train de lire Petites misères de la vie conjugale (1830).

En même temps j'ai également relu le livre La littérature française de la Renaissance, par le littérateur et linguiste français, Oliver Soutet. J'aime bien revenir à ce livre pour augmenter ma connaissance de la littérature française pendant une période assez intéressante.

Parallèlement je suis aussi en train de lire Den oövervinnerlige ('L'Invincible') (2000) par l'auteur et historien suédois Peter Englund, membre de l'Académie Suédoise qui entre 2009 à 2014, a occupé le poste de secrétaire perpétuel de l'Académie.
Le livre raconte l'histoire ou plutôt les histoires de l'époque où la Suède comptait parmi les grandes puissances européennes, pendant la règne de Karl X Gustav (Charles X Gustave, 1656-1660).

Théophile Gautier 200 years

Français:

L’année 2011 marque le bicentenaire de la naissance de Théophile Gautier.

A cette occasion, une association a été créée, à l’initiative de la Société Théophile Gautier et avec le partenariat des universités de Paris 3, Paris 4 et Montpellier.

Des personnalités du monde artistique, littéraire et muséal, ainsi que des descendants de Théophile Gautier, en font partie. M. Hugues R. Gall, Membre de l’Institut, en est le président d’honneur, Mme Anik Lesure, descendante de Gautier, en est la présidente.

L’association du Bicentenaire de Théophile Gautier 1811-2011 a pour action de susciter et coordonner les initiatives que les universités, les musées et autres institutions organisent en 2011.

English:

The year 2011 marks the bicentenary of the birth of Théophile Gautier.

For this occasion an organisation has been created, on the iniative of 'la Société Théophile Gautier' and with the participation of the universities (Sorbonne Nouvelle) Paris 3, Paris 4 and Montpellier.

Personalities within the artistic-, litterary-, and museum world as well as descendants of Théophile Gautier, participates. Mr Hugues R. Gall, member of the Institute is the honorary president, Mrs Anik Lesure, a descendant of Gautier, is the president.

For those of you not familiar with the works of Théophile Gautier (poet playwright, novelist, journalist, art critic and literary critic), this might be the occasion to get to know him more profoundly, not least as he was a very intresting author, difficult to classify and also a man with an interesting curriculum vitae in general. He was born the 30th of August 1811 and died the 23rd of October 1872.

Le conseil général présente "Théophile Gautier dans son cadre" au domaine de Sceaux - kewego
Jusqu'au 9 janvier 2012, les écuries du domaine de Sceaux accueillent "Théophile Gautier dans son cadre". Patrick Devedjian, le président du

(Image of Gautier as a young man copied from: http://poetes.com/gautier/images/gautier.jpg)

(Photo Gautier as a middle aged man copied from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYS4aokaiB-L10Ojlrfmfg4jboyITvhbqT3nos948HN54rizriykmqnUbl6AzG_ae9bEr8xl4b9tHBrcnSEejkvhkqO1HfiR4Y6y2E-U08hTdxB5Jyt7z1df6NhpMipA8TvS-jQ/s1600/Theophile_Gautier.jpg)

(Photo Gautier as an elderly man copied from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Th%C3%A9ophil_Gautier_1856_Nadar.jpg/250px-Th%C3%A9ophil_Gautier_1856_Nadar.jpg)

Plus sombre que l'ombre de tes ailes...

...is the title of this book written by the French journalist and nowadays writer Sébastien Acker, having lived and worked in Berry/Le centre for ten years.

He has always been a bibliophile and as young he read around 4-5 books per week.

When working as a journalist he became fascinated by Swedish and Scandinavian literature and specifically the crime fiction ('polar'), beginning with Sjöwall & Wahlöö.

Later on he continued to interest himself in other authors and more or less incidentally he came to write this book with the above name that - with a rough translation - means: "Much somber/darker than the shadow of your wings".

Acker has today (Saturday) visited La Châtre and La Maison de la Presse in order to sign his book. The photo below (published some days later in the newspaper 'La Nouvelle République') shows Acker in the middle - of course - and my wife Aurore to the right, carrying a box of cinnamon buns, something Acker had asked for and through a 'cooperation' between Aurore and me, he was able to enjoy these Swedish delicacies. Part of the deal with the cinnamon buns was that he promised to carry the yellow shirt of the Swedish football team and below you can see that Acker also kept his part of the deal. (The text in French under the photo).

(DÉDICACE. Sébastien Acker était à la Maison de la presse, samedi matin, pour dédicacer son premier ouvrage Plus sombre que l'ombre de tes ailes aux éditions La Bouinotte. Sébastien avait tenu son pari en revêtant le maillot de foot de l'équipe suédoise ; Aurore, une Castraise, mariée à un Suédois, venue faire dédicacer son livre, avait apporté des kanelbullars, brioches suédoises à la cannelle.)

The events in the book take place both in Berry/Le Centre and Stockholm wherefore Aurore contacted Acker through Facebook, in order to talk about Swedish and Scandinavian literature and parenthetically the links between me and the implicit main character in the book - not mentioned by name - Stieg Larsson, among other things.

The book circles around Léonard, a Parisian postman (always ringing twice?) who is a huge fan of Scandinavian crime novels but also a (very) private investigator, working for noone and nothing.
When having finished the reading of a world famous Swedish crime novel (guess which one), he becomes convinced of one thing:
To him it's clear that the author of this crime novel, dying before he get to see the success of his books, as a journalist threatened by the extreme right wing groups in Sweden, was murdered!
Léonard plonges into this certitude. How can it be that everyone believes that the author of this blockbuster actually died from a heart attack?
Our postman starts his first own major private investigation, flanked by Léon a disabled colleague.
To the Stockholm of Mysteries from Berry, the two men experience a surprising adventure, taking them from places like The Old Town in Stockholm to the province of George Sand, from The Blue Tower in Stockholm, where August Strindberg lived to Sainte-Sévère and Jacques Tati's 'Jour de Fête'.

Below an interview in French by Bip tv, (Berry Issoudun Première Télévision), where Acker explains a little about himself, his passion for Scandinavia and his own book.

Sebastien ACKER

(Photo Acker and Aurore at La Maison de La Press in La Châtre copied from: http://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/indre/LOISIRS/Livres-cd-dvd/D-233-clic19)

Library card in La Châtre

Now I've got a library card at the Library in La Châtre/Bibliothèques de la Cdc La Châtre, Sainte-Sévère:

The first books I loaned were: 'Légendes & Diableries du Berry' (Gilbert Laconches), 'La Petite Fadette' (George Sand) and...

...'Doppler' by Erlend Loe, an author I listened to at Akademibokhandeln in Stockholm a couple of years ago, when introducing this very book.

 

(Picture of 'Légendes & Diableries du Berry' taken from:http://r.kelkoo.com/r/fr/3012701/5101/90/90/http%3A%2F%2Fpmcdn.priceminister.com%2Fphoto%2F684470783.jpg/JDe3BuiTWdpjEmpT9vxpFYYazU8WOlK1BZnq4gfSyMc-)
(Picture of 'La Petite Fadette' taken from: http://multimedia.fnac.com/multimedia/images_produits/ZoomPE/9/1/7/9782070424719.jpg)
(Picture of 'Doppler' taken from: http://www.mediatheque-noisylesec.org/lf/wp-content/uploads/erlend-loe-doppler.gif)

Swedish Mafia

I've started reading this book now, it's a book about organized crime in Sweden and not least the different motorcycle organzations or other criminal gangs who nowadays more over overtly display their belonging to a criminal organzation or group.

We've had criminal gangs in Sweden before but they were more 'discrete' concerning being seen in public and this is one of the changes since the late 1990's and beginning of 2000's, now the members are proud of being part of these gangs and they show it to as many as possible.

The authors - Lasse Wierup and Matti Larsson - try to pin point the factors leading up to this and they do so by not least interviewing the gang members themselves.

As I've just started reading this book, I can't give you my opinion about it but I will get back to that later on.

Earlier I've read the Swedish author Tomas Lappalainens books about the Mafia as a whole and another one about the Camorra in particular.

Franz Kafka Dagböcker/Diaries 1914-1923

Svenska (English below):

Det var längesedan jag skrev något om den litteratur jag läser, det har mer handlat om annat.
Just nu är jag dock i färd med att penetrera Franz Kafkas 'Dagböcker 1914-1923', som i Sverige utgivits på Bakhålls förlag.

Detta utgör den tredje delen i denna utgivning av Kafkas dagböcker och jag har tyvärr inte läst de första två.
Många menar dock att denna den sista delen, skildrande de sista åren av hans liv, är den viktigaste och kanske mest intressanta.
Om detta kan jag inget säga men det är en blandning av väsentligt och oväsentligt, som i alla dagböcker.
Det viktiga är att den dels ger en inblick i personen Kafkas innersta tankar - i den mån en person skriver för sig själv, utgivandes sig själv på ett ärligt sätt eller skriver med tanke på eftervärlden - dels ger en inblick i livet i Prag och övriga städer vid den aktuella tidpunkten.
Där blandas i det yttre samhällsstrukturerna gammalt och nytt, i de inre tankestrukturerna tradition och nytänkande.
Detta gör boken till ett intressant vittnesmål om det liv Kafka, hans vänner och ovänner förde, samhällsutvecklingen och de historiska händelserna i sig, allt självfallet filtrerat via Kakfas subjektiva titthål.

English:

It's long since I wrote anything about the literature I read, I have mostly dealt with other subjects.

Rignt now I'm in the act of reading Franz Kafka's 'Diaries 1914-1923', in Sweden published by the publishing house Bakhåll.
This book constitutes the third part in this publication of Kafka's Diaries and unfortunately I haven't read the two first ones.
Many people say that this third part, depicting the last years of his life, is the most important and maybe also the most interesting of the three.
I have nothing to say about this but it's a mixture of essential and inessential, as in all diaries.
The most important thing is that it partly gives us an insight into the inner thoughts of the person Kafka - insofar as a person writes for him-/herself, exposing him-/herself in an honest way or actually writes for the after world - partly gives us an insight into the life of Prag and other towns at the actual moment.
In this we find a mixture of new and old in the exterior societal structures and tradition and new thinking in the inner pattern of thoughts.
This makes the book an interesting testimony about the life Kafka, his friends and enemies lead, the development of society and historical events per se, everything filtered through the subjective viewport of Kafka himself of course.

(Photo Franz Kafka copied from: http://www.focusdep.com/images/Franz_Kafka_1173256340030717.jpg)

José Saramago dead

This is an author I discovered when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1998.
I had heard his name before but never read him.

Together with a friend I had begun a project aiming at reading all the œuvres by all the Nobel laureates(!), the works by Saramago became one of my main literary readings that year.
I found him interesting as he's dealing with questions about human behaviour, about courage and lack of it, about personal choices implying going your own way or lack of personal choices - also a way of choosing - about those who are able to see through the surface of what seems to be going on in society and seeing beyond and below the superficial.
All this embedded in a poetic, symbolic language and symbolic actions pointing towards a more truthful or honest interpretation of the world and human behaviour.

The books I've read:

Journey to Portugal (Viagem a Portugal)
Baltasar and Blimunda (Memorial do Convento)
The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis (O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis)
The Stone Raft (A Jangada de Pedra)
The History of the Siege of Lisbon (História do Cerco de Lisboa)
The Gospel according to Jesus Christ (O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo)
Blindness (Ensaio sobre a Cegueira)
All the Names (Todos os Nomes)
The Tale of the Unknown Island (O Conto da Ilha Desconhecida)
The Cave (A Caverna)
Seeing (Ensaio sobre a Lucidez)

Maybe I've read one or two more but these are the ones I remember right now.

I can recommend reading Saramago and one of his most interesting books is The Blindness where - in short - those who see are blind and those who are blind see clearly.
It's much more complicated and poetically expressed in his book of course but why not read it for yourself.

Le crépuscule d'une idole

In this book Michel Onfray writes about one of our many religions, namely that of psychoanalysis (psychoanalyses) and more specifically the freudisme.

In an earlier work by Onfray - Traité d'Athéologie (Treaty of Atheology) - he besets the monotheism, finding it obsolet and more or less unacceptable.
In this book it's the God of psychoanalysis who is being attacked from different angles.

Onfray first establish that Sigmund Freud wanted to build a "science" and secondly that he never achieved his goal.

Freud wanted to prove that the unconsious mind had its laws, its intrinsic logic, expressed in "experimental protocols" but according to Onfray Freud was obliged to lie a little - or a lot? - in order to defend the scientificity of psychoanalysis.

In investigating this theory we need an expert opinion from someone else than Freud and it's Onfray's 'expert opinion' we are being served in this book.

Trying to achieve this goal, Onfray had to study all the major works by Freud and in a television programme in France called La Grande Librarie, I remember him mentioning that he had read some 6000 pages in order to give his opinion.

The conclusion is that the psychoanalysis only stands in a dependancy state to the "ordinary" psychology, the literature and the philosophy and consequently by no means being the "hard facts"-science its founder wanted it to look like.

The ideas put forward by Onfray are not new and Freud has been discussed since the dawn of the days his theories became public but in this case Onfray also puts forward more or less solid proofs demonstrating that a great deal of the, so called, scientific work carried out by Freud was never correctly documented. There exist hidden freudian files who can not be opened before a certain date (2050?) in which the hard facts or the lack of hard facts, will be revealed.

A lot of the work carried out by Freud of course emanated from his own imagination and his own sexual frustration(s) and one should ask oneself how much of his work actually was founded on a more solid scientific-critical approach.

Onfray could of course be accused of not having dealt with his own unconcious or subconcious mind leading him to attack Freud and this could be true in a Freudian sense. On the other hand, this kind of reasoning has always followed fanatics, and those devoted to idolatry, may it be Freud or any other god or semi-god.

This is also often the technique psychologists have used and still use during therapies when a patient starts to questioning their analyses, trying to tell the therapist that they are wrong: "You're just trying to suppress [this or that] side of yourself..." might be an approximate answer from the therapist.
This might be a valid argument for those being convinced of the truth in these theories - as with all fundamentalists - but not valid from a more objective or intersubjective point of view and it's often very degrading for the patient, being confronted with these arguments or pseudo-arguments.

Onfray has taken this kind of reasoning into consideration and in the beginning of the book he refutes these arguments.

Even if we don't have to believe that the theories put forward by Onfray is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, it seems to be a very interesting and - I believe - beneficial work for both psychoanalysts, patients and others who still seem to think that psychology or psychoanalysis is a strict science with measurable results.

On the contrary, the brain and our mind/psyche is something so complexed that neither psychiatrists, psychologists or the neuroscience ever will be able to exhibit all its intricate functions and effects on our body and psyche/soul, though it seems to be a goal some scientitsts believe they will be able to reach.

Finally I must admit that I haven't read this book - yet - but the things I've written about the book is taken from the presentation of this œuvre in La Grande Librarie in French television the other day.

I wish you a pleasant reading!

(Photo copied from: http://tpprovence.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/aleqm5gbs-udcpmjmamfrgspji_o1qva3g.jpg)

Sture Linnér dead

Sture Linnér was a diplomate during many years working close to Dag Hammarskiöld, Secretary-General of the United Nations (1953-61).

The same day Hammarskjöld toke the aeroplane in order to negotiate cease-fire in Katanga, a break-away state of Congo at the time, he told Linnér - who was with him that day - to stay at the spot from where Hammarskjöld embarked, not going with him. He was needed there according to Hammarskjöld.
This saved Linnér's life.

Dag Hammarskjöld

Besides his diplomatic work, Linnér was also one of the foremost Swedish connoiseurs of Greek culture, professor in the greek language and literature.

Aurore and I met him in 2008 at the Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm during an evening around the Greek poet Cavafy and his work.

Cavafi

We were invited by the former executive of the Swedish Institute in Paris, Carl-Henrik Svenstedt.

Carl-Henrik Svenstedt

Aurore and Svenstedt knew each other from a mailing list and when Svenstedt needed someone to translate some parts in a book he had written (from Swedish to French), Aurore helped him with this.

Linnér was one of the speakers that evening.

Sture Linnér

(Photo Sture Linnér during his younger years copied from: https://www.fokus.se/2010/04/sture-linner/)

(Photo Dag Hammarskjöld copied from: http://image1.findagrave.com/photos/2008/17/6074_120072998712.jpg)

(Photo Cavafy copied from: http://img.poemhunter.com/p/96/6796_b_1667.jpg)

(Photo Carl-Henrik Svenstedt copied from: https://svenstedt.wordpress.com/ch-svenstedt-cv/)

(Photo Sture Linnér during his later years copied from: http://sverigesradio.se/diverse/appdata/isidor/images/news_images/2071/267699_366_250.jpg)

Gandhi

In Sweden we now for the first time have a full scale biography about Mahatma Gandhi.

It's written by the author Zac O'Yeah and it's said to be both entertaining and deeply serious in its outlining of the life and work of Gandhi.

It's 60 years since Gandhi died and he seems to be more topical than ever and his work is said to have been carried on by persons like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.

I think though that it's important to face the fact that it's not always a succesful route, using the non-violence method. It depends on in what historical perspective one look at this question.

It's interesting - or rather regrettable - to see that a work of this kind in our mother tongue (Swedish) is presented six decades after the death of a person of such importance as Gandhi.

Why is Sweden always up to date and sometimes ahead of other nations when it comes to technic and inventions but concerning the humanistic topics we are always far behind?

There are historic answers to that but this might come up in another blog comment later on.

(Photo Zac O'Yeah by the table copied from: http://varabangalore.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/p1130504.jpg?w=500&h=375)

(Photo cover book copied from: http://www.zacoyeah.com/_/rsrc/1244981598622/Home/books/mahatma/Mahatma.jpg)

Djävulselixiret/Die Elixiere des Teufels

Har nu avslutat läsningen av Djävulselixiret (Die Elixiere des Teufels) av E.T.A. Hoffman.

Denna bok har varit en del av läsningen som ingår i den lilla 'bokklubb' på Facebook (svenska nätverket) som vi kallar 'Shakespeare & Co', vilket dock inte explicit har med Shakespeare att skaffa.

Boken kan ses som en resa genom den kristna dogmatiken rörande bl.a. läran om arvsynden.

Vi kan här se att man tillmäter den kristna arvsyndsläran stor relevans i det att Hoffmann gör gällande att den synd fadern gjort sig skyldig också är avgörande för de synder som sönerna gör sig skyldiga till.
Dock måste detta ses inte explicit som 'faderns synder' utan den synd som vi alla bär på som emanerar från 'den första människans', Adams, synd.
I denna Adams 'syndiga' handling lades fröet till den synd som vi alla är bärare av och som vi aldrig kan bli av med.
Däremot erbjuder den 'andre Adam', Jesus Kristus (i kristen tradition självfallet) en förlåtelse för den 'skuld' vi bär på för den 'syndiga själ' vi alla är 'kontaminerade' med.

På samma gång finns här ett frö till tanken om den sociala miljöns inverkan på en individ. Uppfostran, det goda exemplet anförs som en motkraft mot arvsyndens fördärvliga inverkan.
Medardus brottas ju hela tiden mot sin 'ondska', sin destruktiva sida och lyckas till slut försonas med sig själv, sitt liv och Gud.

Här finns också offertanken, det ställföreträdande lidandet representerat.
Mot slutet av boken, då Aurelia/Rosalia dör, först då inträder den känsla av försoning hos Medardus som han så länge sökt.
Det krävdes alltså hennes offerdöd, symboliskt framför altaret, för att Medardus skulle nå sin 'frihalsning', sin frälsning från det 'onda'.
Aurelias död skedde också framför altaret men inte på altaret som ett verkligt offerlamm, eftersom den kristna tron endast erkänner existensen av ett specifikt offerlamm som försonat allas våra synder, nämligen Jesus Kristus ('Agnus Dei')

I allt detta finns också tanken om kvinnan som 'fresterskan', precis som i lustgården där Eva frestade Adam med äpplet. Här är det Aurelia som en gång frestat den då förhållandevs fromme Medardus att 'avfalla' från tron och den rätta vägen genom sin kärleksförklaring till honom.
Hoffmann ger här till del Aurelia skulden för Medardus 'syndafall' genom att hon via sin kärleksförklaring i bikten, lockade fram de 'syndfulla' idéer som sedan kom att invadera Medardus tanke- och känsloliv.
Precis som i Lustgården, har här kvinnan som förförare (förförerska)/frestare (fresterska) alltså en framträdande roll.
Här laborerar Hoffmann med en myckenhet av kristet tankegods och dogmatik. Arvsyndsläran, dödssynderna, det ställföreträdande lidandet. Allt detta blandar han samman i en cocktail där vi får följa Medardus på en pilgrimsresa bland törnen, fyllt av motgångar och destruktiva handlingar men samtidigt mötandes individer som bär på 'goda' tendenser, människor vilka försöker locka honom tillbaka till ett liv i kristi efterföljelse - Imitatio Christi idealet - som också är ett tema.

En viss kritik mot kyrka och kloster anser jag mig kunna förmärka samtidigt som Hoffmann vill visa att det bland påstått fromma eller troende finns alla kategorier människor, allt från dem som till synes lever i enlighet med de höga ideal som en kristen eller annan tro innefattar, till dem som lever i en gråzon däremellan och dem som likt Medardus vandrar bort från det goda för att följa sina egoistiska instinkter och endast tillfredsställa sitt behov av njutning. "Det goda som jag vill, det gör jag inte, men det onda som jag inte vill, det gör jag" (Rom. 7:19).

Man skulle kunna säga att idealisten ställs mot libertinen (libertinisten). Här är idealet den kristna trons grundvalar som ställs mot dess raka motsats - så som man ser det i kristen tro - det utsvävande, egoistiska, självförhärligande livet med alla dess nöjen och frestelser. Dock är ju också en libertin en person med ideal men inte kanske just kristna ideal.

I det stora hela är det en intressant idéroman med inslag av det bisarra, det mystika och en hög grad av förväxlingsproblematik om vi ser till de olika i berättelsen invävda figurerna och deras inbördes förhållanden.
Jag kan dock tycka att det finns en hel del unket tankegods som gör att betyget dras ned en aning.

E.T.A. Hoffmann

(Bilden av boken Djävulselixiret kopierat från: https://www.bokborsen.se/view/E-T-A-Hoffmann/Dj%C3%A4vulselixiret-Kapucinermunken-Medardus-Efter/8237867?_p=2&f=1&qs=Geronimo)

(Bilden av E.T.A. Hoffmann kopierad från: https://www.svd.se/skrackmastaren-e-t-a-hoffmann-tidlos-humorist)

Istanbul, Orhan Pamuk

Nu har jag läst 'Istanbul: Minnen av en stad' av Orhan Pamuk och uppskattade den långt mer än den bok jag läste precis före denna, nämligen 'Den femte sanningen' (The Golden Notebook) av Doris Lessing också hon Nobelpristagare i litteratur.

I Pamuk's bok förekommer som ni kanske vet ordet 'melankoli' (hüzün) i större utsträckning än något annat uttryck i denna bok.

Detta begrepp har många betydelser och Pamuk försöker bringa klarhet i vad just han menar med detta ord eller vad det kan sägas ha för övergripande betydelse i det Istanbul som är hans och som är han.

Han förstår det som en 'stads-själ', som samtidigt är ett uttryck för den själ som även är Istanbulbons, vilken ibland kan vara och många gånger tycks vara en och densamma.

Melankoli och det franska begreppet 'tristesse' analyseras och han jämför dessa uttryck med varandra.

Emedan sistnämnda i den franska litteraturen, så som Flaubert eller Gautier beskriver den, inte kan sägas utgöra ett begrepp fyllt med positiva konnotationer är begreppet hüzün mer komplext.

Pamuk talar även om den förening av eller blandning mellan öst och väst som kan sägas innebära att se det 'östliga' Istanbul med 'västliga' ögon. Här nämner han bl.a. memoarskrivaren Abdüllhak Sinasi Hisar, poeten Yahya Kemal, romanförfattaren Ahmet Tanpinar och historikern och journalisten Resat Ekrem Kocu. Dessa kallar han 'melankoliska' författare vilka ser på sitt Istanbul med 'andras ögon' (mitt uttryck).

Här inbegrips också såvitt jag kan förstå den ovilja att se det gamla samhället - den gamla staden - raseras och se det nya bryta in. Det gäller här raserandet eller förändringen av både folkliga tradtioner, kultur, arkitektur samt de äldre delarnas pågående förfall.

Samtidigt som det gamla byggnaderna var i ett rivningsfärdigt skick, var detta att riva och bygga nytt till del att rasera en del av den hüzün som bottnade i den historia de vittnade om. En ärorik historia då Istanbul/Konstantinopel utgjorde det stolta omanska riket.

Pamuks beskrivningar av människor, deras vanor, deras utseenden, deras sociokulturella och ekonomiska hemvister, deras uppgång och fall är synnerligen fängslande vill jag påstå.
Hans iakttagelser av sina egna reaktioner inför vissa typer av människor beroende på i vilken relation de står till hans familj eller vilken hierarkisk ordning de har i samhället är både uppriktiga och fyllda av självkritik, en retroaktiv självkritik.

Till detta kan läggas hans berättelser om fadern, modern och brodern, deras förtjänster och brister, familjens utåt upprätthållna fasad av en lycklig, rik och välmående familj sammanhållen av starka familjeband. Denna bild kontrasteras av hans 'rapporter inifrån' (mitt uttryck) som går stick i stäv med en officiella bilden av familjen Pamuk.

Pamuk är också uppriktig vad gäller det faktum att hans fars generation är den som raserar den Pamukska förmögenheten som skapats av förfäderna.

Faderns 'snedsprång' skildras också indirekt men däremot får man aldrig veta om inte också modern hade någon eller några relationer vid sidan om sin officiella relation med maken. Kanske en idealisering av Pamuk eller en snedvriden bild av fadern?

Orhan och broderns stridigheter, deras revirtänkande som utgörandes både en lek, allvar och ett sammansvetsande beteendemönster är också synnerligen väl skildrade. Ytterligare beskrivs också hans riktigt stora - första(?) - kärlek, den unga kvinna som han erbjuder sig att måla av och som han senare med stort besvär och mötandes många hinder, inleder en relation med. Denna relations utveckling byggs sakta upp under några sidor i boken men det blir aldrig långtråkigt utan mer en rar berättelse om ungdomlig blyg kärlek som också var omgärdad av hysch-hysch då omgivningen och traditionerna inte påbjöd att man för öppet visade sina känslor, en ung kvinna och ung man emellan.

Denna relation tar ett abrupt slut då hon skickas i väg för studier till Schweiz.

Pamuk skildrar även hans neddykande i den misär som är en del av Istanbul. Han vill även komma i kontakt med denna, kanske inspirerad av de franska författare och andra som tidigare besökte Istanbul och även skildrat fattigdomen, sjukdomarna, kriminaliteten och prostitutionen.

Han ger referenser till den store orientalisten Edward Said som han dock ger en mild skopa ovett för sina skildringar, så som jag uppfattar det.

Natur- och stadsskildringarna, miljöerna är också väl återgivna.

Bosporens inlopp, de stora fartygen som utgör en passion för honom, hans tecknande och målande, faderns uppskattande men samtidigt alltför lite uppfordrande komplimanger riktade till sonen oavsett vad denne företog sig, sätts i relation till moderns mer jordnära och kanske också mer realistiska uppmaningar om att försöka tänka på sin framtid vad gäller arbete och studier bl.a.

Fadern har ett större mått av laissez faire-attityd medan modern inte vill att sonen slösar bort sin tid på drömmerier som inte leder någon vart. Hon är mer pragmatisk, fadern ej så engagerad då hans arbete slukar mycket av hans tid och han uppenbarligen ej känner sig ha tid att engagera sig i sonens uppfostran och framtid.

På det hela taget fann jag denna bok mycket läsvärd och ser fram emot att läsa flera av Pamuks litterära alster.

(Foto Orhan Pamuk kopierad från:http://www.haberalp.com/m/?id=70751)
(Foto Istanbul. Minnen av en stad kopierad från: https://www.tradera.com/item/1110/349104383/orhan-pamuk-istanbul-minnen-av-en-stad-)

Doris Lessing

Now we know: Doris Lessing.

In the interview above she concluded that she had won almost all the litterary prizes there are in Europe but not the Nobel Prize. She ment that the Academy had to hurry before she died. I think it's a wonderful reaction and not the "Oh, my God, meeee, I'm-not-worth-it-reaction" one normally gets.

When I talked to people I know, there are few who have read her books and some doesn't even know who she is! This was surprising for me to hear.
Listening to interviews from a book shop in London I heard the reporter talk to people who didn't know who Doris Lessing is. Not even in her native country (I know she was born in Iran or Persia as it was called then).

"That epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny" was the descripiton of her as a writer delivered by Horace Engdahl, Secretary of the Swedish Academy.

She is the eleventh woman to be awarded the Noble Prize in litterature since 1901! This out of 99 laureates!

She is by many regarded as very important for women writers and their possibilities to become and remain authors.
She is also a commentator of current development in the world, seeking to find out what it is to be human.

Look at these links for more information about her:
http://www.dorislessing.org/biography.html

http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Lessing

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/2007/index.html

Nobel prize in litterature

Today, the 11th of October, The Swedish Academy will present to the world the laureate in litterature for 2007.

If one would try a guess judging from what continents the laureates of the last few years have originated from, I would say that this year it's time for an author from the African, South American or Asian continent.

Will there be a person who deals with questions concerning race, nationality and religious beliefs? Will there perhaps be a poet who is regarded being non-political?

Orhan Pamuk was regarded as a political author even though he didn't regard himself as one.
Elfriede Jelinek is also in many ways a political author and that goes for the dramatist (playwright) Harold Pinter.

Will there be a woman or a man? We will see at 1 pm.

(Photo Swedish Academy copied from: http://www.ullamontan.com/foton/portratt_sv_forfattare/svenska_akademien_2_l.jpg)

(Photo Orham Pamuk copied from: http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Books/Pix/authors/2007/05/29/pamuk460.jpg)

(Photo Elfriede Jelinek copied from: http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_krtpe6piS11qzn0deo1_400.jpg)
(Photo Harold Pinter copied from: http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45327000/jpg/_45327315_pinter7_bbc.jpg)

Uniformity in Swedish literature

In Sweden, as in many other countries, the discussions around what is 'good' literature, music, film or any other form of cultural expressions is a recurrent debate.

During the spring and summer 2007 this discussion has been made topical again.

It started already before the general election last year when a representative for the liberal party proposed that Sweden should adopt a canon of literature.

This canon had to be put together by different representatives from both the cultural 'elite' and other citizens interested in 'good' Swedish literature.

This proposition also included ideas of some kind of national identity within literature and it became a hotly debated suggestion.

The government earlier this year decided to abolish the support to The Swedish Institute concerning translation of Swedish literature into other languages.
This specific economic support totalled the amount of 2 mllion kronors (222 000€ or 285 700$), a subsidy hardly ruining the Swedish economy.

Now the government suggest that the financial support for something called A book for all (En Bok för Alla) also should be abolished. This is an institution in Sweden with the aim to make Swedish and other literature known to a larger public.

Instead a new 'literature centre' is supposed to be created and in principle do the same job as The Swedish Institute, namely distribute money to foreign publishing houses showing interest in translating Swedish literature into other languages. 
The Swedish Institute is going to promote international cultural exchange.

All this is surely fine but a problem with this idea could be that the work would be carried out by The Financing Institute of the Publishing Houses (my literate translation from Swedish Bokbranschens Finanseringsinstitut AB) a subsidiary to Svenska Förläggare Föreningen/'The Swedish Publisher's Association'. 
This is a special interest group/-organization representing the big publishing houses and it was from this organization the idea for this literature centre came.

Concerning the economic support aimed at translating Swedish literature, the memorandum from the government states that: 
"No difference between so called commercially negotiable book titles and what is not regardes as such" (my translation) should be made.

In this memorandum it is also said that an openness in this sense could lead to that foreign publishing houses would dare back up different kinds of authorship.

One problem is that if the above mentioned organization in Sweden is so tightly knit to the publishing houses and if it becomes their duty to distribute money for the translation of Swedish literature, it could lead to that foreign publishing houses only dare to risk money on the literature already being 'hot items'.

This would in turn lead to the same uniformity as we can see in Sweden at this very moment.

People do not seem interested in reading something intellectually challenging, they instead choose the more easy read literature - like 'easy listening'. 
This might be acceptable if it's the first encounter with literature, leading to other readings of different kinds but unfortunately it seems as if all to many people continue reading the same type of literature over and over again.

Another problem concerning literature is that one can find good Swedish literature in other countries translated to the native language of this very country but at the same time not find the same literature in Sweden - in Swedish!

My fiancée and I thought this was very obvious when visiting Paris last year and the book-/music- and DVD-store FNAC (among others). At FNAC (and elsewhere) we could find a number of Swedish high quality literature in French, literature we had not found in Sweden, in Swedish!

When it comes to culture (in the forms of literature, music, film and other expressions) Sweden is extremely bad in promoting these different areas both within the country and outside it. 
Through the Swedish Institute we promote the concept Sweden or the concept of certain Swedish cultural expressions but this is an image often 'smashed to pieces' when foreigners visit Sweden.

They think of Sweden as the country of August Strindberg, Selma Lagerlöf, Jussi Björling and Ingmar Bergman, the idea of the intellectually, culturally open-minded society - and it's not.

If we talk about IT, other technological areas and economy, Sweden has been much more succesful in promoting these sectors and that is because they generate more money in the short run but also more problems in the long run. These are also domains within society not having much problems applying for subsidies AND receiving them.

The 'money generating, consumerist factor' is more important than anything else for our politicians, decision makers and people in general. 
This is very much due to the fact that the 'materialistic thinking' is more developed in Sweden than in many other comparable countries at the expense of our historic cultural heritage, in a wide perspective.

Sweden has, unfortunately, become a culturally undeveloped country.

(Picture cover 'A History of Swedish Literature' copied from: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41qIofc5%2BoL.jpg)

Foto 'Then svenska Argus' kopierad från: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Then_Sv%C3%A4nska_Argus.png/220px-Then_Sv%C3%A4nska_Argus.png)

(Foto Kungliga biblioteket Stockholm, läsesalen kopierad från: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4698743229_7b191aa11d.jpg)