Recently in litterature russe Category

In the previous post, you could find the review of Vera by Internazionale, Italy, (No 895), which is a condensed version of the review of Vera 'L'ange et le possédé' by Astrid de Larminat, Le Figaro. Below is the full version of this review in French.

Un grand roman russe dont le héros est un mari torturé par le démon de la jalousie.

Un jour, un homme entre dans l'appartement de Nikolaï, un petit deux-pièces de l'époque kroutchevienne qu'il partage avec sa femme, Véra. Souriant, bien mis, l'homme vient rendre visite à Véra. Ils se parlent à voix basse, il lui embrasse furtivement les deux mains. Nikolaï les surprend mais se tait. Sergent Bertrand, c'est le nom du visiteur, revient, deux fois, trois fois. Nikolaï n'en peut plus. Il interroge sa femme, qui nie, ne comprend pas de quoi il parle. Alors Nikolaï frappe. « Véra pleurait et lui se retenait de toutes ses forces pour ne pas la frapper encore. En serrant les dents, il se contenta de la tirer par les cheveux et réussit à la relever. Elle était si belle. Il l'aimait tant. Si seulement, ne fût-ce qu'un instant, elle pouvait se représenter l'infinie douleur de son amour pour elle. »

Alexandre Skorobogatov force le lecteur à changer ses habitudes compassionnelles. Il le place d'emblée dans la peau et dans la tête d'un mari qui tabasse son épouse, en réalité parfaitement innocente. Du grand art : saisi d'effroi, on souffre néanmoins avec le bourreau de cette toute jeune femme, désarmante de bonne foi, de patience et de douceur, qui n'a qu'un défaut : sa beauté, une beauté céleste, qui affole les mauvais instincts.

Une beauté dangereuse

Comédienne, Véra passe ses journées au théâtre. Son salaire fait vivre le ménage. Nikolaï reste seul chez lui, il boit. Il est à la torture, en attendant le retour de sa femme, imaginant le pire. Parfois, Sergent Bertrand apparaît et lui tient compagnie. Oui, car en fait, depuis le début, c'est lui et non Véra que Sergent ­Bertrand vient visiter... Il parle à Nikolaï de sa femme, évoque sa beauté dangereuse. Il a la bouche humide, et il rit, il rit. Plus le roman avance et s'enfonce dans les ténèbres intérieures du personnage, plus ce rire devient envahissant, comme si le monde entier était une farce atroce.

Bien sûr, Nikolaï est fou. Il a quelques circonstances atténuantes : enfant, il fut témoin du meurtre d'une lycéenne dont il était amoureux ; lui-même a semble-t-il provoqué la mort de son fils... Il est fou, mais ses hallucinations finissent par se réaliser. Du moins, c'est ce que nous fait croire l'auteur qui glisse sans cesse d'un récit de vision ou de rêve à celui de la réalité, manipulant le lecteur comme Sergent Bertrand le pauvre Nikolaï. On en vient à ne plus chercher à distinguer le réel de la fantasmagorie. Cette distinction-là s'avère d'ailleurs secondaire. Le combat du mal contre le bien passe au premier plan. Le roman devient le lieu d'une dramaturgie dont Nikolaï et Véra ne sont que les jouets, un théâtre d'âmes mortes qui errent sur la terre, cherchant des proies parmi les vivants, de préférence parmi les plus désarmés, les garçons blessés, les jeunes femmes angéliques. Avec ce beau roman tragique, Skorobogatov, 45 ans, s'inscrit dans la grande tradition russe.

Véra d'Alexandre Skorobogatov, 

traduit du russe par Dany Savelli 

Autrement, 118 p., 14 €.

Astrid de Larminat, Le Figaro Livres, 14/05/2009

Read more press about scrittore russo Aleksandr Skorobogatov

Bernard Kreise, one of the greatest, if not the greatest French translator of Russian literature, told me that about 80% of all books being published in France, are translations of English-speaking, mainly American authors. Which means that all literature by local French authors and all translations from all other languages represent these residual 20%. 

What I found even more difficult to process, is a piece of statistics I found a couple of years ago on a site of some American publishing house. It said that from all titles published during that year in the US, -- which was an impressive amount of 180.000+ titles, -- only about 800 were foreign adult literature in translation.

I haven't studied this topic and can't confirm whether the figures are true. On the other hand, I don't see any reason for this publishing house to lie on its own pretty public website.

So I believed it. And I was stunned.

And although now, with almost 300.000 'new titles and editions' a year in USA, number of all foreign books in translation (where 'all' means not only adult literature, but every possible kind of published book) has reached 3% of all 'new titles and editions', -- I'm still stunned. 

I simply cannot imagine that the American reader deliberately chooses such a degree of cultural isolation and is so fanatically focused on domestic literature only. That doesn't exist as it goes against the human nature. Every one of us in every single aspect of his / her life seeks diversity. That's what makes our live so colorful and enchanting.

Then how can I place these ridiculous and absurd 800 (then) and 3% (now) translations a year?

Are the US publishers to blame? Are they being too cautious? Are they going for cheaper publications, as a translated book costs more that a regular one? Do they see their domestic readers as a bunch of morons, only capable to consume the literary equivalent of "Transformers"? Or rather as a bunch of cultural lazybones, grabbing exclusively for familiar and habitual, "as seen on TV", "recommended by Oprah", etc? 

I don't know. But somehow I believe this latter is the reason. 

Yes, translated books are considerably more expensive than native ones, whose real cost is approx. 15% of its store price.

And yes, it's way more difficult to sell a new name, an unknown writer, and not only in the US but everywhere in the world.

These are the major cons in the times of the blockbusterization of literature, i.e. in our modern times.

But consider this. 

Vladimir Nabokov, one of all times brightest authors, was a Russian and therefore also Eastern European writer. A great author even before 'Lolita', Nabokov was pretty much unknown. He called his fame in those times: 'broadly known in small circles'.

All American publishers approached by Nabokov, refused to publish 'Lolita'.

Then 'Lolita' was published in France, got surrounded by a considerable scandal with a number of court injunctions against the book, became infamous and eventually famous, -- and only after that published in the US.

If you remove this scandal around 'Lolita', the wide world would probably never know this Russian writer, the embodiment of the so-called 'difficult', 'elite' literature, which is simply good literature. The only literature the reader deserves, no matter where it comes from -- West or East, North or South.

And although I understand the reason of publishing houses becoming merely commercial enterprises, run by managers and chasing blockbusters to the prejudice of any artistic values, it could mean that a new Nabokov would never be discovered and published.

Read more about scrittore russo Aleksandr Skorobogatov

For all of us waiting for Sergeant Bertrand in Greece: the book is set to arrive to Greece this Autumn, November 1st. 

The novel has been translated about two years ago (by brilliant Alexandra Ioannidou (Αλεξάνδρα Ιωαννίδου)) in the midst of the economic crises, undoubtedly the worst times for the whole international publishing industry in decennia. Lots of publishing houses all over the world had to close their doors, some were forced to merge, loosing their precious indi status, while the lucky ones were able to survive and maintain their independence, but were unable to sustain their pre-crisis publishing volumes, -- as the readers just stopped buying books. And the hard times are not over quite yet. 

Anyways, here is Sergeant Bertrand's page on the site of Kastaniotis Editions, for years the most productive and respectful Greek publishing house:

http://www.kastaniotis.com/book/978-960-03-5037-1

Looking for 'Véra' by Alexandre Skorobogatov online?

Here are some great places to buy this book in French online. 

CANADA:

http://www.amazon.ca/VÉRA-ALEXANDRE-SKOROBOGATOV/dp/2746712644/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303133157&sr=1-1

http://www.librairiepantoute.com/livre.asp?id=pzpzabugsaab&/vera/alexandre-skorobogatov/9782746712645

FRANCE:

http://www.amazon.de/Véra-Alexandre-Skorobogatov/dp/2746712644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books-intl-de&qid=1303133803&sr=8-1

ITALY:

Read more about scrittore russo Aleksandr Skorobogatov