What do you think?
Vespri
Ir-ritorn tant mistenni ta' Trevor Żahra
Niġri bil-karozza wara mara li qatt ma rajt …
Inħallihom ilaqqgħuni ma' għarusa li ma nafx …
Nikteb ittra u nimpustaha ġo lapida ta' ċimiterju …
Noħlom li ndoqq pjanu li ma jridx jindaqq …
Inbakkar nixtri l-gazzetta biex naqra l-aħbarijiet minn għajnejn Susanna …
Nara lili nnifsi fi programm dirett fuq it-televixin waqt li jiena m'iniex hemm …
Nilmaħha tiġri mat-triqat ħdax-il sena wara mewtha …
Nibża' mill-bhima li missieri jrid jimmansa …
Nitkexkex mill-pjagi ta' San Franġisk mitluq waħdu taħt l-għajn …
Trevor Żahra jirritorna b'ġabra ġdida ta' rakkonti li fihom ir-realtà titħallat mal-ħolm, it-tbissim jintiseġ mal-uġigħ, in-normali jiżżewweġ mal-bizzarr u l-passat jimxi id f'id mal-preżent. U lkoll flimkien ikantaw is-salmi tal-Vespri qabel ma l-lejl jonfoħ fuq il-fjamma dgħajfa tax-xemx u taqa' d-dalma.
Niġri bil-karozza wara mara li qatt ma rajt …
Inħallihom ilaqqgħuni ma' għarusa li ma nafx …
Nikteb ittra u nimpustaha ġo lapida ta' ċimiterju …
Noħlom li ndoqq pjanu li ma jridx jindaqq …
Inbakkar nixtri l-gazzetta biex naqra l-aħbarijiet minn għajnejn Susanna …
Nara lili nnifsi fi programm dirett fuq it-televixin waqt li jiena m'iniex hemm …
Nilmaħha tiġri mat-triqat ħdax-il sena wara mewtha …
Nibża' mill-bhima li missieri jrid jimmansa …
Nitkexkex mill-pjagi ta' San Franġisk mitluq waħdu taħt l-għajn …
Trevor Żahra jirritorna b'ġabra ġdida ta' rakkonti li fihom ir-realtà titħallat mal-ħolm, it-tbissim jintiseġ mal-uġigħ, in-normali jiżżewweġ mal-bizzarr u l-passat jimxi id f'id mal-preżent. U lkoll flimkien ikantaw is-salmi tal-Vespri qabel ma l-lejl jonfoħ fuq il-fjamma dgħajfa tax-xemx u taqa' d-dalma.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2015
About the author
Trevor Żahra
68 books88 followersTrevor Żahra, twieled iż-Żejtun fis-16 ta’ Diċembru 1947; bin Walter u Ġuża nee Caruana. Trevor huwa t-tielet minn erba’ aħwa. Huwa studja fl-iskola Sekondarja Teknika ta’ Raħal Ġdid u s-Sitt Klassi fil-Liċeo. Fl-1966 daħal jaħdem għal żmien qasir mal-istazzjoni tat-TV lokali, bħala script writer. Kien ukoll jipproduċi programmi għat-tfal u jagħmel xogħol ta’ Presentation Officer. Fl-1967 daħal il-Kulleġġ ta’ l-Għalliema fejn wara kors ta’ sentejn beda jgħallem il-Malti u l-Arti fl-iskejjel sekondarji. Illum huwa jinsab irtirat wara karriera ta’ 33 sena.
Trevor iżżewweg lil Stella nee Agius fl-1971 u kellhom żewgt itfal: Ruben u Marija. Stella mietet fl-1989 u llum Trevor huwa armel. Ta’ eta’ żgħira beda jinteressa ruħu fil-kitba u l-Arti. Ippubblika l-ewwel poeżiji tiegħu f’The Children’s Own, fil-ġurnal Il-Berqa u f’għadd ta’ rivisti. Bejn is-7 snin u d-19-il sena kien membru tal-Azzjoni Kattolika taż-Żejtun, fejn bħala tifel kien attiv ħafna fil-palk, jirreċta, ipinġi x-xenarju u jikteb il-fares, idoqq fi grupp ta’ mużika pop kif ukoll kien jeditja rivista ċkejkna bejn il-membri. Fost l-ewwel kitba tiegħu li għad fadal minn dan il-perijodu nsibu Il-Praspar ta’ Kunċett u Marinton li bosta minnhom Żahra kitibhom meta kien fir-raba’ sena ta’ l-iskola sekondarja.
Fl-1971 ippubblika l-ewwel ktieb tiegħu, Il-Pulena tad-Deheb. Dan il-ktieb kiseb suċċess immedjat u Żahra minnufih inxteħet fil-qasam tal-kitba għat-tfal b’impenn kbir. Iżda huwa qatt ma waqaf mill-kitba adulta. Fl-1972 ippubblika l-ġabra ta’ poeżiji Eden. Fl-1973 ippubblika l-ewwel rumanz tiegħu Is-Surmast, rumanz li għoxrin sena wara Żahra adattah għall-palk . Fl-1974, ippubblika r-rumanz Taħt il-Weraq tal-Palm li kien rebaħ l-ewwel premju f’konkors imniedi mill-Klabb Kotba Maltin. Minn dak iż-żmien ’l hawn Żahra baqa’ jippubblika simultanjament kemm kotba għat-tfal kif ukoll għall-kbar. Żahra ppubblika l-ewwel workbooks f’Malta għat-tfal għat-tagħlim tal-Malti. Il-kotba tiegħu, bejn kotba ċkejknin għat-tfal iż-żgħar, traduzzjonijiet kif ukoll letteratura għall-kbar, llum ilaħħqu ’l fuq minn 130.
Żahra huwa rebbieħ ta’ bosta premjijiet letterarji prestiġjużi; biżżejjed insemmu li għal 13-il darba kellu kotba rebbieħa fil-Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb. F’Diċembru 2004, l-Eċċ.T. il-President ta’ Malta iddekorah bil-Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika bħala rikonoxximent għall-ħidma tiegħu b’riżq il-letteratura għat-tfal. F’Ottubru 2008, huwa rebaħ it-taqsima “Arti u Divertiment” tal-Johnnie Walker Man of the Year.
Żahra kiteb ukoll diversi xogħlijiet għall-palk, kemm għat-tfal kif ukoll għall-kbar. Ħafna mnn dawn ix-xogħlijiet, jinsabu f’dan is-sit fit-taqsima Reċti. Id-dramm tiegħu Is-Surmast (ibbażat fuq ir-rumanz fl-istess isem) ittella’ fit-Teatru Manoel fl-1994 u fl-1995, kif ukoll fit-Teatru tal-Univisersità fl-2009. Id-dramm Ħanut tal-Ħelu, ittella’ wkoll fit-Teatru Manoel fl-1995. Id-dramm Minn Wara ż-Żipp ittella’ fit-Teatru Manoel fl-2007 u fit-Teatru tal-Università fl-2008. Għal aktar dettalji ara t-taqsima Kotba.
Żahra attenda wkoll diversi seminars barra minn Malta, fosthom fil-Fillandja, l-Awstrija, il-Ġermanja u l-Greċja. Fil-Ġermanja huwa ta workshops lil grupp ta’ tfal Taljani, Ġermaniżi u Maltin dwar il-kitba kreattiva. Minbarra li huwa impenjat bis-sħiħ bil-kotba tiegħu, Żahra huwa attiv sewwa fil-qasam kulturali, iżur ħafna skejjel fejn ikellem lit-tfal, lill-ġenerituri u l-għalliema dwar l-importanza tal-qari, u jmexxi korsijiet dwar is-sengħa tal-kitba.
Trevor iżżewweg lil Stella nee Agius fl-1971 u kellhom żewgt itfal: Ruben u Marija. Stella mietet fl-1989 u llum Trevor huwa armel. Ta’ eta’ żgħira beda jinteressa ruħu fil-kitba u l-Arti. Ippubblika l-ewwel poeżiji tiegħu f’The Children’s Own, fil-ġurnal Il-Berqa u f’għadd ta’ rivisti. Bejn is-7 snin u d-19-il sena kien membru tal-Azzjoni Kattolika taż-Żejtun, fejn bħala tifel kien attiv ħafna fil-palk, jirreċta, ipinġi x-xenarju u jikteb il-fares, idoqq fi grupp ta’ mużika pop kif ukoll kien jeditja rivista ċkejkna bejn il-membri. Fost l-ewwel kitba tiegħu li għad fadal minn dan il-perijodu nsibu Il-Praspar ta’ Kunċett u Marinton li bosta minnhom Żahra kitibhom meta kien fir-raba’ sena ta’ l-iskola sekondarja.
Fl-1971 ippubblika l-ewwel ktieb tiegħu, Il-Pulena tad-Deheb. Dan il-ktieb kiseb suċċess immedjat u Żahra minnufih inxteħet fil-qasam tal-kitba għat-tfal b’impenn kbir. Iżda huwa qatt ma waqaf mill-kitba adulta. Fl-1972 ippubblika l-ġabra ta’ poeżiji Eden. Fl-1973 ippubblika l-ewwel rumanz tiegħu Is-Surmast, rumanz li għoxrin sena wara Żahra adattah għall-palk . Fl-1974, ippubblika r-rumanz Taħt il-Weraq tal-Palm li kien rebaħ l-ewwel premju f’konkors imniedi mill-Klabb Kotba Maltin. Minn dak iż-żmien ’l hawn Żahra baqa’ jippubblika simultanjament kemm kotba għat-tfal kif ukoll għall-kbar. Żahra ppubblika l-ewwel workbooks f’Malta għat-tfal għat-tagħlim tal-Malti. Il-kotba tiegħu, bejn kotba ċkejknin għat-tfal iż-żgħar, traduzzjonijiet kif ukoll letteratura għall-kbar, llum ilaħħqu ’l fuq minn 130.
Żahra huwa rebbieħ ta’ bosta premjijiet letterarji prestiġjużi; biżżejjed insemmu li għal 13-il darba kellu kotba rebbieħa fil-Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb. F’Diċembru 2004, l-Eċċ.T. il-President ta’ Malta iddekorah bil-Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika bħala rikonoxximent għall-ħidma tiegħu b’riżq il-letteratura għat-tfal. F’Ottubru 2008, huwa rebaħ it-taqsima “Arti u Divertiment” tal-Johnnie Walker Man of the Year.
Żahra kiteb ukoll diversi xogħlijiet għall-palk, kemm għat-tfal kif ukoll għall-kbar. Ħafna mnn dawn ix-xogħlijiet, jinsabu f’dan is-sit fit-taqsima Reċti. Id-dramm tiegħu Is-Surmast (ibbażat fuq ir-rumanz fl-istess isem) ittella’ fit-Teatru Manoel fl-1994 u fl-1995, kif ukoll fit-Teatru tal-Univisersità fl-2009. Id-dramm Ħanut tal-Ħelu, ittella’ wkoll fit-Teatru Manoel fl-1995. Id-dramm Minn Wara ż-Żipp ittella’ fit-Teatru Manoel fl-2007 u fit-Teatru tal-Università fl-2008. Għal aktar dettalji ara t-taqsima Kotba.
Żahra attenda wkoll diversi seminars barra minn Malta, fosthom fil-Fillandja, l-Awstrija, il-Ġermanja u l-Greċja. Fil-Ġermanja huwa ta workshops lil grupp ta’ tfal Taljani, Ġermaniżi u Maltin dwar il-kitba kreattiva. Minbarra li huwa impenjat bis-sħiħ bil-kotba tiegħu, Żahra huwa attiv sewwa fil-qasam kulturali, iżur ħafna skejjel fejn ikellem lit-tfal, lill-ġenerituri u l-għalliema dwar l-importanza tal-qari, u jmexxi korsijiet dwar is-sengħa tal-kitba.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 10, 2021
Review of the English translation :
If one lives in Malta, the possibility of reading a Trevor Żahra book is quite high. Żahra is a prolific author and has written books all ages, ranging from school books to novels for adults. Adding to his repertoire, there’s also plays and poems.
Vespers is his second work to be translated into English, following the bawdy novel The Secret Life of Nanna Ġenoveffa. It’s a 37 strong short story collection. As translator Clare Vassallo states in her foreward, her aim with these stories is to capture the many voices of Żahra and she does pull this off.
When faced with so many short stories, there are two ways to approach them, one is to dip into them occasionally or read them as one whole. It is definitely more rewarding to do the latter as the reader gets an idea of all the themes in this collection.
As vespers are evening songs, it’s no surprise that music plays a role in these stories: Letter to my Uncle is a great revenge piece and a jab at musical snobbery, A Piano is a touching story about how a piano awakens an old man’s memories, Four in the Morning also features a piano but this is an askew ghost story, The Reed Flute concerns said instrument as a legacy of sorts.
Other stories are about the farcical nature of humankind. Patrick is the best of the lot examining how perceptions and reality are totally different, The Play is a humorous look at village life and Needles and Pins is a great look at how old age can deceive.
Then there are the outliers: Redhead is a twisty story with a punch at the end, Collections is interesting and Last Night we had a Power Cut proves that Trevor Żahra can do experimental short pieces as well ad Love inthe Time of Cholera is all about South American literature and mimcs the the style, something which I thought was clever.
Obviously not every story works but this will be a matter of preference. In my case Jesabel’s sexist satire is a good idea but doesn’t really take off. I’m also trying my hardest to remember An Island of Dates and Stone and Clay but they didn’t stick. As stated there are 37 stories so it’s up to the reader’s tastes.
One thing I like when reading translated works is when the culture of a country is captured. Trevor Żahra’s stories encapsulate maltese culture ; our rites and rituals ranging from the village feasts, food and our pastimes. Having documented Malta in different books, Trevor Żahra does not offer a biased view. All aspects of Malta’s island life are documented perfectly.
Vespers works on many levels: the translation is good, the stories, for the most part are entertaining and for someone who cannot read Maltese, it is a good reason why Trevor Żahra has a legacy.
If one lives in Malta, the possibility of reading a Trevor Żahra book is quite high. Żahra is a prolific author and has written books all ages, ranging from school books to novels for adults. Adding to his repertoire, there’s also plays and poems.
Vespers is his second work to be translated into English, following the bawdy novel The Secret Life of Nanna Ġenoveffa. It’s a 37 strong short story collection. As translator Clare Vassallo states in her foreward, her aim with these stories is to capture the many voices of Żahra and she does pull this off.
When faced with so many short stories, there are two ways to approach them, one is to dip into them occasionally or read them as one whole. It is definitely more rewarding to do the latter as the reader gets an idea of all the themes in this collection.
As vespers are evening songs, it’s no surprise that music plays a role in these stories: Letter to my Uncle is a great revenge piece and a jab at musical snobbery, A Piano is a touching story about how a piano awakens an old man’s memories, Four in the Morning also features a piano but this is an askew ghost story, The Reed Flute concerns said instrument as a legacy of sorts.
Other stories are about the farcical nature of humankind. Patrick is the best of the lot examining how perceptions and reality are totally different, The Play is a humorous look at village life and Needles and Pins is a great look at how old age can deceive.
Then there are the outliers: Redhead is a twisty story with a punch at the end, Collections is interesting and Last Night we had a Power Cut proves that Trevor Żahra can do experimental short pieces as well ad Love inthe Time of Cholera is all about South American literature and mimcs the the style, something which I thought was clever.
Obviously not every story works but this will be a matter of preference. In my case Jesabel’s sexist satire is a good idea but doesn’t really take off. I’m also trying my hardest to remember An Island of Dates and Stone and Clay but they didn’t stick. As stated there are 37 stories so it’s up to the reader’s tastes.
One thing I like when reading translated works is when the culture of a country is captured. Trevor Żahra’s stories encapsulate maltese culture ; our rites and rituals ranging from the village feasts, food and our pastimes. Having documented Malta in different books, Trevor Żahra does not offer a biased view. All aspects of Malta’s island life are documented perfectly.
Vespers works on many levels: the translation is good, the stories, for the most part are entertaining and for someone who cannot read Maltese, it is a good reason why Trevor Żahra has a legacy.
March 11, 2023
B'din il-ġabra Trevor Żahra jkompli jħalli l-marka tiegħu fuq il-letteratura Maltija. Dan għax b'kapaċità jlaqqa' r-reali mal-ħolm u affarijiet strambi. Ġabra ta' novelli li għalkemm xi kultant anke surreali, jħalli fil-qarrej esperjenzi umani, tiġrib, uġigħ, mumenti koroh imma anke sbieħ li nġarrbu lkoll. Il-Malti miktub huwa wieħed mexxej u li jasal għand kulħadd. Ideali li jinqara minn żgħażagħ ta' sittax-il sena 'l fuq għax fih wieħed isib temi sensittivi.
July 13, 2016
Excellent novels by Zahra, forever honing his skills
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews