The Mookse and the Gripes discussion
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Peirene Press
Thanks for adding. I have been a subscriber for the last couple of years and their Soviet Milk from 2018 made the RoC Longlist and is on the shortlist of 3 for the EBRD prize. They do tend to be quite light novels (Soviet Milk is actually atypical in that respect) but they are usually excellent.
50p from each book bought direct is also donated to charity, and they do a lot of direct work with refugees such as it the Shatila camp in Lebanon.
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They also have just started a new area for subscribers with some exclusive content - e.g. opportunity to put questions to authors.
This sounds wonderful, I love the series. Yet another subscription I must have. Thanks, Louise.
All titles written/translated by women for half price, only today:https://www.peirenepress.com/shop/
Tommi wrote: "All titles written/translated by women for half price, only today:https://www.peirenepress.com/shop/"
ooooooh!!!!
Tommi wrote: "All titles written/translated by women for half price, only today:https://www.peirenepress.com/shop/"
Argh! I missed it! I don’t mind paying full price since I want to support the press, but the overseas shipping would have made the deal a nice break.
I’m torn between a subscription or a series. The books are so attractively bound and the series is great marketing idea, I want them all!
WndyJW wrote: "I’m torn between a subscription or a series. The books are so attractively bound and the series is great marketing idea, I want them all!"I bought all the ones I could from Peirene and those that were out of stock I found on Abe Books. I have the whole collection now plus a new subscription. They are attractively bound and so far the content is quite good as well.
I’m envious, I need to help a friend with a rather large expense than I will reward my own generosity with a subscription.
So I bought the 2018 series on the understanding that these were novellas that could be read in two hours, I don't know how fast they think their customers can read, but I got three novels, each of about 200 pages of pretty small, dense type. Normally I estimate my reading at about 30 pages an hour unless there are heaps of blank pages or dialogue. Am I pitifully slow?
I am not sure about the two hour thing, and in any case reading speed varies not just by reader but also my content and they might be better referring to page/word count. E.g. I spent longer reading some 100 page novellas this year than I did on the 1000+ pages of Ducks, because in the former case I spent time lingering over the sentences and the writing, whereas Ducks one could skim read most of it.
One small issue I do have with Peirene - and I am a subscriber and big fan generally - is that there have been a couple of cases recently where the English translation has been cut down from the original to fit their model of bite size books.
One of those was Soviet Milk from the 2018 translation (see my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) which seems to have been simplified a little (almost Readers Digest style), and even in the cutdown form I would agree is not a two-hour book.
Another was the 2019 Faces on the Tip of My Tongue. The English version is 115 pages and is a two-hourish book. But the original was around three times the length - it's a collection of connected short stories set in the same rural area and the publisher and translator worked with the original author to come up with a particularly-connected subset that met their single-sitting target.
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That two hour thing is, I believe, a quote from a critic in the first year or two of Peirene's publishing. To the press owner and people she knows it seems normal enough so they haven't questioned it.
( I said the other week that most professional critics probably read quite fast; the acceptance of this strapline has been a datapoint behind my assumption for a few years.)
Antonomasia wrote: "That two hour thing is, I believe, a quote from a critic in the first year or two of Peirene's publishing."Their website says: "We only publish books of less than 200 pages that can be read in the same time it takes to watch a film."
Paul wrote: "One small issue I do have with Peirene - and I am a subscriber and big fan generally - is that there have been a couple of cases recently where the English translation has been cut down from the original to fit their model of bite size books."
That is a worry. It actually makes me want to send the books back without bothering to read them. I certainly can't imagine I will buy any more of their books.
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“Two-hour books to be devoured in a single sitting: literary cinema for those fatigued by film.” Madeline Clements in the TLS, 2010.
They used to use the exact quote on their site, sounds as if they have now paraphrased it.
The 2 hour books description not being accurate doesn’t bother me, I knew it meant only that they don’t publish long books, but I’m very concerned about English translations being abridged. It’s rather insulting to English language readers. I had planned on subscribing to Peirene, but not if they short change us.
I have initiated the product return process and will steer well clear of Peirene Press in the future.
Oh dear I didn’t want to put people off.The Soviet Milk comments were based on a sample translation vs the same chapter in the final book, and I haven’t compared to the original. It is possible the original translation was glossed.
The original author herself was involved in the curated selection of the story collection.
And I don’t know of other examples.
I suspect there are more changes made in translation generally than we realise though not just here, as the book does go through another editing process, and at sentence level at least explanations may be added (footnotes tend to be less satisfying) and sometimes detail simplified. There is a strong argument that a good translation should be based on the end result in English not fidelity to the original, particularly where the original author is involved.
Murakami’s early novels are some of the clearest examples. The translators of The Wind Up Bird Chronicle cut quite a lot of material (whole chapters) with Murakami’s consent. I still hope for an unabridged version at some point.
MisterHobgoblin wrote: "I have initiated the product return process and will steer well clear of Peirene Press in the future."That's a shame. They have produced some really good books. I have started reading them from the beginning and am about halfway through the collection and I have loved almost every one.
I’m glad you said that, Paul. I trust a translation by a respected translator, especially if the author is involved, not that I am any judge of a good or bad translation, so my faith in Peirene is restored. I would like to know why a translator would omit whole chapters though.
MisterHobgoblin, why are you returning the books if the books are about 200 pages of very good reading? Does the time involved put you off or do you feel they intentionally misled you?
WndyJW wrote: "MisterHobgoblin, why are you returning the books if the books are about 200 pages of very good reading? Does the time involved put you off or do you feel they intentionally misled you?"It is the idea that the texts have been abridged to fit within an arbitrary page limit. I know this might be more common than we'd imagine - and I know I have said of some novels that they needed a damn good edit - but I just feel like I no longer have confidence in the integrity of the novels. I do feel the length issue has been misrepresented and had I known these were full length novels I am unlikely to have ordered six of them - more likely to have gone for one or two - but that's not the reason for the return.
And I feel a little aggrieved that I'll have to pay for the return postage - bit look on this as $120 saved rather than $10 wasted.
On short story collections generally in translation, they are often not direct copies of the original but often curated from more than one original source, so the approach here isn’t at all unusual. While the original story collection was connected in the sense of a similar setting, by choosing a subset with more explicit connections (recurring characters or incidents) it actually makes for a tighter and more fascinating book.
I hope that they didn’t abridge only to keep a book under 200 pgs, that they looked for short books to publish rather than shorten books they wanted to publish. I’m starting Mr Darwin's Gardener (with the rather suggestive cover
) right now. I’ll let you know if it’s good. Let’s see if it’s two hours to read...time me....starting now..
I've just started their first book of 2020 Snow, Dog, Foot. Very good so far - and importantly by the first winner of the Peirene Stevns Prize for Emerging Translators, generously endowed by Martha Stevns, where the winner receives both a commission to translate a selected book, but also mentorship and a residency in the Pyrenees. The 2020 Prize is open for entries now (https://www.peirenepress.com/prize/) with entrants competing to translate the Swedish short story collection Nordisk fauna by Andrea Lundgren.
The prize was delayed a little this year, as the original publishers of the first book that was planned to be translated by the prize winner pulled out of the deal, as they demanded the translation was by an experienced translator: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/pe...
I guess understandable in one sense, but it did prompt an excellent twitter thread at the time of various now-well-known translators naming their first published translation, showcasing a number of bestsellers and award winners among them (e.g. the first MBI). And given the winner was last time selected from 70 entrants, based on a sample translation of the book concerned, and then closely mentored by an experienced translator and editor, in practice - as the 2019 winner is demonstrating - the resulting translation is likely to be of very high quality.
At the risk of reopening a debate which backfired a little last time (I'm a Peirene fan but succeeded in putting people off them), interesting interview with the translators of Faces on the Tip of My Tongue which addresses both the editing down of the original, but also (my pet peeve) the change in title from the original:https://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/lite...
I think only one person was put off Peirene and he was already not happy with them. Most of us, I believe, buy books because we trust the author or the publisher. I still trust Peirene to know what they’re doing. I assume the editors and publishers know which books couldn’t be skillfully edited to meet their mission statement and which books to pass on.
I read The Mussell Feast a little while ago and was very impressed. I've been trying to look at their catalogue to check out more of their offers, but I can't seem to scroll their "all books" and "series" bar (their web page just won't render properly for my browsers on iOS and OSX.)Do they have a plain text catalogue of their books somewhere so I can manually search and check out what they are about?
The website has always worked fine for me. But Wikipedia has a list for example just missing their most recent book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peirene...
I think there are lists on Goodreads as well
Thanks Paul.I suspect my ad blockers setting are to blame if multiple browsers are having the same issue.
I find their website difficult to navigate as well but I absolutely love their books. I have the entire collection that I am slowly reading my way through. I`m on #15 (plus I have read a few more recent ones). I have printed up the list from Wikipedia for easy reference:2010 - Female Voice
Beside the Sea by Véronique Olmi (translated from the French by Adriana Hunter)
Stone in a Landslide by Maria Barbal (translated from the Catalan: Laura McGloughlin and Paul Mitchell)
Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman by Friedrich Christian Delius (translated from the German: Jamie Bulloch)
2011 - Male Dilemma
Next World Novella by Matthias Politycki (translated from the German: Anthea Bell)
Tomorrow Pamplona by Jan van Mersbergen (translated from the Dutch: Laura Watkinson)
Maybe This Time by Alois Hotschnig (translated from the Austrian German: Tess Lewis)
2012 - Small Epic
The Brothers by Asko Sahlberg (translated from the Finnish: Fleur Jeremiah and Emily Jeremiah)
The Murder of Halland by Pia Juul (translated from the Danish: Martin Aitken)
Sea of Ink by Richard Weihe (translated from the German: Jamie Bulloch)
2013 - Turning Point
The Mussel Feast by Birgit Vanderbeke (translated from the German: Jamie Bulloch)
Mr Darwin's Gardener by Kristina Carlson (translated from the Finnish: Emily Jeremiah and Fleur Jeremiah)
Chasing the King of Hearts by Hanna Krall (translated from the Polish: Philip Boehm)
2014 - Coming of Age
The Dead Lake by Hamid Ismailov (translated from the Russian: Andrew Bromfield)
The Blue Room by Hanne Ørstavik (translated from the Norwegian: Deborah Dawkin)
Under The Tripoli Sky by Kamal Ben Hameda (translated from the French: Adriana Hunter)
2015 - Chance Encounter
White Hunger by Aki Ollikainen (translated from the Finnish: Fleur Jeremiah and Emily Jeremiah)
Reader for Hire by Raymond Jean (translated from the French: Adriana Hunter)
The Looking-Glass Sisters by Gøhril Gabrielsen (translated from the Norwegian: John Irons)
2016 - Fairy Tale
The Man I Became by Peter Verhelst (translated from the Dutch: by David Colmer)
Her Father's Daughter by Marie Sizun (translated from the French: Adriana Hunter)
The Empress and the Cake by Linda Stift (translated from the Austrian German: Jamie Bulloch)
2017 - East and West
The Last Summer by Ricarda Huch (translated from the German: Jamie Bulloch)
The Orange Grove by Larry Tremblay (translated from the French: Sheila Fischman)
Dance by the Canal by Kerstin Hensel (translated from the German: Jen Calleja)
2018 - Home in Exile
Soviet Milk by Nora Ikstena (translated from the Latvian: Margita Gailitis)
Shadows on the Tundra by Dalia Grinkevičiutė (translated from the Lithuanian: Delija Valiukenas)
And the Wind Sees All by Guđmundur Andri Thorsson (translated from the Icelandic: Bjørg Arnadottir) and Andrew Cauthery
2019 - There Be Monsters
Children of the Cave by Virve Sammalkorpi (translated from the Finnish: Emily Jeremiah & Fleur Jeremiah)
You Would Have Missed Me by Birgit Vanderbeke (translated from the German: Jamie Bulloch)
Faces on the Tip of My Tongue by Emmanuelle Pagano (translated from the French: Jennifer Higgins and Sophie Lewis)
2020 - Closed Universe Series
Snow, Dog, Foot by Claudio Morandini (translated from the Italian: J Orkenden)
Ankomst by Gøhril Gabrielsen (translated from the Norwegian: Deborah Dawkin)
The Pear Field by Nana Ekvtimishvili (translated from the Georgian: Elizabeth Heighway)
Thanks Louise, you saved me a few clicks :p
I like that they group books by theme and there’s a number I hope to get when my TBR is more manageable.
Their first volume of 2021 is now up on Book Depository sans cover art.https://www.bookdepository.com/Nordic...
Nordic Fauna
18 Feb 2021
Excellent - that's the one that was winner of the Peirene Stevns Prize for Emerging Translators
Nordic Fauna sounds very good, thanks Sappho-reader..
2021 list released:https://mailchi.mp/peirenepress/octob...
Peirene No.34 Nordic Fauna by Andrea Lundgren
Translated from the Swedish by Peirene Stevns Prize winner John Litell
Released to subscribers December 2020, Published February 2021,
Nordisk fauna
Peirene No. 35 Yesterday by Juan Emar
Translated from the Spanish by Megan McDowell
Released to subscribers in April 2021, published in June 2021
Ayer
Peirene No. 36 Winter Flowers by Angélique Villeneuve
Translated from the French by Adriana Hunter
Released to subscribers in July 2021, published in October 2021
Les Fleurs d'hiver
Added links to the original versions of each
I already sent in my subscription for 2021. I LOVE Peirene Press!
Just a word that RoC's book for January will be a peirene one
It will indeed. I must admit while I love the RoC bookclub I have had a c 1 in 3 duplicate rate so far either from subscriptions or books I'd already pre-ordered.
I read 3 of the 6 Peirene books I have this month and I have enjoyed each of them. This is definitely a press one can trust. I wish it hadn’t been years since others read Mr Darwin's Gardener.
Yes it's consistently of high quality and reading their books often gives one a 1-book headstart on the International Booker.They appeared in 2021, 2020, 2016 and from the IFFP incarnation 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011.
Which is pretty good from 3 books a year!
The Mookse and the Gripes
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https://www.peirenepress.com/
Quoting from their website (which says it better than I can):
Peirene Press is an award-winning boutique publishing house, specialising in contemporary European novellas and short novels in English translation. We only publish books of less than 200 pages that can be read in the same time it takes to watch a film. We pride ourselves on publishing truly big stories in small packages.
We seek out the best of European fiction, producing high-quality first-translations of European best sellers. We work with international agents and publishers to bring our readers truly original books, exposing them to new authors and unfamiliar worlds.
Our books are beautifully designed paperback editions, using only the best paper from sustainable British sources. They are affordable, timeless collector items.
I do love the idea of shorter books that I can easily squeeze in between bigger reads. I just read their very first book Beside the Sea and was blown away.