Георги Господинов и "Физика на тъгата"
The
Physics of Sorrow (Paperback)
By Georgi
Gospodinov, Angela Rodel (Translator)
The Physics of Sorrow, by Bulgarian author Georgi
Gospodinov, is a chimeric work. It is a strange beast of a memoir, mixed with
observations and family legend, that is more than the sum of its parts.
Centered around the myth of another bestial mix, the minotaur, it seems
appropriate that Gospodinov's ruminations should digress and wander, pursuing
the twists and turns of memory, all while seeking the center of the labyrinth:
the creature at the heart, the heart of the creature. And if this sounds heavy,
don't worry. Gospodinov's writing is light and humorous, directed toward the
self without being self-absorbed, wandering through the foreign country of his
own past, marveling at its strangeness. -- Chris P. (Oakland)
Description
"Georgi Gospodinov wants to blow your mind--or
maybe just provide the ultimate bathroom reader. . . . The formal playfulness
suggests Kundera with A.D.D. and potty jokes."--Ed Park, "The Village
Voice"
A finalist for both the Strega Europeo and Gregor von
Rezzori awards (and winner of every Bulgarian honor possible), "The
Physics of Sorrow" reaffirms Georgi Gospodinov's place as one of Europe's
most inventive and daring writers.
Using the myth of the Minotaur as its organizing
image, the narrator of Gospodinov's long-awaited novel constructs a labyrinth
of stories about his family, jumping from era to era and viewpoint to
viewpoint, exploring the mindset and trappings of Eastern Europeans. Incredibly
moving--such as with the story of his grandfather accidentally being left
behind at a mill--and extraordinarily funny--see the section on the awfulness
of the question "how are you?"--"Physics" is a book that
you can inhabit, tracing connections, following the narrator down various
"side passages," getting pleasantly lost in the various stories and
empathizing with the sorrowful, misunderstood Minotaur at the center of it all.
"The Physics of Sorrow" will appeal to fans
of Dave Eggers, Tom McCarthy, and Dubravka Ugresic for its unique structure,
humanitarian concerns, and stunning storytelling.
Georgi Gospodinov's "Natural Novel" was
published by Dalkey Archive Press in 2005 and was praised by the "New
Yorker," "New York Times," and several other prestigious review
outlets.
Angela Rodel won a PEN Translation Fund Grant in 2010
for Georgi Tenev's short story collection. She is one of the most prolific
translators of Bulgarian literature working today and received an NEA
Fellowship for her translation of Gospodinov's "The Physics of
Sorrow."
About the Author
Gospodinov was
born in Bulgaria in 1968. He is the editor-in-chief of a weekly literary
magazine published in Bulgaria and a professor at the New Bulgarian University.
He lives and works in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Product Details
ISBN: 9781940953090
ISBN-10: 194095309X
Publisher: Open Letter Books
Publication Date: April 14th, 2015
Pages: 270
Language: English
Categories
Literary
Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology
Related Editions (all)
www.dieselbookstore.com
фейсбук страница на Георги Господинов
Comments
Post a Comment