Do please share your Worm Oroboros introduction for us! Love that book. There's certainly no way you're not familiar with Ursula K. Le Guin's discussion of it in "From Elfland to Poughkeepsie", but I mention it in case you want to remind yourself of it as you write the intro.
Oh, I love The Worm Ouroboros! (Haven't made it through the rest of the series though, I must admit...) Lord Gro is one of the most memorable characters that I've encountered--TV Tropes lists him as "Heel–Face Revolving Door" which is just perfect. The book really embodies what I imagined "long fantasy books" to be when I was a tiny child--fantastical names, intricate descriptions, and wild adventures. Any chance for those of us whose French is ah, 20 years rusty to get to read your introduction? I feel like I've scoured the internet for discussion of one of my favorite books and haven't found a whole lot, so I would be so thrilled to hear more of what you have to say about it!
I've found some spectacular sources which I'm dying to share with everyone! The Intro has turned into an Essay, which I hope to be able to publish online somewhere
I loved The Worm Ouroboros way back in the Old Days. What I remember was the names, complex syllables that felt substantial in your mouth, even when saying them silently, just to yourself. And the idea that Eternal Return, living out the same battles and dangers over and over is not a source of weariness, but of renewal. Ellen, I am so impressed that you are writing an introduction for it. And for a French edition. What fun.
You cannot tease us like that, please divulge Ms. Stevermer's wisdom on reading Eddison. I read all four(?) of the Ballantine editions back in the Paleolithic and would love to tackle them again. I remember well finding a single paragraph that went on for something like four pages. The idea of translating that is ... awe inspiring.
"Ouroboros" is the volume that Ballantine pushed, but as I learned from M. Swanwick many years ago (he's my Caroline Stevermer in the equation) it's the lesser volume compared to Eddison's Zimiamvian Trilogy. The books are quite wry in places.
I will always love the good doctor’s Sondheim satire—so furious, so bitter, funny, written with such despair and ferocity—and I love that you’re sharing it here. But this FRENCH intro, Ellen! Are you writing it in French, or in English that your French translator will then translate? Also, your Ouroboros excerpt actually made me WANT to read it; though I should love the advice your friend gave you on HOW!
I'm writing it in English, as my French is not good enough. But I'm aware that it will be translated, and my general sense of the language sometimes makes me choose wording that I know works in French. It's funny: You know me - I polish every comma! But in this case, what's the point? Patrick (my translator) is just as good as stylist as I :) He's translated nearly all my work into French at this point, so I know I can trust him to make it shine.
And I do hope you decide to tackle Ouroboros. Although, perhaps, for you, you should go straight to the Zimiamvian books, beginning with Mistress of Mistresses. C. S. Lewis wrote: " "You may like or dislike his invented worlds (I myself like that of The Worm Ouroboros and strongly dislike that of Mistress of Mistresses) but there is no quarrel between the theme and the articulation of the story. Every episode, every speech, helps to incarnate what the author is imagining. You could spare none of them. It takes the whole story to build up that strange blend of renaissance luxury and northern hardness. The secret here is largely the style, and especially the style of the dialogue. These proud, reckless, amorous people create themselves and the whole atmosphere of their world chiefly by talking."
Like Tamzen, I too am curious what secret flame of knowledge Caroline Stevermer passed along regarding the Worm? Perhaps that is another nugget, for another fine edition of this newsletter.
"I guess following my heart is the way to go, and damn the torpedoes" is my new manta.
Do please share your Worm Oroboros introduction for us! Love that book. There's certainly no way you're not familiar with Ursula K. Le Guin's discussion of it in "From Elfland to Poughkeepsie", but I mention it in case you want to remind yourself of it as you write the intro.
Oh, I love The Worm Ouroboros! (Haven't made it through the rest of the series though, I must admit...) Lord Gro is one of the most memorable characters that I've encountered--TV Tropes lists him as "Heel–Face Revolving Door" which is just perfect. The book really embodies what I imagined "long fantasy books" to be when I was a tiny child--fantastical names, intricate descriptions, and wild adventures. Any chance for those of us whose French is ah, 20 years rusty to get to read your introduction? I feel like I've scoured the internet for discussion of one of my favorite books and haven't found a whole lot, so I would be so thrilled to hear more of what you have to say about it!
I've found some spectacular sources which I'm dying to share with everyone! The Intro has turned into an Essay, which I hope to be able to publish online somewhere
I loved The Worm Ouroboros way back in the Old Days. What I remember was the names, complex syllables that felt substantial in your mouth, even when saying them silently, just to yourself. And the idea that Eternal Return, living out the same battles and dangers over and over is not a source of weariness, but of renewal. Ellen, I am so impressed that you are writing an introduction for it. And for a French edition. What fun.
You cannot tease us like that, please divulge Ms. Stevermer's wisdom on reading Eddison. I read all four(?) of the Ballantine editions back in the Paleolithic and would love to tackle them again. I remember well finding a single paragraph that went on for something like four pages. The idea of translating that is ... awe inspiring.
I'm working on it! The essay is now at 3,600 words....
"Ouroboros" is the volume that Ballantine pushed, but as I learned from M. Swanwick many years ago (he's my Caroline Stevermer in the equation) it's the lesser volume compared to Eddison's Zimiamvian Trilogy. The books are quite wry in places.
I'm citing you in my Introduction! Hope they let me leave it in.
I will always love the good doctor’s Sondheim satire—so furious, so bitter, funny, written with such despair and ferocity—and I love that you’re sharing it here. But this FRENCH intro, Ellen! Are you writing it in French, or in English that your French translator will then translate? Also, your Ouroboros excerpt actually made me WANT to read it; though I should love the advice your friend gave you on HOW!
I'm writing it in English, as my French is not good enough. But I'm aware that it will be translated, and my general sense of the language sometimes makes me choose wording that I know works in French. It's funny: You know me - I polish every comma! But in this case, what's the point? Patrick (my translator) is just as good as stylist as I :) He's translated nearly all my work into French at this point, so I know I can trust him to make it shine.
And I do hope you decide to tackle Ouroboros. Although, perhaps, for you, you should go straight to the Zimiamvian books, beginning with Mistress of Mistresses. C. S. Lewis wrote: " "You may like or dislike his invented worlds (I myself like that of The Worm Ouroboros and strongly dislike that of Mistress of Mistresses) but there is no quarrel between the theme and the articulation of the story. Every episode, every speech, helps to incarnate what the author is imagining. You could spare none of them. It takes the whole story to build up that strange blend of renaissance luxury and northern hardness. The secret here is largely the style, and especially the style of the dialogue. These proud, reckless, amorous people create themselves and the whole atmosphere of their world chiefly by talking."
Like Tamzen, I too am curious what secret flame of knowledge Caroline Stevermer passed along regarding the Worm? Perhaps that is another nugget, for another fine edition of this newsletter.