Author: Dwight

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The Doll by Bolesław Prus: “to present our Polish idealists against the background of society’s decay”

I have been reading the Central European University Press version of Bolesław Prus’ The Doll (Hungary, 1996 paperback edition pictured above) and thoroughly enjoying it. The translation is by David Welsh with an introduction by Stanisław Barańczak. What looks to be the same translation is now available from the New York Review Books. I’m going […]

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Success? And more…

Previously: The Doll by Bolesław Prus—if anyone knows how to get a copy of the 1968 movie Lalka directed by Wojciech Has, please let me know. Success? I placed an interlibrary loan for a VHS copy I found…wish me luck. It may be a few months before it gets to me but I can be […]

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Critical Forum: Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution, 1787–1788

I recently discovered The William and Mary Quarterly, a historical journal published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture. The current edition (no longer available online: edition 69_2) has a critical forum on Pauline Maier’s Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution, 1787-1788, a book I enjoyed quite a bit. This comment came from […]

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Capricious Summer (1968 movie: Czechoslovakia)

Continuing with my sort-of-biweekly foreign movie posts for this year… For more foreign movies, check out Caroline’s World Cinema Series 2012 and Richard’s monthly Foreign Film Festival round-up. Jiří Menzel’s movie based on Vladislav Vančura’s Summer of Caprice highlights the “cinema ready” nature of Vančura’s novel. Menzel changed little, following much of the book. From […]

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Summer of Caprice by Vladislav Vančura: I sampled some perch

Summer of Caprice by Vladislav Vančura Translated by Mark Corner Karolinum Press, Charles University, 201 pages, Hardcover ISBN: 80-246-1195-3 Following up on yesterday’s introductory post on Summer of Caprice by Vladislav Vančura… Vančura’s novel appealed to me because of the playful descriptions in a meandering story, combining the normal and ridiculous while highlighting the very […]

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Summer of Caprice by Vladislav Vančura

Summer of Caprice by Vladislav Vančura Translated by Mark Corner Karolinum Press, Charles University, 201 pages, Hardcover ISBN: 80-246-1195-3 On the remarkable River Orsh there lies a town of good reputation and good water. The water bubbles up in shady places and the nine most powerful springs, secured in nine wells, have been designated with […]