Gegen den Tag

[Otto]

Indeed a very good summary, Kai.

And Thomas, while I agree with you about Ickstadt, I disagree (a
little) about Kittler, I liked the "mad scientist" a lot.

The information about the process of translation was indeed highly
interesting. I'm really looking forward now to read the translation.

Stingl read two parts of the novel. The first part is from p. 209 to 214.6.

The second part starts at 434 and ends at 438.13.

2008/1/28, Thomas Eckhardt <thomas.eckhardt at uni-bonn.de>:
> Karl May wrote adventure stories for boys, yes, but not boys' adventure
> stories. I cannot remember Pynchon mentioning him in one of his novels,
> but May would fit perfectly into GR. Stingl mentioned that he had tried
> Friedrich Gerstäcker (a huge influence on Karl May) but that it didn't
> work. Heinz Ickstadt sensibly remarked that any book must succeed on its
> own terms, whether in translation or in the original language,
> regardless of whether the reader is familiar with the texts imitated.
> The difficulty of translating parody or pastiche was one of the many
> interesting topics of the evening.
>
> I agree with Kai on all counts. In my own, a little rushed words:
> Kittler was the mad scientist who may or may not have found the key to
> AtD, except that I know next to nothing about mathematics.  Stingl read
> remarkably good for a man who had recently spent a lot of time alone at
> his desk. His thoughts on the translation process provided much insight.
> Denis Scheck was his usual knowledgeable and competent self. His special
> interest in Pynchon showed. Heinz Ickstadt, who almost single-handedly
> introduced Pynchon to German academia in the 70s and 80s, personified
> what literary criticism at its best can be: He was precise without being
> pedantic, professional without disavowing subjective impressions and
> experiences, and, of course, highly competent.
>
> All in all, I would have preferred a little more Ickstadt and a little
> less Kittler. But that's just me.
>
> Thomas
>