Someday everyone will know exactly what you did

[sovay]

1. I called the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst and ordered a fifteen-year-old back issue of Der Pakn Treger, because it contains, as far as I can tell, the only complete English translation of Sholem Asch's Got fun nekome (God of Vengeance, 1907) since Isaac Goldberg's in 1918, which I do not recommend. I cannot figure out how I never heard of this play until last night. Seriously, first lesbians of the Yiddish theater? Will report back when I have read it. Also maybe see if strange_selkie wants to direct a production.

2. Bydgoszcz is a real place. I had always vaguely assumed Harlan Ellison made it up for "The Last Will and Testicle of Trees Rabelais"—nothing about the rest of the story, including the title, would encourage one to believe otherwise. Nope. It's quite a large city. It's where one finds the Bydgoszcz Canal and Casimir the Great University. It came up in the course of my job, which has heretofore mostly been teaching me about fast food in Finland and small Indonesian streets.

3. I am pleased beyond words that someone appears to be coming out with a full translation of the Brontoscopic Calendar of Nigidius Figulus. It's a seventh-century Etruscan omen text translated into Latin in the first century BCE and surviving in a sixth-century Greek edition; it's incredibly awesome. Also, it's just that much fun to say.

4. I had coffee this afternoon (all right, they had coffee, I had herbal chai) with a pair of philosophers at Café Gato Rojo in Harvard Square. The conversation turned to Robert Musil and then someone quoted Wittgenstein.

5. I wish I hadn't missed A Taste of Honey (1961) on TCM. I read the play last week.

Comments

[negothick.livejournal.com]

I remember that issue of the PaknTreger, and I think I saved it, but who knows where it is.
I have a vague memory that it was NOT a full translation of God of Vengeance, but instead a more correct translation of parts of it--I may be wrong, but I have a memory of summaries of parts of the play and full dialogue of other parts.
Like most drama, the play has a complicated textual history, let alone the usual problems with translation. I think that there was a silent film version as well.
But yes, Lesbian relationship between the daughter of the brothel-keeper and one of the prostitutes, enacted onstage, not just reported from offstage.
That play came up for discussion in my synagogue a few years ago, since the play's major plot engine is the whoremonger's attempt to buy salvation by paying for a Torah scroll: Our congregation had received a Torah scroll from a member who made his money cheating Merrill Lynch. Though he was tried and jailed for the crime, it seems like a much smaller sin in light of Bernie Madoff. But yes, there was a comparison between our incident and the play.

[sovay]

I have a vague memory that it was NOT a full translation of God of Vengeance, but instead a more correct translation of parts of it--I may be wrong, but I have a memory of summaries of parts of the play and full dialogue of other parts.

The woman I spoke to at the Yiddish Book Center thought it was a complete translation, but we'll see.

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

We'll just do the rest if we have to. *shrugs*

[sovay]

We'll just do the rest if we have to.

My copy arrived in the mail this afternoon; it's three acts and translator's commentary. I'll read it on the train to Providence.

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's hawt. I was worried, because I borrowed all the issues of Pakn Treger the library had out, and in recent years, it seems they've gone toward excerpts.

Safe journey. *hugs*