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Chimpanzees living in the West African savannah have been observed fashioning what gives every indication of being pencil-like tools from short, thin sticks and then using them in a manner suggesting to researchers that the chimps are in the early stages of acquiring the skill of writing — the first routine production of writing […]
I was looking up the construction of izbas [pdf with pictures], the rustic Russian loghouses, and came across this joke. Pardon the Russianness.
Русские умельцы 11 века могли построить избу, имея при себе только топор, или построить корабль без единого гвоздя. Древние традиции унаследовал автозавод Москвич.
Or, in English:
The Russian master craftsmen of the XI century could […]
Robert Pinsky in his introduction to The Literary Review’s Fall 2006 translation issue writes:
Translation is the only art that is like writing. All of writing’s difficulties, obsessions, challenges, thrills, impulses and second thoughts apply—everything but what to say next. That free sample of content can make working on translation seem like heaven: an appealing illusion […]
Sholom Aleichem (Шалом-Алейкум) is my newest discovery. He was a Jewish writer born in Ukraine who wrote in Yiddish. His stories are making me consider learning the language.
His real name was Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich. Then he changed it to something even more Jewish for his nom de plume. Something tells me this guy was […]
From Inkygirl, a hilarious Valentine (comic) for writers. I might pass this around to my novella classmates. Or better yet, my intro class students tomorrow.
I am writing a novel about the Ukrainian famine. Its current working title is “Accidental Saint,” though I’m not sure if that’s going to stick.
As you might imagine, that statement is a conversation killer.
“So, what are you working on?”
“A novel about the man-made Ukrainian famine.”
“Ah.”
It only gets better when I say: “It’s a comedy.” Which […]