The original version of this newsletter was sent out on Tuesday, July 29.
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Hello, fellow bookworms!
This week, we’ve got a double feature. I’ll be sharing a memoir by area author Suzanne Jill Levine (who will be hosting an event at Chaucer’s on August 6) before our amazing publisher Brandi Rivera gives us a peek into the books both she and her son Eli have been enjoying this summer!
When we think of writers and authors, we tend to think of novelists, journalists, academic writers, etc., but translators tend to be an overlooked piece of the puzzle that brings us so many wonderful stories from different parts of the world. Suzanne Jill Levine was lucky enough to find herself in the perfect position to start a successful career in translation: In the 1960s and ’70s, she applied her interest in Latin American culture and the Spanish language to the art of translation. She threw herself into the detailed work of translating, as well as forging working relationships and friendships with authors (among them Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Manuel Puig, and Adolfo Bioy Casares) that made lasting impressions on both her life and her career.
I’m almost ashamed to admit that, despite my lifelong love of books, I’ve never given much thought to translation in the literary world. Perhaps it’s my own notorious struggle to learn other languages, despite my efforts, but that’s no excuse.
As an editor, I’m familiar with walking the line between making suggestions to improve the work and preserving the author’s voice and message, but I can hardly imagine the delicate dance that must occur when two different languages are involved! Levine’s book opened my eyes to that balance, as well as something I hadn’t considered: The key knowledge of the authors themselves that contributes to the human quality of a translation and the preservation of voice, rather than simply translating each word in a sentence. Her book paints a full picture of not only her life, but also the lives of the authors she worked with, giving readers a peek into the rich inner lives of the real people behind the simple words on a page.
Levine will be hosting an event at Chaucer’s Books on Wednesday, August 6, 6 p.m. Stop by and hear from this “living legend in the translation world”!
Somehow, summer is winding down and the threat of back-to-school season is on the horizon. I have used some recent travel time and the longer days to read a few books (more on those below). But my rising 2nd grader, who I dreamed would excitedly fill out his Summer Reading Log from the library, has not been as thrilled to put down the bat/ball or jump out of the pool to turn some pages. This summer feels different academically; now that he really CAN read, we do not want to lose the momentum, especially because he seems to enjoy it once he dives in. On his daily summer to-do list was “30 mins of reading,” along with “Do whatever I want,” “Make my bed,” and “Play with the twins” (his younger siblings). What a way to spend summer. So, before I dive into my own summer reads, here are a few that when he does pick them up, I know the 30 minutes will fly by.
The Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems
I credit this book series as to why Eli loves books. The graphics and the funny stories of Mo Willems are a hit in our house. When I asked which book was his favorite and why, he said it was going to be a tough choice but ultimately went with The Thank You Book, a clever conversation as Piggie, page after page, thanks all of her friends and even the readers but forgets to thank her best friend, Elephant.
The Nate the Great series by Marjorie W. Sharmat
These are new to us this summer. Eli loved the idea of a “chapter book,” and even though there are no chapter numbers, he really looked forward to the perfect stopping point. I think this series will be a keeper. In Nate the Great, his first read, Nate the Great is on the hunt for his friend Annie’s lost picture. I think a funny mystery is a great way to get into longer books.
The Pete the Cat series by Kimberly and James Dean
Okay, hear me out on this one. I was not a fan at first. But when it comes to learning to read, this series is engaging and challenging at the same time. My favorite is Pete the Cat Goes Camping, even if it is the reason Eli wants to squeeze in one camping trip before school starts.
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
TJR (Taylor Jenkins Reid) is an auto-buy for me, and I was really looking forward to Atmosphere, which was released June 3. I don’t know if it was the timing of me reading or just what I have read recently, but the story of Joan and the early ’80s space program left me wanting more. There were moments and characters I really enjoyed, like Joan’s niece, Frances, but Joan’s own character development was at times a little predictable. The mission itself kept me turning the pages, but with the previous strong leads of Evelyn Hugo or Carrie Soto, I was hoping TJR would leave us wanting an Atmosphere part two.
The Tenant by Freida McFadden
Freida McFadden has really owned the thriller space with more than 70 books to her name. I was first introduced to her through her Housemaid series, which is now set to become a movie. I find her books perfect to listen to on audiobook, and you can always count on at least three unpredictable turns in the books. In The Tenant, she writes it so that you believe main character Blake Porter is the antagonist while his fiancée and their new tenant are victimized as Blake is spinning out of control after losing his coveted VP of marketing position. As the book progresses, you find yourself actually rooting for their new tenant, but you end the book understanding you had it wrong from the beginning.
— Brandi Rivera
We’ve had some great author visits and interviews recently, so don’t miss out. Here is some of our book-related coverage from the last two weeks! Read all this and more at Independent.com.
UC Santa Barbara’s Alexander Cho Teams Up with Star Trek’s George Takei Once Again by Debra Herrick for UCSB’s The Current
Santa Barbara Professor’s Heartwarming and Creative New Book Is All About Change and Perseverance by Ella Bailey
UC Santa Barbara Distinguished Professor on How to Build Global Community Through Mexican Literature by Debra Herrick for UCSB’s The Current
Wine Tasting and Books Come Together at Chaucer’s in Santa Barbara by Hailey Edmonds
Below, you will find a few bookish events coming up in Santa Barbara. If you are hosting a bookish event in Santa Barbara, be sure to submit the event to our online events calendar.
Buellton Library Silent Book Club
Friday, August 1 and August 8, 1 p.m. | Buellton Library
Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library Open House: August
Saturday, August 2, 9am-noon | Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library
Fiction Book Club
Wednesday, August 6, 5:30 p.m. | Faulkner Gallery West, S.B. Central Library
Chaucer’s Book Talk & Signing: Suzanne Jill Levine
Wednesday, August 6, 6 p.m. | Chaucer’s Books
YA Book Club: The Underwood Tapes by Amanda DeWitt
Thursday, August 7, 3:30 p.m. | Godmothers
Book Talk and Signing: Barbara Edelston Peterson
Saturday, August 9, 3 p.m. | Tecolote Book Shop
Books & Bubbles
Monday, August 11, noon. | S.B. Central Library
We at the Independent get many books sent to us by area authors, sometimes too many! It’s practically impossible for us to read and review them all, but just because we are busy bees does not mean that they aren’t worth the attention. In an attempt to not completely drop the ball, we have compiled a list of books here that are either written by a Santa Barbara author, feature someone in our community, or have another tie to Santa Barbara. I urge you to look through this list. Perhaps you will find your new favorite read!
The following are the most recent titles that have been sent to us.
If you are a local author and would like us to feature your book in this section, please email [email protected] with the subject line “S.B. Spotlight.”
Thanks to the generous contributions of David Starkey, Brian Tanguay, and their team of reviewers at California Review of Books, we are able to provide a steady stream of book reviews via our content partnership. Recent reviews at Independent.com include:
Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie; review by Brian Tanguay
Read more on The Santa Barbara Independent
