Andres Neuman: "Traveler of the Century"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-05-07/andres-neuman-traveler-century
In the fictional, 19th century town of Wandernburg, Germany, a mysterious traveler stops for the night on his way from Berlin to Dessau. Expecting to stay for a few days, Hans is drawn in by the cast of eclectic characters he finds: an old organ grinder with a penchant for interpreting dreams, a priest who keeps a diary of his parishioners’ sins, and a beautiful, young freethinker who’s engaged to a local aristocrat. The forbidden love story of Hans and Sophie defies social expectations, and unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly transforming old Europe.
Guests
Andres Neuman
writer and poet, author of "Una Vez Argentina" (Once in Argentina); elected to the Bogota-39 list of outstanding young Latin American authors.
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Program Highlights
Spanish author and poet Andres Neuman’s new novel, “Traveler of the Century,” tells a story about forbidden romance, the search for identity and the metaphorical link between love and literary translations. Set in the fictional 19th century town of Wandernburg, Germany, the book follows the protagonist Hans as he meets an odd assortment of characters and falls in love.
Family Inspiration
Born in Argentina, Neuman has lived in Spain for more than half his life. He said he wanted to write about Europe because it’s his “second shore.” “So I always say that I've got two passports, but as well two foreigner feelings,” Neuman said. His mother was a violinist in Argentina and fond of German composers. Neuman said he learned those songs by heart and wrote this novel as homage to her.
Mourning Characters
Neuman said he cried while writing about the death of one of his characters, the organ grinder. But he said he shouldn’t have cried, comparing writers with actors who need to control their feelings. Through this, Neuman said he learned how fictional characters could become like real people. “When you kill a character, you're killing life. So you have to be very careful and respectful with that,” Neuman said.
Forbidden Love
Hans, a mysterious traveler, falls in love with Sophie Gottlieb, who is engaged to an aristocrat in an era when family controlled women. Neuman said Sophie’s character was inspired in the beginning by all the very first generation of European feminists. They fall in love by translating poems, with a dream of building an infinite anthology of Western poetry, which Neuman calls “impossible.”
Book Translation
Originally written in Spanish, this is Neuman’s first book that was translated into English. Neuman played an editorial role in the process and said he was very amused by the male and female pair of translators because they reflected the book’s plot. He said translating a text is not only about transferring words into another language, but also about sometimes radically changing the connotations and nuances.
You can read the full transcript here.
Excerpted from "Traveler of the Century" by Andrés Neuman, published in May 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Copyright 2009 by Santillana Ediciones Generales. Translation copyright 2012 by Nick Caistor and Lorenza Garcia. All rights reserevd:
Comments
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Yes I'm mesmerized. Thank you both.
In listening to Mr Neuman discussing his work, I come to wonder how much conscious structural planning goes into the actual writing? Is he a writer who re-writes to re-form and re-shape his initial words, or does he plot out where he's going from the git-go?
Thanks.
Diane, it's a wonderful conversation! I applaud so much your comment on the fact that we are all translators every day of our lives... no relationship is possible without men and women achieving the ability to TRANSLATE!
I look forward to reading the book!
I am new to NPR and so happy to have come across this broadcast. It speaks to the roots of my heart and the beauty of the spoken work and how we are also what we hear. Thank you for reminding me of who I really am at the core. Beautiful words, beautifully spoken...
Thank you so much Mr. Neuman for telling us about your wonderful novel! I cannot wait to read it... and as a side note, you have the most wonderul voice, such a pleasure to listen to you...
Alison Pearsall
I caught the very end of your segment with Andres Neuman and was so intrigued that I immediately went to Barnes and Noble to purchase the book. Unfortunately they did not carry at my local store so I had to order it. Mr. Neuman was so eloquent and what he said about translation was utterly beautiful. I cannot wait for my copy to come in. Thank you Daine, as always your show was wonderful and inspirational.
Admirado compatriota,
Te escuche hoy con Diane y senti una gran conneccion, mas tarde note que naciste cuando yo me fui de esa ilusion llamada Argentina.
Escribo y aun no se para que. Sera porque tengo mucho que contar?
Me gustaria hacerte llegar algo mio pero no doy con tu direccion de email.
Si tenes ganas mandame una letra a designfaa@gmail.com
Felix Achenbach - Miami
Dear Diane: I am a fan of Andres Neuman's books. I have read in Spanish all of his narrative. What a great surprise when I tuned your show this morning. Unfortunately I was driving and could not call or send a comment. But thank you so much for bringing Neuman to your show. It is not often that you hear an author from Latin America. What a treat! Thanks so much. The organ grinder is my favorite character from this novel.