Why we (the Romanians) never learn about African and Asian literature? I mean in school, prior to uni or college or whatever after high school. Our literature world map shows only Europe, the Americas (is Australia there too *big question mark*) and Russia (obviously!). The only thing I remember being studied from Asian literature is Epic of Gilgamesh . And this thanks to the fact it is one of the earliest writings of mankind. Thus my question: why don't we study African and Asian literature? Does it make any sense? No. Not to me. We loose a lot. And to exemplify this:
Today I will talk about Orhan Pamuk's My name is Red, my best reading in 2008. I cannot even describe the feeling you get while reading it.... I call it the oriental version of the Romanian Fratii Jderi (t. The Marten Brothers) because, putting aside the differences: in form, narrative technique, age of writings, cultural environment, location and many others, they have a lot of common points too. And because the similitude stroke out more than the differences, to me, they will always be the separate placenta twins :D So, if you are Romanian and you enjoyed the jderi, you might as well taste the Red because: it is an amazingly well crafted window into the Turkish and Middle Eastern world, which takes the reader back in the 16th century, a portrait of the art world under the impressive shadow of long gone masters of the illustration, a detective story in search of truth, The truth and personal truth, glimpse into the inner animate and inanimate worlds and a one of a kind 1st person narration. Same old ingredients which make up a whole new story. A different one. A red one. A Nobel laureate one.
Today I will talk about Orhan Pamuk's My name is Red, my best reading in 2008. I cannot even describe the feeling you get while reading it.... I call it the oriental version of the Romanian Fratii Jderi (t. The Marten Brothers) because, putting aside the differences: in form, narrative technique, age of writings, cultural environment, location and many others, they have a lot of common points too. And because the similitude stroke out more than the differences, to me, they will always be the separate placenta twins :D So, if you are Romanian and you enjoyed the jderi, you might as well taste the Red because: it is an amazingly well crafted window into the Turkish and Middle Eastern world, which takes the reader back in the 16th century, a portrait of the art world under the impressive shadow of long gone masters of the illustration, a detective story in search of truth, The truth and personal truth, glimpse into the inner animate and inanimate worlds and a one of a kind 1st person narration. Same old ingredients which make up a whole new story. A different one. A red one. A Nobel laureate one.
