Monday 1 March 2010

Fallada and Walser Fuel the Passion

The Brits and the Americans do love a good dead white German or Swiss man. Right now, according to a tantalisingly vague press release in trade mag Buchreport, Hans Fallada is cleaning up in the UK. His Alone in Berlin (trans. Michael Hofmann) apparently sold 60,000 copies in a few weeks - almost unheard of for a translated title. It just goes to show what passionate marketing and a good story can do. Based on the real-life couple Elise and Otto Hampel, the book paints a less glamorous picture of anti-Nazi resistance than many readers may be familiar with. And the catchy British title is certainly a little more optimistic than the original Jeder stirbt für sich allein.

As Britain goes Fallada-crazy, Swiss dead guy Robert Walser is making waves in the States. As I've mentioned before, Susan Bernofsky's translation The Tanners is nominated for Best Translated Book - and you can listen to her reading and talking at the Center for the Art of Translation at the excellent Two Words blog.

Interestingly enough, the two writers have one other thing in common. Both have inspired paintings by Billy Childish: "Robert Walser dies in the snow" and "The Drinker".

6 comments:

Harvey Morrell said...

Maybe most of us here in the US are buying Walser's book because we don't know the difference between the Swiss and the German Walser (Martin). :)

David said...

I'm sure Hofmann's translation is superb, but "Alone in Berlin" doesn't do it for me as a title. It is really a suspenseful read - Fallada's best book.

kjd said...

I think the title is a wily marketing trick to make sure everyone knows where the book's set: in that city of Nazis and spies and the Gestapo. The hardback cover is grim and warlike, but the paperback looks a little more whimsical.

But hey, whatever works.

And Harvey, yes, no doubt the Americans are permanently befuddled by all those Walsers over here. I know I am.

Anonymous said...

don't you forget Fallada in the US: Melville House Publishing has just re-issued "Little Man, What Now" and even translated "Every Man Dies Alone" for the first time: http://www.mhpbooks.com/

Thomas said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Thomas said...

The French translated it a few years ago as "Alone in Berlin" ("Seul à Berlin") as well. When I fist heard it was coming out with different titles in Britain and America, my blind faith in French publishing led me to believe that the yanks had once again decided to make up some silly new title (as is often the case). Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be Britain and France makin' stuff up... ::shattered illusions:: Jeder stirbt für sich allein, indeed...