Literary Highly Challenging Vote • July 2013

[issybird]

Originally Posted by paola

but I think you are too harsh with the Buddenbrooks! At least, I remember finding it a page turner in my salad days - though admittedly I read it in an Italian translation, that might have been the difference - I read that Lowe-Porter's translation is somewhat stiff.

I read the Lowe-Porter translation and I still thought it was a page turner. It reads like the Victorian novel it is, pubished the year Victoria died (if German novels can be considered Victorian). Very different in tone from his modern work.

Kobo also has it in the Woods translation, at least for the US. I admit I blanch at spending $14 on a novel and while I'd prefer it in ebook given its heft, I think I will hie me to the university library today for the pbook.

[llcj]

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

I'm assuming the one I found on Kobo is in English, but it didn't come up under Thomas Mann, as it's listed as Mann Thomas. I found it by entering the title.

Maybe medard is right, as I couldn't find it in my local library's catalogue!

If this is the edition published by Emereo Publishing ($7.16 Can.), while it is listed as being in English, it is actually in German (at least the preview I downloaded was.) Too bad as it is couponable as well as being half the price of the other edition at Kobo (Vintage International) and the edition at Amazon (Vintage International.)

I am currently one out of one on the waiting list for the ebook of the Woods translation of Buddenbrooks at the FLP. That generally means a wait of one to ten days in my experience for any that might want to jump in to be next in line.. Still hoping that Herodotus might surge to the win though. It's looks to be limited to a two race now.

[Synamon]

My library (Overdrive) had the John E. Woods translation published by Vintage International (originally published in hardcover by Knopf).

[jmilica]

The link I got on overdrive for Woods' translation
http://rclreads.lib.overdrive.com/F8...F7B21D25830%7d
Google Play probably also has it and Chapters Canada has it.
If anybody wants that one, I think you should be checking isbn 9780307780959

[issybird]

None of my Overdrive libraries of which Boston is the largest has Buddenbrooks. Maybe Herodotus will win! Because that's cheap.

[jmilica]

Originally Posted by issybird

None of my Overdrive libraries of which Boston is the largest has Buddenbrooks. Maybe Herodotus will win! Because that's cheap.

Maybe
Though I do think it's rather strange that Buddenbrooks are so expensive (Amazon is also selling at 14$), and Magic Mountain doesn't even exist as commercial ebook.
Seems to me there is some conspiracy

[paola]

Originally Posted by jmilica

Maybe
Though I do think it's rather strange that Buddenbrooks are so expensive (Amazon is also selling at 14$), and Magic Mountain doesn't even exist as commercial ebook.
Seems to me there is some conspiracy

yes, and anglophone one: in the UK, it is an outrageous £18 if you want the ebook, while in italy is less than €7 - the pbook costs more than the epub in Italy, while it is massively cheaper than the electronic version in the UK. go figure!

[issybird]

Originally Posted by paola

yes, and anglophone one: in the UK, it is an outrageous £18 if you want the ebook, while in italy is less than €7 - the pbook costs more than the epub in Italy, while it is massively cheaper than the electronic version in the UK. go figure!

£18? £18???

That's just insane.. And I thought fourteen bucks was high!

[paola]

Originally Posted by issybird

£18? £18???

That's just insane.. And I thought fourteen bucks was high!

i beg your pardon, that is ex VAT: the full price is £21.60
http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/...E9780307780959

pity one can't resell it, otherwise you you lucky ones could make a fortune

[Bookpossum]

Quick people who haven't voted yet: vote for Herodotus!!!

[Bookpossum]

Originally Posted by llcj

If this is the edition published by Emereo Publishing ($7.16 Can.), while it is listed as being in English, it is actually in German (at least the preview I downloaded was.) Too bad as it is couponable as well as being half the price of the other edition at Kobo (Vintage International) and the edition at Amazon (Vintage International.)

How right you are: mine said Language: English, but I downloaded the preview and sure enough, it's in German. And it's the only version on offer here in Oz, so I'll be stuck if it wins.

[Bookpossum]

Well, I see that Buddenbrooks has won. I'm getting the distinct impression that quite a number of us aren't going to be able to participate in this month's discussion. Should we do a quick head count on who will be able to get hold of the book (at a reasonable cost)?

I'm stuck: I can't get it from my library (actually a network of a number of quite large suburban libraries) as it just isn't in the catalogue, and it seems the only e-book version I can get is in German.

[caleb72]

Yeah - I feel like a total heel because I voted for Buddenbrooks based on the fact that it was written by Thomas Mann and I stupidly did no research whatsoever.

When I realised that it was over 700 pages and I wasn't going to be able to get it anywhere unless I spent $14, I was desperately hoping for anything else to win.

[medard]

You can get Budenbrooks for free at Project Gutenberg in German. I found that trough Google.

Maybe next time it would be easier to check the price of a book first. Anyway, looks like I can contribute some stuff this time. I've read the book some years ago. It took me months.