A Death in Calabria - Michele Giuttari

[mongoose_bite]

Well, this is new; a book I'm reading almost entirely because the punctuation amuses the hell out of me, and for no other reason. Apparently it's an international bestseller, according to the cover, which tells me only how the word 'bestseller' has been devalued nowadays

Comments

[symkha]

hehehe, this is an amusing review, though I have no intention of reading the book.

And as to translation: even if something is done in one country (Russian doesn't use articles), the translator needs to understand that the point is making literate English (or whatever language is being translated to, wow score points for bad grammar in this sentence) -- not just translating word for word. :) But it was a nice gesture of you to offer that consideration to the punctuationally misinclined translator.

[mongoose_bite]

Well, I was more offering it to the author. I can't tell if it's his fault or the translator's fault, but it's definitely an editor's fault at the very least.

[cryptaknight]

I don't think the word bestseller can be devalued; it's just a factual statement of how many sales a book has had. That said, the dialogue in this particular bestseller sounds awful.

[mongoose_bite]

It didn't specify which bestseller lists it made; it may be much easier to make a bestseller in some countries. I just feel the word is almost entirely meaningless now precisely because it is so vague.