@brittarnhild
Whenever I visit a bookstore these days, I look for books from around the world, translated into English or Norwegian. I find very little. Very, very little. I don´t remember how I first heard og Hungarian Magda Szabo and The Door, I do remember though that I ordered it from amazon, as I do with so many of the books I read.
In The Door the narrator, a writer named Magda (just like the author) tells the story of her relationship with her housekeeper, Emerence. Emerence is not like other housekeepers and as the tale unfolds it becomes clear that she is the main character of the story. Everyone in the neighbourhood knows Emerence, though nobody knows anything about her. Not until Magda slowly, and at times quite unexpectedly manages to find a tiny little opening in Emerence´s door. Magda has some drama in her life to fight, and through this fight, where Emerence is an important co-fighter, Magda learns about Emerence most dramatic past. When being allowed to pass Emerence´s most hidden secrets, being allowed to come from the porch into Emerence´s hidden life, behind her door which is always closed and bolted, Magda´s life is fataly entwined with the one of her housekeeper. A bond which will last all the way to the tragic ending of their relationship.
Magda Szabo is one of Hungary´s most important 20th century writers, The Door one of very few translated. In a review of The Door in The New York Times in February 2015, Claire Messud makes it a point to ask why so few non-English books are translated, leaving the English speaking readers out of so much important literature.
As readers we have a responsibility to not only look for the so called bestsellers in the bookstores, they will sell anyway and often they are far from the best books "out there". Let us make it a rule to look for the uncommon when we buy new books. And my suggestion to you - why not start with Magda Szabo.
Recent Comments