I want to add a more erudite note about a book I’ve read part of but not all of, and though I haven’t read any of it in a decade plus I still consider it a book I’m reading: Le Ton Beau de Marot by Douglas Hofstadter.
It’s about the endless translation of ONE poem by a relatively obscure French poet to demonstrate the flexibility of human thought, communication, and written languages depending on the constraints we hold to when translating.
And it’s FUCKING FASCINATING. But I’m also an idiot that can only bounce off the surface of what they’re writing about.
Check it out if you haven’t already, it might be just up your alley.
It’s extremely dense. But in a very good way. It’s one of the only books I’ve ever (kinda) stuck when I’d sometimes have to read a page a few times to understand what it meant.
Amusingly enough my first copy of it was lost in a basement and thoroughly consumed by mold.
I turned to my dad and said “I bet Hofstadter didn’t expect this translation!”
I want to add a more erudite note about a book I’ve read part of but not all of, and though I haven’t read any of it in a decade plus I still consider it a book I’m reading: Le Ton Beau de Marot by Douglas Hofstadter.
It’s about the endless translation of ONE poem by a relatively obscure French poet to demonstrate the flexibility of human thought, communication, and written languages depending on the constraints we hold to when translating.
And it’s FUCKING FASCINATING. But I’m also an idiot that can only bounce off the surface of what they’re writing about.
Check it out if you haven’t already, it might be just up your alley.
Ordered a copy! I’m sure it’ll be pretty dense to read but I LOVE the idea.
It’s extremely dense. But in a very good way. It’s one of the only books I’ve ever (kinda) stuck when I’d sometimes have to read a page a few times to understand what it meant.
Amusingly enough my first copy of it was lost in a basement and thoroughly consumed by mold.
I turned to my dad and said “I bet Hofstadter didn’t expect this translation!”
LOL. I will let you know what I think!