Over the last decade, the world’s been going crazy for collaborative novels. Whether it’s ambitious, international ventures such as Penguin’s abortive A Million Penguins blog or lighthearted projects between two or three people, more and more writers are taking advantage of the opportunities the internet offers to work together.
Joining forces with a writer you’ve never met before is one thing, but what about working with someone you’ve known all your life? How would you pick your way through the labyrinth of your relationship to produce something intelligible and entertaining for a reader who’s never met you and knows nothing of the thousand jokes, frustrations and secrets you’ve built up between you over your time on Earth?
It sounds like a minefield to me, so when Bucharest UN Information Centre officer Cristina got in touch through a friend to recommend The Baiut Alley Lads by award-winning author Filip Florian and his younger brother Matei, I had to see how they’d tackled it.
Set in the 1970s and 1980s during the communist era, the novel paints a powerful picture of life in a totalitarian society as seen through children’s eyes. The brothers play versions of themselves in the book, narrating alternative chapters and frequently casting the reader in the role of parent/referee as they correct and challenge each other’s versions of events. ‘What guarantee do I have, as a younger brother, that Filip is not mixing everything up again?’ laments Matei at one point.
This playful combativeness is nowhere more apparent than in the brothers’ accounts of the make-believe worlds they retreat into when reality becomes too grim. In a universe where ‘trolleybuses really could change into bison’ and fantastical events make ‘the world stir from its givenness’, anything can happen and there can be no definitive version of truth. ‘Brothers can write a book together, but they cannot meet the same angels and pixies at the same time’, observes Filip.
This fluidity of truth crashes up against the rigid structures of the regime with surprising and often joyful results. Unconcerned by Communism, except where it touches their own lives, the boys see politics as a matter of whether or not you are allowed to play in goal or buy sweets. Instead of the Homeland and the Party, there are the crosspatch school teacher and the peaked cap of the officer who visits their mother.
Now and then, the free movement of the narrative between imagined, ‘real’, past and present worlds can be disorientating. For a British reader with little knowledge of Romanian history like me, this was compounded by my ignorance of a lot of the events sketched into the background. With my cultural compass of very little use, it was difficult to relax into the flow of the narrative as I was continually straining to catch references on and beyond the edge of my awareness.
This of course was one of the book’s joys too. It opened a closed world and brought the reality of life there home to me. I came away with a huge admiration for the skill of both Florians and a fresh respect for what collaborative art can achieve.
Hmmn. I wonder if either of the brothers Morgan would be up for a joint venture…
The Baiut Alley Lads by Filip & Matei Florian, translated from the Romanian by Alistair Ian Blyth (University of Plymouth Press, 2010)
Interesting – am embarassed to admit that I haven’t read this myself, although I am Romanian and have lived through the times they describe. Right, it’s on my reading list. Glad you enjoyed it and I do admire the speed with which you manage to read… Do you have time for anything else at all?
Thanks very much. I hope you enjoy it .It can be tricky juggling all the reading but it’s mostly great fun. Am just about managing to keep work and social life afloat alongside it all…
Hi: Great review – interesting book! I really enjoy that too, accessing new worlds through the writing of others in very different cultures, Ruby
This sounds wonderful, and is on my wanted list. Your pace leaves me breathless and I’m a fast reader, so again very well done in both undertaking this project & keeping to your schedule. (I’ve emailed family in Australia for Pacific nations’ literature suggestions – no joy to date. There is a blogger called kimbofo who might be able help). Are you finding time for your own writing? I hope so though don’t see how anyone could manage it. But future work will benefit immensely.
Thanks Carol. I am managing a bit of fiction writing, but not as much as I’d like. The hiatus may do me good in the long term though. Thanks for the tip off about the blogger. I’ll look the blog up.
Having a dedicated person on literature, allowed me to be more present. Living in Cluj, Romania, means to read more, to feel more… There is one author I would like to recommand, Octavian Hoandra, with “Jurnal la Klausenburg”. The Journal written on Klausenburg, the translation in English. It is about a man having one coffee. Maybe the last one, but not alone. With all the women he admires. Flash and coffee, probably this what I felt when I met him…
Hi Diana!
I’m a Mexican chemist who lived in Cluj for a long time. I would like to know more about the book you describe, because I can’t find the author in amazon. Are you sure it’s been translated to English?
Thanks and best wishes!
Hi Joaquin
Yes it has been translated into English – I read it with my own eyes 🙂 (either that or that was one of the most unusual dreams I’ve ever had…)
Here’s the link to the English translation on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Kaalam-M-T-Vasudevan-Nair/dp/8125013776/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345530514&sr=8-1&keywords=kaalam
All the best
Thanks a lot! Congratulations on such an amazing blog!!!
I have never read this book and I read allot in Romanian so I am a little embarrassed! From the romanian literature I would recommend Mircea Eliade – La Tiganci or a short interesting story – Miss Christina…
Congrats again on this great blog and idea, I am still in process of reading all your postings!!!
Thanks – I’ll look Mircea Eliade up.
I can suggest you romanian books too…Mircea Eliade was a great writter and i like his style, but if you want to search a specific book/author you can find here all the romanian writters : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Romanian_writers 🙂
Thanks Denise. I’ll add Mircea Eliade to the list
Mircea Eliade is excellent, sadly I heard it is less known in the USA and whatnot for his fiction, but for his history of religions. He had written several books using his experiences in India, among them the novel Maitreyi (which I assume was translated by now).
Also look up Mircea Cartarescu – Nostalgia for something truly special, not only for its subject for also its style:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostalgia_%28novel%29
Thanks very much – I’ll investigate these suggestions.
can I also suggest Along the Enchanted Way by William Blacker to add to your list of books about Romania. It can be found on amazon.
Thanks. I’ll look it up and add it when I next update the list.
Reblogged this on ale măriucă.
Hi,
I’ve seen your TED talk and I become inspired by you! thank you for sharing your experience!
I challenge myself to read more from different countries. My shelves are dominated by Romanian and American authors, my kindle is just a little varied.
My favorite book is The Happiness Diary by Nicolae Steinhardt.
hope you can find and give it a try, you won’t regret 🙂
happy reading!
Thanks Cristina. It sounds great – I’ll have to look out for it.
Hello!
Really cool project, if I may say. And inspiring !
I see people left you recommendations 🙂 My share: Liviu Rebreanu – Padurea Spanzuratilor : review in English here http://www.allinoneboat.org/2014/07/16/ww-i-on-the-eastern-front/ and Marin Sorescu – Iona : found some info http://www.romanianculturalcentre.org.uk/post.php?id=8439
Latelly, I enjoyed Octavian Paler – Viata pe un peron : reviews in English here http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3842683-via-a-pe-un-peron
Thank you for doing and sharing this!
Thanks Raluca. These sound intriguing
Hi, please add Eugen Ionescu.