I have a question pertaining to my book Seraphic Singles/The Closet's All Mine/Anielskie Single, so you can answer only if you've read it. In May I will be in Krakow at a retreat built around Anielskie Single. The theme of the conference is "Brave Women," and I will be giving lectures on "Staying Sane While Single" (like at Notre Dame last year), Mulieris Dignitatem and femininity according to Saint Edith Stein. Maybe I will also talk about men although that would certainly take a lot of NERVE!
But I also want to read from Anielskie Single, and that will take a lot of practise. I read the first paragraph of "Laundry for One"/"Pralnia dla Samotnych" to my substitute tutor today, and it was challenging. (What a world of meaning lies hidden behind that modest word challenging.) Take, for example, the word przedstawiające. Lovely when the tutor says it; not so lovely from me.
Fortunately, I have four months to get it right, but I thought I'd ask you which pieces in the book you liked best and think I should read at the retreat.
It might seem foolhardy to actually attempt to read Polish on my own instead of relying entirely on the translator, but I do remember that on several occasions a certain Jan Paweł came to Canada and spoke to us all in English and French. So I think it would be just if I returned the compliment.
8 comments:
Agh! I lent my copy to a friend so I can't leaf through it and tell you my favorite parts. But a quick perusal of the contents (via Amazon!) and I think I remember loving "What If I'm Too Smart?" and "10 Great Things About Being Single."
I think it's great that you're trying so hard to learn Polish - but don't forget, most of the young ones speak better English than the English!
I like the Staying Seraphic bit. And Maybe I'm too smart and ofcourse the 10 great things about being single.
"On the Just and Unjust"!
I reread your book this weekend, inspired by this post and my recent breakup. My favorite chapter is "Dating Versus Courtship". "Maybe I'm Too Smart" would be an excellent one to read as well.
"10 Great Things About Being Single" is classic. I think my other two favorites are "Bitter to Drink" and "The Cross That Singles Bear"--both of which have been a great comfort to me in my own single experience.
I will tell you when Amazon delivers it, February 1st at the latest! :-D You are Miss Popular, they only have a couple of copies of your book left on the UK site! Is that good or bad for you? Will they have to reprint?!!!
I'm in the same boat with Maggie, but I'm sure everyone's suggestions above will be great! I loved the whole thing (and the friend to whom I lent it is really enjoying it too).
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