Lost In Translation

Lost In Translation: A Life in a New Language | Eva Hoffman

so-so

First finish of #24B4Monday puts me at 4:13!

This memoir is interesting but can be hard to follow through jumps in time and place. The first 2/3 were better than the last, which gets into psycho-babble and existential musing.

Completes I for my #COVID19challenge - informative (non-fiction)
#triplespin done - I did all 3 for #bookspin this month (plus 2 others from my stack, which all pales in comparison to May‘s challenge)

Andrew65, jb72, BeansPage, TheAromaofBooks

Andrew65 What‘s the #COVID19Challenge? 5y

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 5y

rabbitprincess Congrats on finishing all of your bookspins! 5y

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ravenlee @Andrew65 I made a small reading challenge to occupy myself during isolation, six prompts. I just tagged you on the original post. The amazing @Birdsong28 has already completed it! I‘m 5/6 myself. Just something to pass the time. 5y

Birdsong28 @Andrew65 You should try the challenge it was really good. 😊📚📖 5y

Andrew65 @Birdsong28 I will be, can‘t avoid any challenge. 🤣 5y

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! You did great this month - and it was a secret warm-up month for May's challenge! 😂 5y

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ravenlee

Lost In Translation: A Life in a New Language | Eva Hoffman

So far so good in the #24B4Monday readathon! I‘m almost through the tagged book; would have finished last night except the storms kept kiddo up until about 11 so no reading time for mama. Will finish it today, and I‘m not sure what‘s up next.

Andrew65, jb72, BeansPage

Andrew65 A good start 👏👏👏 5y

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ravenlee

Lost In Translation: A Life in a New Language | Eva Hoffman

It‘s that time again! I‘m diving into #24B4Monday with always-awesome hosts @Andrew65 @SumisBooks @jb72
Will attempt timing, with a goal of 10 hours. Aim to finish the tagged book, then work on my bingo card - I have three lines that only need one more book to get a bingo, and I‘d like to finish one this weekend.

Andrew65 Great to have you with us, good luck 😊👍 5y

32 likes1 comment

ravenlee

Lost In Translation: A Life in a New Language | Eva Hoffman

“Being a pianist,” for example, means something entirely different in my new cultural matrix....Moreover, Mrs. Steiner and others inform me, it‘s not a solid profession, and it will hardly assure my ability to support myself.

I had a teacher in HS tell me my dream of being a musician, of going to college for music, was stupid and unrealistic (cont in comments)

ravenlee Her class required us to research colleges and careers we were interested in (I had already chosen my school and course of study, so I was fanciful in my other research). She tried to fail me, despite having completed the assignments to the letter, because she disapproved of my choice. She eventually told me, in front of the entire class, that if she ever saw me living in a cardboard box on a street corner she‘d give me a quarter. 5y

ravenlee What she didn‘t anticipate was the band and orchestra kids banding together in rebellion, and for at least the next four semesters she had multiple kids per class doing the same thing I‘d done (whether they honestly wanted to pursue music after HS or not, some did) just to piss her off. At least I left a legacy! 5y

wanderinglynn Wow 😳 Clearly she was unhappy with her own life choices and taking it out on others. I cannot imagine every telling a child something like that. 5y

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ravenlee @wanderinglynn she certainly seemed like a bitter person. I‘m sure it didn‘t help that she was teaching a course she clearly disliked. My class was the first year it was required - Career Passport, to “prepare” us for our futures. She was a Home Ec teacher suddenly required to teach a class none of us wanted to be in, with no precedent to follow and probably ambiguous but high expectations. 5y

Sace It doesn't matter. There was no call for that. Take it out on the dimwit admin that makes stupid decisions. Not the students. (BTW 2 out 3 of my daughter's degrees are considered "useless" but she's happy as a clam, employed, loves her job and does not live in a cardboard box... I'm all for useless degrees. ?) 5y

ravenlee @Sace I did get my music degree, and an English degree, and my MA in humanities - all of which are fairly “useless.” I do work as a musician, though I‘m glad I don‘t have to rely on it as primary income. But I‘ve been happier as a musician and music teacher than in most of my other jobs, and I have a terrific knowledge base for raising my daughter. 5y

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Eggs

Lost In Translation: A Life in a New Language | Eva Hoffman

Texas: lost in transition!! One day it‘s sunny and 95 F; the next is windy and chilly @ 46 F. Great for walking though.

#litsywalkers

Texreader Beautiful photo 5y

Eggs Thank you 🙏🏻 @Texreader 🤗 5y

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rachaich

Lost In Translation: A Life in a New Language | Eva Hoffman

@Michelle_mck I have just received two letters from you! One from January 😯😮. Bloody post! Thank you :)

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Weaponxgirl

Lost In Translation: A Life in a New Language | Eva Hoffman

https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/womenintranslation a new prize has been made for women in translation and I'm super excited! I keep meaning to read more translated work and always get sidetracked. And for you uk littens check out the kindle daily deal! Loads of works by and about interesting women including hidden figures, the immortal life of henrietta lacks and Joan didion to name just a few. A must look at today!

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Ayelet

Lost In Translation: A Life in a New Language | Eva Hoffman

I am suffering my first, severe attack of nostalgia, or tesknota - a word that adds to nostalgia the tonalities of sadness and longing. It is a feeling whose shades and degrees I'm destined to know intimately, but at this hovering moment, it comes upon me like a visitation from a whole new geography of emotions, an annunciation of how much an absence can hurt.

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