Stone Sleeper
Published on 19. November 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
160 pages
978-0-85646-397-6 (ISBN)
Description
Inspired by tombstones and their inscriptions, Mak Dizdar's rich and haunting poems in Stone Sleeper, his most famous work, are a journey into the mysterious heart of medieval Bosnia. The poems form a three-way dialogue between the modern poet, the Christian heretics awaiting Judgement Day beneath their enigmatically-carved tombstones, and the heretic-hunters. Beneath the local and temporal, Dizdar explores universal issues: the value of resistance, though it might be futile; of faith, though it might be illusory; and of life, though it ends in death. His vision of life and death owes much to the Gnostic traditions, Christian and Muslim, depicting life as a passage between 'tomb and stars'.
Francis R. Jones's inventive and beautiful translations convey his deep understanding of Dizdar's purpose. In addition a penetrating analysis of Stone Sleeper's historical, religious and spiritual background is given by the distinguished scholar Rusmir Mahmutcehajic.
Francis R. Jones's inventive and beautiful translations convey his deep understanding of Dizdar's purpose. In addition a penetrating analysis of Stone Sleeper's historical, religious and spiritual background is given by the distinguished scholar Rusmir Mahmutcehajic.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Manchester
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Carcanet Press Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 138 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
227 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-85646-397-6 (9780856463976)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Mehmed Alija 'Mak' Dizdar (1917-1971), considered one of the greatest Yugoslav writers, was born in Stolac, southern Bosnia. After the war, in which he was a partisan in Tito's army, he became a prominent figure in Bosnian cultural life, working as newspaper editor, as book publisher and, finally, as President of the Writers' Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He died in Sarajevo.
Francis R. Jones translates poetry from various European languages - especially from Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian and Dutch into English, though he has also worked from Russian, Hungarian and Caribbean languages, and into Geordie and Yorkshire dialect. Among his solo book-length translations are six collections by Ivan V. Lalic. Jones's poetry translations have won fifteen UK and international prizes. He lives in Northumberland, and is Emeritus Professor of Translation Studies at Newcastle University.
Francis R. Jones translates poetry from various European languages - especially from Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian and Dutch into English, though he has also worked from Russian, Hungarian and Caribbean languages, and into Geordie and Yorkshire dialect. Among his solo book-length translations are six collections by Ivan V. Lalic. Jones's poetry translations have won fifteen UK and international prizes. He lives in Northumberland, and is Emeritus Professor of Translation Studies at Newcastle University.