Dear readers of my blog,

publishing in a foreign language means automatically that the market in your own country is limited and that your books are not necessarily considered worth reviewing – to say nothing about the status one does not have, nor has a chance to build in a foreign culture where at any moment – not only but even more so nowadays – you also need to be physically present. Unless you are part of a circle of academic or literary people, your work is not necessarily looked at – and the word about it is not spread, so that those interested might not be able to see and appreciate it. There would be quite a few stories – more or less juicy or amusing ones, I can assure you – to tell yet, but let’s turn to more positive ones today.

First, if you have not yet seen it, look out for a review essay entitled “The Refugees” covering two bilingual books by the Austrian composer Ernst Krenek and the creative artist Tanya Josefowitz who both wrote up their stories of escaping from Europe to the USA in 1938. Here is the link:

www.dannymorrison.com

With the ideas outlined above locked imprinted on my mind, I feel a second debt of gratitude for Danny Morrison to have organized a review of my edition of The Soul of Man Under Socialism that was first posted on 5 September on his own website but which another writer friend, the American of Irish descent Timothy O’Grady had been kind enough to undertake.

On my shelves I found a single volume by Timothy O’Grady, I Could Read The Sky, published in 1997 with a Preface by John Berger and accompanied by photographs by Steve Pyke. Word and Image are such good friends here, twins even, that publishing the book with writer/photographer as creators on the title page seems more than pertinent. There pictures feature so prominently that a double page listing the place and sometimes several dates is supplied at the end.

While admitting I have not had the time to reread a book the images of which certainly left a lasting impression on my mind, I am also now keen to do so, for not only was it turned into a film in 1999, it was also translated into German and published by Fischer Verlag in 2000.

It does not seem to be in print, though, nor are there any other titles available in German. Thus it is to return O’Grady’s gesture by composing a long article on The Soul of Man Under Socialism which also highlights the importance of that essay for contemporary Ireland that I refer to his works in my blog.

As I think that photos and illustrations enrich such a blog, I also include the cover, back cover and photograph featuring both its creators. See, read, and judge for yourselves if you recognize the Timothy O’Grady you can read on Oscar Wilde in his own novel. Do not hesitate to join the community of people writing in English and hailing from different directions in the commentary section.

Here is the link you need: wilde-on-aestheticism-and-socialism (It was posted on Danny Morrison’s website).

Stay hale and healthy

all best wishes,

Jörg W. Rademacher

22 September 2021