Together

This is Olga Tokarczuk and Jennifer Croft signing books at the Hay Festival this morning. Olga is a celebrated Polish author who wrote the book Flights, which Jennifer, an American translator, translated into English. Last week the two of them were awarded the Man Booker International Prize for this book and today they were at the Festival talking about it. It was an excellent session, giving some fascinating insights into the novel itself and the task of translating.

I bought the book a few weeks ago, when a friend told me about it, and I am now reading it. I could recommend it, on the grounds that I have enjoyed it so far, but if you do pick it up be prepared for something completely unexpected and different. It is fiction, but Olga calls it a constellation novel, where different stories, narratives, reflections are interwoven to make a work of fiction like no other.

It was a delight to listen to them both and to meet them, as I got my book signed.

The day started off dull and damp and we even had a few sharp showers, but the Festival was humming regardless. Our afternoon, spent exploring a little of where we are staying, was a bit disappointing, although we did find some of Offa’s Dyke, which I had always wanted to at least glimpse. Then we headed to Ludlow, where the sun came out, everything dried up and it was very warm.