To bin the latest Sally Rooney?

[JumperandJacket]

Genuinely shocked by the news she has banned the translation of her book into Hebrew. I can see no reading of this that isn’t straightforward antisemitism. She may claim it’s a protest against the Israeli government but to equate Hebrew speakers with the government of Israel is in itself deeply racist. The only other writer I know of to have done this is Icke-fancier, Alice Walker.

Plus the book is boring as shit.

I think in the context of her being Irish and the Irish governments stance on Israel it’s hardly shocking. Don’t pretty much all Irish political parties see Israel as an illegal settlement and there was even a proposed bill to make trade with them illegal a couple of years ago IIRC (can’t remember what came of it as I lived in England then and only occasionally saw reports)

I think she’s a fantastic author, she really resonates with me, and I think she is within her rights to refuse her book to be published wherever. We all support particular causes - I don’t doubt that she is also disgusted by practices elsewhere in the world but this was very specifically an offer from a certain publishing house in Israel, has she actually been approached by publishers in UAE etc!? The Irish people sympathise with Palestine in particular for very obvious reasons.

She's certainly been defamed by a lot of influential people on social media in the last 24 hrs. Which has resulted in people starting threads like this. She should take legal advice.

@EishetChayil

She is an absolute virtue-signalling embarrassment, and a terrible author.

Israel isn't missing much by not having her dirge translated into Hebrew.

This.

Not a big fan, but I will buy a copy of the book now!

Honestly, if you're not a big fan of her previous novels, do not buy this one. It's really disappointing (didn't finish), and I really enjoyed the previous ones

@PooWillyNameChange

I think in the context of her being Irish and the Irish governments stance on Israel it’s hardly shocking. Don’t pretty much all Irish political parties see Israel as an illegal settlement and there was even a proposed bill to make trade with them illegal a couple of years ago IIRC (can’t remember what came of it as I lived in England then and only occasionally saw reports)

I think she’s a fantastic author, she really resonates with me, and I think she is within her rights to refuse her book to be published wherever. We all support particular causes - I don’t doubt that she is also disgusted by practices elsewhere in the world but this was very specifically an offer from a certain publishing house in Israel, has she actually been approached by publishers in UAE etc!? The Irish people sympathise with Palestine in particular for very obvious reasons.

Please don't tar all Irish people with this sentiment. Many of us support the Israeli people. And no, Irish political parties do not all see Israel as an illegal settlement

@EishetChayil

She is an absolute virtue-signalling embarrassment, and a terrible author.

Israel isn't missing much by not having her dirge translated into Hebrew.

Did you fling your dolly on the floor after you posted that?

She's actually not a terrible author. She's a very good writer. If you can't see that you probably shouldn't be critiquing. You don't have to enjoy her writing but it is good

@NotLettingItSlide so by your logic if I donate money to, I don't know, Doctors Without Borders, then I also have to donate to every other medical charity in existence? I'm not allowed to focus my attention on a single cause that's important to me?

Let’s hope her political sensibilities are equally demonstrated when the mandarin / Arabic / Polish / Hungarian / Urdu / publishers come knocking.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Rooney explained her decision, writing that while she was “very proud” to have had her previous novels translated into Hebrew, she has for now “chosen not to sell these translation rights to an Israeli-based publishing house”.

She’s refusing to sell the translation rights to an Israeli based publishing house, which she had used previously. She’s not refusing to have it translated into Hebrew.

I agree, she is a good writer, although not better than many other less hyped-up female literary writers, in my view. But then she isn't doing the hyping.

I didn't really enjoy Conversations with Friends but that isn't to say I thought it was bad writing.

A British interpretation and explanation of Irish people's opinions on Palestine is coming. I'll get my bingo card out.

@LoislovesStewie

I'm not reading it until she also refuses to have the book translated or sold in other countries that have awful human rights issues. I find it hypocritical to refuse to have anything to do with Israel yet not call out China for its appalling treatment of the Uigur people or various countries re the treatment of Kurdish people or in fact lots of others. And yes, I do consider it as anti-Semitic when Israel is the only Jewish country on Earth and is so often treated this way when other countries do all sorts of abuse and no-one says a thing.

I totally agree, well said.

@Tillysfad

She's actually not a terrible author. She's a very good writer. If you can't see that you probably shouldn't be critiquing. You don't have to enjoy her writing but it is good

She writes beautiful, perfectly-crafted sentences and yet for me the novels are static and stultifying. I can sit there admiring a paragraph but without any desire at all to know what happens next.

I suppose one might argue that this is very clever, given that it makes the experience of reading a Sally Rooney novel a bit like existing as a Sally Rooney character, constantly pondering the significance of one’s own navel and never really doing anything.

I can sit there admiring a paragraph but without any desire at all to know what happens next

Agree. I couldn't have cared less what happened to anyone in CwF. At the end I thought "actually that probably was a good book". But I think I probably do miss the point, as I personally prefer a good story and literary writing is not always that!

She writes beautiful, perfectly-crafted sentences and yet for me the novels are static and stultifying. I can sit there admiring a paragraph but without any desire at all to know what happens next.

So why did you buy her latest novel?

Me too @RuggerHug.

Yes, I would argue that OP. I don't think a well written novel has to be entertaining and I don't think a piece of art must be hopeless if I don't care about it. There are some that make you work for an experience. They may not console and inspire us but still important.

@Classica Triumph of hope over experience, I guess. It’s had some great reviews but I found it lifeless and dull.

@Tillysfad Sure. When I described the book as “boring as shit” that was merely my subjective opinion.

I do not know the full story behind her decision but it sounds as though it was a reasonable one with some thought behind it. Unlike her dreadful books!!!! I find them unreadable.

What language do they speak in Iran?

@Severntrent

What language do they speak in Iran?

Persian.

Farsi

Language depends who the Iranian is. Most who can read at all can read Farsi (Persian) and about half speak it. Spoken language for the rest depends on background: Arabic (especially in religious schools), Armenian, Kurdish, Turkic languages of various types (not just Turkish but the full range of 'stan languages) etc.