European Central Bank on Wednesday approved an additional two billion euros in liquidity to Greek banks through the Emergency Liquidity ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
How the world sees Greece
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
ECB Approves Additional 2 bln Euros to Greek Banks Through ELA
ECB defers decision on Greek collateral haircuts to next week
The ECB has used collateral obligations for Greek banks as a bargaining chip in Greek bailout negotiations. By deferring until next week, it allows the ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT news.forexlive.com |
Erdogan, Turkish Cypriot leader urge Greek Cypriots to step up peace efforts
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the newly elected north Cypriot leader said on Wednesday that renewed peace talks between Cyprus's estranged Turkish and Greek communities could lead to a solution this year if the Greek side shows more commitment. "We will make efforts to make 2015 year of the solution, but this doesn't depend just on us," Mustafa Akinci said after a meeting with Erdogan in Ankara. Though welcoming Akinci's election, Greek Cypriots say any Cyprus settlement is contingent on Turkey, which bankrolls Turkish Cypriots and has some 30,000 troops in the heavily militarised breakaway state. At a joint news conference, Akinci and Erdogan said they aimed for a speedy resumption to stalled peace talks and called on Greek Cypriots to take steps towards peace.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT uk.news.yahoo.com |
Greek banks hampered from trading currencies
Greek banks are increasingly being hampered from trading currencies, one of most liquid markets, as international dealers cut back credit lines and costs soar, according to people with knowledge of the trades.International securities firms are curtailing trading with Greece’s ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT en.enikos.gr |
Eight-five percent of disabled children in Greece not receiving an education, study finds
Just 15 percent of Greece’s estimated 200,000 children living with a disability have access to education, a recent study by the local branch of nongovernmental organization ActionAid has found.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com |
Greek banks face difficulties in trading currencies
Greek banks are increasingly being hampered from trading currencies, one of most liquid markets, as international dealers cut back credit lines and costs soar, according to people with knowledge of the trades.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com |
Italian School of Athens to close down Greek section
The Greek section of the Italian School of Athens is due to close down because of financial constraints, the Athens-Macedonian News Agency said on Wednesday.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com |
ATHEX: Juncker phone call helps local stocks grow
The telephone call between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker turned things around at the Greek bourse on Wednesday, with morning losses giving way to afternoon gains. The benchmark closed near the day’s high, back above the 800-point level.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com |
Erdogan Blames Cyprus For Talks Stall
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Greek Cypriots are at fault for a failure to negotiate talks to reunify the island. The post Erdogan Blames Cyprus For Talks Stall appeared first on The National Herald.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenationalherald.com |
Greece Slams Creditors As IMF Default Avoided
Greece says it has gathered enough cash to make repayments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today but hit out at creditors over protracted ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT news.sky.com |
UEFA concern over Greek soccer violence bill
"We are very surprised to learn that some new changes seem to have been submitted today to the Greek Parliament,» Infantino told federation ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com |
The Guardian view on Greece: dangerous brinkmanship
Negotiations between Greece and its creditors have been badly mismanaged. It is time to stop grandstanding and reach a compromiseThe European project has a history of pulling out of a crisis precisely at the moment when it seems things are doomed. This moment could soon be reached over Greece. A sign of solace may have come on Wednesday, when Greece made a €200m repayment to the International Monetary Fund, ahead of a meeting of the eurozone finance ministers on Monday – although this doesn’t mean a breakthrough is imminent. For three months, a battle of brinkmanship has been going on between the government of Alexis Tsipras and its European creditors over a cash-for-reforms plan that would give Greece the €7.2bn worth of rescue funds that it needs to meet its debt payments. Tensions have run so high that a Greek stumble out of the eurozone has recently started to be described as a lesser evil compared with the current uncertainty. Both sides are certainly calculating that the other will eventually blink first. Greece’s public finances are in a dire state and its growth forecasts have been slashed. Turning to Moscow for a bailout was never going to be a serious option. So Mr Tsipras continues to be faced with the herculean task of having to balance democratic expectations (his campaign promises) with European realities.It hasn’t helped that his government’s negotiating tactics have become overwhelmingly perceived as having more to do with posturing and lecturing than with readiness to find a compromise. Syriza believed its electoral victory back in January would take Europe into a whole new anti-austerity direction. That has not happened. On the contrary, all of the other eurozone countries have dramatically formed a bulwark against Greek demands, in a take-it-or-leave it attitude. Whereas the Tsipras government thought it could find allies by painting Germany as the problem, it has found itself up against an EU-wide front of exasperation. The crisis has been mismanaged from both sides. Continue reading...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com |
Kipper Williams on Greek repayment to IMF
Debt default avoided after country met the deadline for €200m (£149m) repayment Continue reading...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com |
EU, IMF shoot down Greece 'rift' rumor
Greece and its lenders have traded barbs ahead of a crucial meeting that could mean make or break for the debt-ridden nation. The escalation came after a string of diplomatic overtures meant to prevent a 'Grexit.'
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.dw.de |
Arturo Sandoval to Perform Live in Athens on May 10
Arturo Sandoval, a Cuban jazz trumpeter, pianist and composer, is coming to Greece on Sunday, May 10, for one performance at Gazarte, central Athens. Sandoval began studying classical trumpet at the age of twelve, but it didn’t take him long to catch the excitement of the jazz world. He has since evolved into one of the world’s most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugel horn, as well as a renowned classical artist, pianist and composer. A student of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, who found him in the slums of Cuba in 1970, was so impressed with the talent and personality of the 21-year young musician, who placed him under his protection, giving him the opportunity to travel in Europe and the U.`S. He is one of the most dynamic and vivacious live performers of our time, and has been seen by millions at the Oscars performing with Celine Dion and at the Grammy Awards with Justin Timberlake. He also performed at the Billboard Awards with Alicia Keys Sandoval has been awarded 10 Grammy Awards, six Billboard Awards and an Emmy. Sandoval is also the 2013 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His compositions can also be heard on the soundtracks of films “Havana,” “Random Heart,” “Mambo Kings” among others. (Source: ANA-MPA)
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
European Union Shouldn't Lose Focus of Goals in Dealing With Greece
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- There is basically one purpose for the existence of the European currency union and that is to create an economic region ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thestreet.com |
First foreign tanker docks at eastern Libyan port since air strike
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya has persuaded a foreign shipper to send a tanker to the eastern port of Derna for the first time since a warplane belonging to the official government bombed a Greek-operated tanker there in January, its state oil firm (NOC) said.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT feeds.reuters.com |
ECB raises aid limit for Greek banks by €2 bln
The European Central Bank (ECB) has increased the Emergency Liquidity Assistance limit for Greek banks by €2 bln to €78.9 bln, Bloomberg reports.The weekly limit increase is the highest since February.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT en.enikos.gr |
ECB raises emergency funding cap for Greek banks to 78.9 bln euros- source
ATHENS May 6 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank raised the cap on emergency liquidity assistance (ELA) that Greek banks can draw from the ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.reuters.com |
Greece's Banks Said to Face Curbs to Foreign Exchange Trading
Greek banks are increasingly being hampered from trading currencies, one of most liquid markets, as international dealers cut back credit lines and ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.bloomberg.com |
Migrants take shelter in the Greek town of Patras
An Afghan immigrant looks through a wooden fence in a factory as he prepares to make a run towards the ferry terminal in the western Greek town of ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theglobeandmail.com |
ECB Said to Raise Cap on Emergency Liquidity for Greek Banks
The European Central Bank increased the cap on emergency cash available to Greek lenders as the nation continues to struggle with a financial crisis ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.bloomberg.com |
World NewsECB mulls tougher rules for Greek lenders
The European Central Bank's governing council discussed on Wednesday whether to impose tougher haircuts on the collateral Greek lenders are ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ft.com |
Greek debt default avoided after €200m payment to IMF
Fears that Greece would run out of funds this week and miss a €2bn public sector pay and pensions bill alongside the IMF payment prove unfoundedGreece gained some breathing space in its battle to stay solvent on Wednesday after it met the deadline for a €200m (£149m) debt payment and the European Central Bank extended its lifeline to the country’s banking system. The International Monetary Fund confirmed that it had received the repayment, allowing the debt-stricken country’s rescue package to remain in place until next week when another €750m is due to the Washington-based organisation. Continue reading...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com |
Tsipras, Hollande discuss negotiations
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras talked over the phone Wednesday with French president Francois Hollande, Greek government officials say. The officials said both men "reaffirmed their will...for a mutually advantageous solution" to Greece's negotiations with its ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT en.enikos.gr |
National Bank of Greece (ADR): Greece Makes IMF Payment And Blames Troikas For Stalled Talks
Cash-strapped Greece met its $224.9 million financial obligation to the International Monetary Fund today. Reuters reported today that Greece ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.bidnessetc.com |
For the sake of Greece they must get the Golden Dawn trial right
Inside the courtroom on the first day of the trial of 69 Golden Dawn members. EPA/Pantelis SaitasThe trial of 69 members of Golden Dawn, Greece’s far-right party, has been a stop-start affair, with the emphasis on “stop”. And if the experience of day one of the trial on April 20 – which opened and then was quickly adjourned – is anything to go by, then you would have to be concerned about how long the trial will run, its complexity and the serious risk of social unrest that it might cause. Inside the courtroom were dozens of lawyers, victims, press and defendants while outside were hundreds of people from anti-fascist groups and local organisations who had marched to the courthouse to witness the trial opening. There were also reports that Golden Dawn supporters attacked witnesses arriving in court. In the face of all this – and Greece’s much-publicised money troubles – getting the Golden Dawn trial right could not be more vital. The more Europe repeats the threat of “ostracising” Greece for failing to meet the demands of its lenders, the more convincing Golden Dawn’s nationalist and isolationist message will sound. There is a risk that the trial and its attendant publicity could catapult Golden Dawn into unprecedented levels of public support, especially if the trial fails to demonstrate what the hundreds of pages of legal indictment clearly argue: that it is a criminal organisation posing as a political party. The rhetoric of the party in relation to the trial is already one of political persecution. Their leader signs his memoranda as a political prisoner, and the party bluntly accuses the former “Conservative” government of having orchestrated these prosecutions. Justice must be seen to be done To avoid the pitfall of highly damaging Golden Dawn propaganda, there are pragmatic issues that must first be tackled head on. The constitution, the code of criminal procedure and Supreme Court jurisprudence all mandate that unrestricted access to criminal trials be provided to anyone who might wish to follow the proceedings. At the very least, the court must therefore reserve a number of seats for the general public. But on the first day of the trial, access to court was severely restricted. If possible, national television should broadcast proceedings, but in any case, every effort must be made to facilitate the work of the media – there should be no scope for Golden Dawn to claim that the proceedings are in breach of the publicity principle. Golden Dawn member Yiorgos Roupakias is accused of murder. EPA/Pantelis Saitas The court then needs to ensure proceedings run smoothly so they don’t put too great a strain on its limited resources. A 17-day adjournment on the first day of the trial – as a result of one of the defendants appearing in court without legal representation – was not the best start and does not bode well for avoiding possible delaying tactics in the later stages of the process. There will be many more occasions where respecting the defendants' right to a fair trial will – quite rightly – lengthen the proceedings. Why 69? So why opt for such a complex trial with 69 defendants? The answer lies in article 187 of the Greek criminal code, which provides the main basis for the Golden Dawn prosecution. This criminalises the act of setting up or joining an hierarchical criminal organisation of three or more members – which continuously sets out to commit a range of serious offences. So this massive trial is the best way to hold Golden Dawn to account as a criminal organisation – rather than just punishing its individual members for the specific criminal acts that they are suspected of having committed. But this approach brings its own problems – it is expected that in most cases the court’s inquiries as to membership in the criminal organisation will go hand-in-hand with establishing the liability of the defendants for the specific crimes the indictment is based upon. These include murder, attempted murder, criminal damage, assaults and other violent offences. But where this is not possible, there is the risk of deducing from mere membership in the political party – or from sharing its extremist ideology – a membership in the synonymous criminal organisation. So, while the trial sets out to show that Golden dawn is a criminal organisation – it must not hold that every member is a criminal. Meanwhile, outside the courthouse. EPA/Yannis Kolesidis To avoid this risk, the prosecution will have to demonstrate that “each member subjects her or his will to the group” and that “the intention to pursue serious crimes consists of a general manifest preparedness that the crimes be committed”. To explore this further, it is worth reading this analysis by Emmanuel Melissaris. So to ensure a fair trial, the criminal liability of each of the 69 defendants must be investigated with sufficient specificity – and his or her role and participation in the activities of the criminal organisation fully established. In a mammoth trial like this, this is easier said than done, but the difficulty of the enterprise should not allow the court to lose sight of its crucial importance. Dimitrios Giannoulopoulos does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT theconversation.com |
E.C.B. Doubts Add to Uncertainties on Greek Debt Lifeline
The European Central Bank has already lent about $120 billion to Greek banks, which need the cash to continue providing credit to the economy.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT rss.nytimes.com |
EU, IMF hit back at Greece in bailout row
The EU, ECB and IMF hit back on Wednesday at accusations by Athens that internal rifts were blocking a bailout deal, saying they shared the same objective of securing a hard-won settlement.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com |
FTSE edges up in volatile day as Yellen warns on high market valuations
Company results support market but investors remain cautious on Greece and UK electionIn a volatile day’s trading, leading shares ended marginally higher, helped by a raft of well received company results but unsettled by a warning on valuations from the US Federal Reserve chair.Among those supporting the market Sage jumped 39.5p to 536p after the accountancy software group said revenues rose 6.2% and profits 4.9% in the first six months and it was on track to meet its full year targets. Management notes that the one-offs in the first half [in areas like Malaysia] are unlikely to reoccur, consequently, management leaves 2015 expectations broadly unchanged at 6% organic growth and 28% margins, As a result, we do not expect material forecast changes. This leaves the shares on a 2015 PE of 19.1 times. Following underperformance all year, this no longer looks extreme, but we continue to see a lack of catalysts that justify a re-rating. Hence we stay at underperform.The imminent decision from the Federal Trade Commission on their US acquisition...is the principal sensitivity from here. The Lorillard share price is voting for a 92% probability of completion, so event risk is apparently low. Should Imperial triumph, bulls will savour the low entry multiple, cost synergies and the tax and financing benefits. Those of a more cautious hue, like us, will worry about the challenge of reversing the fortunes, quickly, of what are some of the fastest-declining brands on the US market. Continue reading...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com |
European lenders dash Greek hopes for quick aid deal
The ECB's governing council extended emergency liquidity assistance to Greek banks by 2 billion euros (£1.4 billion) at its weekly review on ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT uk.reuters.com |
Go Greek next week at St. George's festival
For more than 40 years, St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Piscataway has hosted an annual festival that celebrates Greek culture. It's the longest ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.mycentraljersey.com |
Mother's Day Brunch Recipe: Multigrain Pancakes with Rhubarb-Orange Compote and Greek Yogurt
So I came up with these multigrain pancakes, and decided to serve them topped with sweet-tart fruit compote and Greek yogurt rather than pats of ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT ww2.kqed.org |
International Greek Food Festival unveils new food offerings, fe
LITTLE ROCK - The 31st Annual International Greek Food Festival this week unveiled its newest food items, as well as the traditional fare, that will be ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.katv.com |
EU, IMF, ECB reject Greek accusation they are divided
The statement appears to be a response to a statement on Tuesday by a Greek government official that achieving progress in talks was difficult ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.reuters.com |
Dijsselbloem: no deal at Eurogroup, outlook positive
Many issues remain unsolved between Greece and its lenders and agreement at next Monday's Eurogroup meeting of euro zone finance ministers is now not possible, Eurogroup chair Jeroen Dijsselbloem said. Dijsselbloem was speaking after talks in Paris on Wednesday with French ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT en.enikos.gr |
Joint Tsipras-Juncker statement on negotiations
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker spoke on the phone Tuesday on the talks between Greece and its creditors, notably regarding the need for reforming the pension system and ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT en.enikos.gr |
EU, ECB, IMF: We work closely together to help Greece
Greece's lenders have issued a joint statement claiming they work closely together towards helping Greece. The statement follows Tuesday reports of disagreements between the IMF and the two European institutions. The statement is as follows: The
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT en.enikos.gr |
Eurogroup Chair Says No Greek Deal on Monday but Progress is Made
Many issues remain unsolved between Greece and its lenders and agreement at next Monday's Eurogroup meeting of euro zone finance ministers is ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.marketpulse.com |
Yanis Varoufakis wants to break the 'unholy alliance' of oligarchs, politicians, and the media that have held Greece back
Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has just published another article, this time titled "A Blueprint for Greece’s Recovery," on Project Syndicate. It may be a bit premature to be thinking about grand recovery schemes while Greece's public finances are circling the drain and the country is still struggling to secure its latest bailout, but Varoufakis' interventions are always some of the most interesting of any European policymaker. Here's his basic message: The barriers to growth in the past were an unholy alliance among oligarchic interests and political parties, scandalous procurement, clientelism, the permanently broken media, overly accommodating banks, weak tax authorities, and a weighed-down, fearful judiciary. Only the bright light of democratic transparency can remove such impediments; our government is determined to help it shine through. He's got some slightly more clear plans to make that happen (though they're a little bit optimistic). He wants Greece to set up a powerful development bank, perhaps in conjunction with the European Investment Bank. This would allow dividends to be "channelled into the long-suffering pension funds." That would work by raising capital leveraged from state assets: "Instead of being viewed as a fire sale to fill fiscal holes, privatization would be part of a grand public-private partnership for development." Varoufakis goes on: In this scenario, the task of bolstering social security would be completed with the unification of pension funds; the surge of contributions following the pickup in employment; and the return to formal employment of workers banished into informality by the brutal deregulation of the labor market during the dark years of the recent past. One can easily imagine Greece recovering strongly as a result of this strategy. In a world of ultra-low returns, Greece would be seen as a splendid opportunity, sustaining a steady stream of inward foreign direct investment. It's all a little bit pie in the sky. Greece hasn't suffered from a lack of government interventions in the economy in the past — rather from corrupted interventions. Varoufakis concedes that "regulatory authorities would be keeping a watchful eye over commercial lending practices," but isn't much clearer than that. What's more, the finance minister may not have time to institute his grand plans. Recent events have suggested he's being sidelined a little, even by his own government. For a good breakdown of some of Greece's long-term problems, there are few things better to read than Pseudoerasmus' "Greece from Postwar Orthodoxy to "Democratic Peronism'," which takes a look at Greece's political economy over the second half of the 20th century. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This animated map shows how European languages evolved
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Greek Sports Min: Draft Bill on Battling Violence in Sports Is Ready
Greek Deputy Sports Minister Stavros Kontonis announced on Tuesday, May 5 that the new draft bill on tackling violence in sports has been finalized, after talks with international federations in order to improve certain articles and paragraphs. Furthermore ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
German Greens Propose Radical Greek Debt Solution (GREK)
Furthermore, while many of the Greek problems are 'home-made', the "one-sided focus," on the part of its creditors, on a high primary surplus has led ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT seekingalpha.com |
Greek PM discussed pension, labor reforms with EU's Juncker
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras discussed pension and labor reform issues with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.channelnewsasia.com |
Greece makes £148m IMF payment
Cash-strapped Greece has managed to make a 200 million euro (£148 million) repayment to the International Monetary Fund, as its long-stalled bailout negotiations appeared to make some progress. The country has a much larger repayment due next week that it ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.independent.ie |
Compressed Air to Challenge Batteries in Energy Storage Race
The Greek inventor Ctesibius wrote studies on the science of compressed air in the third century BC. The technology was used in an alarm clock, ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.bloomberg.com |
German Press: Gov’t Considers Special Levy to Greece’s 500 Richest Families
The Greek government is considering imposing a special levy on the country’s 500 richest families as part of the measures proposed in order to unlock financial aid, said German newspaper Bild on Wednesday. The paper cites as source the list of proposed reforms that Athens has sent to the Eurogroup. Greece’s lenders expect a comprehensive list of reforms and proof of their implementation before any release bailout funds. Athens is facing bankruptcy, as negotiations with international lenders over further financial aid are in a deadlock. Both sides have drawn red lines on important issues and refuse to back down. Greece, however, has to make a 750 million euro loan repayment to the International Monetary Fund on May 12 and it is estimated that state coffers will be empty after that. The Greek finance ministry’s reform list includes increasing a solidarity tax that workers who earn more than 30,000 euros a year have to pay and raising a luxury tax on items such as expensive cars, boats and swimming pools, Bild said. Bild said that the Greek government is considering the imposition of an extra levy on Greece’s 500 richest families in order to generate revenues. The report said Athens had also proposed introducing a tax on stays in hotels of three stars or more to Greek holiday islands and standardizing value added tax rates. To improve honesty in tax matters, Athens is planning to only allow people to use a bank debit card or credit card for payments of more than 70 euros so that there is an electronic record of the transactions.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
Fenerbahce Target Fulham FC’s Kostas Mitroglou
Fenerbahce are set to make an offer for Fulham FC’s out of favor striker Kostas Mitroglou. According to getwestlondon, Fenerbahce are preparing a swap deal which involves Emmanuel Emenike for the Greek international. Mirtoglou has scored 19 goals in 32 appearances this season while on loan at Greece ‘s Olympiakos. However, the Greek side does not have the recourses to buy the 27-year-old on a permanent basis. (source: turkish football)
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
Human rights group: Greek police target marginalized people
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — An international human rights group says Greek police frequently ill-treat homeless people, drug users and sex workers in the country's capital through arbitrary spot checks and temporary detentions.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT uk.news.yahoo.com |
Is this how Greece is avoiding bankruptcy?
With Greece's government coffers dwindling by the day, nervous creditors have been watching each and every debt repayment and monthly wage bill ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT blogs.ft.com |
Tips, links and suggestions: what are you reading this week?
Your space to discuss the books you are reading and what you think of them• Read more Tips, Links and Suggestions blogsWelcome to this week’s blog and apologies for the delay in putting it up. Here’s a roundup of your comments and photos from last week:Several conversations revolved around literature in translation.I finished a new release from Istros Books (a kind gift from the publisher) called Farewell, Cowboy by Croatian author Olja Savačević (tr. Celia Hawkesworth). It’s the story of a feisty young woman who returns to her crumbling hometown from Zagreb to find an explanation for the suicide of her brother several years earlier. She looks after her mother, confronts a neighbour whom she believes knows what might have provoked her brother and falls for a handsome young man, all against the backdrop of a western movie that is being filmed in the area. But nothing is quite that simple. This is heartbreaking but also humourous and very original and dynamic in its use of language. I loved the narrator’s voice. This book has an entirely different tone than the other Balkan work I have read. Despite the underlying tragedy it is neither dark nor bleak.Really struggling with this month’s choice for my literature in translation group, The Seamstress by Maria Duenas (trans Daniel Hahn). The choice for our first meeting last month, Jenny Erpenbeck’s Visitation, was always going to be hard to follow, but this truly is from the sublime to the ridiculous. I fully admit to being something of a book snob, but only in relation to my own choices; I think the most important thing is that people read, and if they want to read something I wouldn’t touch with a bargepole, it’s fine with me. But this book is doing my head in; I’ve never read Mills and Boon (see above) but I suspect it must be something like this. The highlight of the week for me has without a doubt been In the Beginning Was the Sea (Tomas Gonzalez). This story of a young couple giving up their city life to search for an unrealistic and naive rural existence was a beautiful and immensely powerful short novel. I’ve been very suprised reading around to see that it hasn’t been a favourite of a lot of bloggers, who seem to have found the characters (admittedly unlikeable) offputting. The book is powerful and the writing paints so physical a picture that at times I could almost smell the air and feel the sweat dripping down the back of my neck. I saw this in a charity shop in Walthamstow and bought it for 10p. I picked it up for two reasons. One, it sounded hilarious and that particular Saturday turned out to be rather dismal. Two, E. B. White wrote the 'style guide' which was recently mentioned in a beautiful article in The New Yorker, by the Comma Queen. Best Buy Of The Year.Sent via GuardianWitness By skeptical_sam 26 April 2015, 0:38 I’m reading The Classical World: An Epic History of Greece and Rome by Robin Lane Fox. Or, to be more precise, I’m reading the Greek half now and am leaving the Roman half for later in the year. The book runs from roughly 800BCE to the end of Hadrian’s reign in 138CE. What I really like is that Lane Fox has rejected the common approach of talking about the ancient world in thematic chapters eg Culture, Religion, Warfare. He says that it’s far too simplistic to assume that each of these themes remain unchanged across a span of history that numbers, very roughly, five hundred years for each of Greece and Rome. Instead he approaches the history more or less chronologically (with a bit of thematic mash-up) and sets himself the task of viewing the whole through three main subjects: freedom, justice and luxury. It’s a great read so far (I’m a third of the way through the Greek section) and it comes with bite-sized chapters which makes managing the reading easy for those, like me, who are put off non-fiction which looks unmanageably dense.Saul Bellow’s first, Dangling Man is great and a mere 191 pages. Or for even more brevity I recently read a gem of a little book (only 140 pages), The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide.I decided to join the discussion this week and read some short stories as well.Sent via GuardianWitness By Sara Richards 26 April 2015, 20:09 I finished William Golding’s Rites of Passage. A sobering read - pulls you up short in terms of how you (mis)judge others. It goes into the top third of my Booker list so far.Some links and a question. Here is Martin Amis reviewing the collected nonfiction of Saul Bellow:http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/books/review/there-is-simply-too-much-to-think-about-saul-bellows-nonfiction.htmlAmis gives a much more favourable impression of the book than Dwight Garner in an earlier review in the same newspaper:http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/25/books/review-revisiting-saul-bellows-words-on-society-chicago-and-other-writers.html Continue reading...
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