Posted on November 17, 2009 by Scott Esposito

Compared to Roberto Bolano and the great Austrian novelist Thomas Bernhard, Horacio Castellanos Moya attracted a devoted following in English with his first translated novel, Senselessness, about a man who slowly goes insane while reading about the dead from Guatemala’s civil war. Hear Katherine Silver read from her translation of Horacio Castellanos Moya’s novel Senselessness and discuss this important work. Silver appeared as part of the Center for the Art of Translation’s Lit&Lunch series.

Silver discussing how she discovered and “fell in love” with Senselessness:
(1:55)

Silver discussing translating Moya:
(0:55)

Silver reading the first chapter of Senselessness:

(16:15)

Silver discussing how Native American prose “infects” Senselessness’s prose:
(2:00)

Silver reading from late in Senselessness:

(7:08)

Silver discussing her idea of translation as subversion:
(2:30)