Episode 24: "The Tanners" by Robert Walser, translated by Susan Bernofsky, w/ special guest Spencer Ruchti

Lost in Redonda

Today Spencer Ruchti of Third Place Books joins to chat about The Tanners by Robert Walser, translated by Susan Bernofsky. We actually recorded this back in November and are glad to get it out into the world. Early on Spencer dips out momentarily due to an alarm in the store, but all ended up being right with the world. At least in that instant.

This is another wide-ranging chat as we dig into The Tanners and Walser’s writing. Some notable—perhaps random, perhaps not—topics that came up: hiking, firefighters, Full House, and lucid dreaming.

Lastly, Spencer is one of the founders of a newer literary prize, the Cercador Prize, which selected its first winner, Of Cattle and Men from Charco Press, back in the Fall. Do check them out and follow along as they get moving on the second year of the prize!

Titles/authors mentioned:

Of Cattle and Men by Ana Paula Maia, translated by Zoë Perry

Girlfriends, Ghosts, and Other Stories by Robert Walser, translated by Tom Whalen, with Nicole Köngeter and Annette Wiesner

Looking at Pictures by Robert Walser, translated by Susan Bernofsky, Lydia Davis, and Christopher Middleton

Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann

Clairvoyant of the Small: The Life of Robert Walker by Susan Bernofsky

Barry Lopez

Alexander von Humboldt

Heinrich von Kleist

Walks with Walser by Carl Seelig, translated by Anne Posten

Septology by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls

Erik Satie

WG Sebald

The Village on Horseback by Jesse Ball

To hear more from Spencer follow him on Instagram: @spenruch and follow the Cercador Prize on Instagram, too: @cercadorprize

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Music: “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” by Traffic

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