In Other Words

by Jhumpa Lahiri

Translated by Ann Goldstein

–Review by Teri Hyrkas

The fifth book by Pulitzer Prize winning author, Jhumpa Lahiri, In Other Words (Vintage, 2016), was translated from the Italian by Ann Goldstein. Yes, you read that correctly. Lahiri, who is a native English speaker, fell in love with the Italian language as a young woman. She learned to speak and write in Italian over the course of many years, then wrote In Other Words – the account of her life-altering language-learning experience – in Italian. Lahiri could have translated the work into English herself but for many reasons, which she catalogs in her book, Lahiri chose to use a translator.

In Other Words is a story about language, identity, and writing. It is also an autobiography of sorts with Lahiri telling of her encounters with various languages, what it means to be identified by one’s language, and the many layers of difficulty involved in trying not simply to speak in a foreign language but to think in it as well. Additionally, In Other Words addresses the interests of writers since Lahiri frequently delves into language challenges that are inherent in the writing process. Happily, we get to see the wonderful results of Lahiri’s language and writing mastery in this book. read more…

This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land: The Looming Prospect of the Next Land-Grab in South Africa.

By Brett Johnson

–Review by Vern Hyndman

I became virtually acquainted with Brett Johnson after reading his book “LEMON Leadership.” Brett currently lives in South Africa, after having lived in Silicon Valley for 30 years. During a conversation on the phone, Brett mentioned that he had a new book, “This Land is Your Land” about the issues in South Africa regarding land ownership and specifically the current issue of possible land expropriation.

            Notwithstanding our friendship the topic made me cringe initially. What good could come of a white South African entrepreneur engaging an entire book about land in a culture still reeling from apartheid? I am a huge fan of Vusi Mahlasela, (https://youtu.be/LW0SMk-HJ3M) a South African singer otherwise known as “The Voice” and I wondered how my friend Brett would correlate to my hero Vusi? (consider Vusi’s TED talk as a soundtrack for this review!)

            Brett veers straight into all the squeamish bits. He walks through the reality of the generations of injustice and murder folks endured because of the color of their skin. Brett pulls no punches and does not soft-pedal the horror. He talks about future issues expropriation inevitably causes. This Land explores the ditches unreservedly, and then offers ideas that are not only just, and Biblical, but are great politically and entrepreneurially. Brett talks about how physical enslavement has morphed into various methods of asset-based servitude. read more…