In December 2006, to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Swiss author Robert Walser, another Walser admirer and I decided to try our hand at translating a memoir written by Walser’s friend and literary executor, Carl Seelig. The book, entitled Wanderungen mit Robert Walser, recounts a series of conversations Seelig had with Walser over more than 20 years, usually in the course of long walks across the Swiss countryside. The book was published in German in 1957. It has never been translated into English.

First we thought it it would take a month; then we thought it would take a year. Last year we aimed to finish by Christmas 2007.

Now I sometimes think we’ll be working on it for the rest of our lives. But also that this intermissive, progress-without-progress would find favor with a certain half-forgotten Swiss prose genius.

Somebody suggested that we use the home page to post Walser-related news. So we’re doing that too. My own random thoughts about Walser and other poets and writers are posted at my original blog, Golden Rule Jones.

(This post updated February 2008. Read more about the genesis of this project here.)

Read a full translation of Wandering with Robert Walser, completed by Bob Skinner, here.

Sam :: Dec.26.2006 :: Uncategorized :: 4 Comments »