A question for Alexander Meeuws

[heinrich]

Dear Alexander,It appears that (the book by) Jona Lendering creates a lot of unrest on this forum: one group of people (Luis, Kenny...) thinks that Jona is a blasphemer who insults Alexander by putting him in a wider perspective and showing that Alexander was not the sole cause for the fall of the Persian empire; another group of people (Marcus, you...) accepts Jona's approach, but many of them regret that they can not read his book.I suppose that one of us must write a review, because we seem to be the only ones who have actually read this book. I have some doubts about details (e.g., Jona's dating of Issus), but at least he has visited most of the locations (see his website) and has tried to read all available sources, the eastern ones included. I agree with you that his description of Gaugamela is the best one we have seen in years.Unfortunately, my Dutch is not perfect either. I can read it, but I may sometimes have missed an element. Is it possible that I write the review, and that you (apparently a native speaker of Dutch) check it to see if it contains no mistakes?The books deserves better than the insult by Luis and Kenny, who, as you correctly point out, just want to admire a man and do not want to understand what really happened in the age of Alexander. Besides, I think that our review might speed up a possible English translation of Jona's book.Heinrich

[abm]

Hi Heinrich,I am indeed a native speaker of Dutch. I am, however, relatively new to Alexander studies and thus I do not think I would be the right person to review a book, but if you want to do so, you can always e-mail your review to me and I will be glad to check it.regards,abm

[Kit]

Heinrich,Maybe you could ask Nick W to have alook at your review? He is Dutch and knows his Alexander? You may notice that he has submitted many of the book reviews on Pothos.regards,Kit.

[abm]

Hi Chris,As Nick is a good friend of Jona and has read the book and advised on it before publication, that would not really be "objective". While I do not deem myself the right person to write the review, I think I do know enough to comment on it, especially as Heinrich mainly wants to know whether he didn't misunderstand anything.regards,abm

[heinrich]

Yeah, I know Nick is Dutch, but at the end of Jona's book, he lists people who have been helping him, and includes Nick. This makes it slightly unfair to ask Nick, although I can ask him for a second opinion. Other Dutchmen or Belgians over here?Maybe interesting for this forum: Jona calls pothos a "friendly" forum. A bit ironical, seeing what kind of criticism he receives over here...HM

[heinrich]

Dear AlexanderI just sent you the review. It may be that there's something odd with the file - if so, please contact me.HM

[karen]

Why don't one or more of you guys who have command of both Dutch and English undertake a translation?Maybe I'm biased because *I* want to read the book, but it seems to me there's money to be made. The English market for it would be much bigger than the Dutch.Or else Jona, why don't you do it yourself? Your English is good! All you'd need is a good editor.Warmly,
Karen

[abm]

Hi Karen,I think Jona has ongoing negotiations for french translation, but I don't know whether there will also be an english one. My english certainly is not good enough to undertake a translation.regards,
abm

[jona]

It is a nice idea, and I feel honored, but it is not possible. The Anglo-Saxon market is simply occupied by books like those by Tsouras, Worthington, and Cartledge. There is simply not enough room for another book. This is pretty common; most Continental historians therefore publish in English.Personally, I think this is extremely stupid (and this is one of the reasons why I don't want a university job), because a historian's literary style is among his most important instruments to evoke something of the past. And a historian will (almost) never be able to evoke something in another language than his own. Historians must write in their own language and ask for professional translators - this is the only way to give the readers some feeling of the past.One chapter of my book has already been translated and can be found at http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexander/alexander_z7.html .Jona

[karen]

But Jona, you yourself say your book is unique due to its use of Eastern sources not taken into account by others. Would that not include others published in English?Let me put it to you bluntly: I don't want to read Worthington or Cartledge et al, because it's just going to be more of the same: pull together the usual Greek/Latin sources, speculate with some creative leaps of logic, an amateur mental health diagnosis of Alexander and maybe some armchair generalling, and voila. Not to say that they aren't thorough and scholarly, but all they add that is new is interpretation, not information.A work that quotes sources I've never seen before is what I'm interested in (even if I disagree with your interpretation of events). And that's got to be true for many other readers... just judging by the posts on this forum!I can understand your reason for not wanting to do it yourself, now that you've explained. So hire a professional translator. I really think you are passing up a great opportunity, both for personal gain and to get these sources known and out there.Warmly,
Karen

[jona]

"So hire a professional translator."I am trying - or better, my publisher is trying.J

[karen]

I'll quit urging you ;-)Best of luck with this.Warmly,
Karen