Baba & More

I’ve completed my first and possibly last foray into Croatian literature. Published in 2007, Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic is about as odd as a novel gets. The title refers to a folk tale that began orally in Russia in the 18th century and has evolved in different manifestations, almost always about witches, and is now part of Slavic cultures and spreads a bit beyond eastern Europe. John Wick is referred to as Baba Yaga. She is a character in Hellboy (2019). Told in three parts, the first two have a storyline, the third is a 90 page history of the myth that contains nuggets about how it relates to the characters. In part one, a successful writer cares for her elderly mom, who is suffering cognitive difficulties. In part two, three elderly female friends visit a spa, a treat by the eldest, who is in her early 80’s. Here are interesting excerpts: “That right moment is called death, my dear Arnos, an orgasm from which we never awaken…” “… The invisibility in which we live next to one another is appalling…” “It is the brutal truth that what we know about people could be contained in an insultingly small package.” I enjoyed this description: “… she took her right foot out of her clog and scratched her left ankle. And then she tucked her right foot back into its clog, took out her left foot and used it to scratch her right ankle…” Several chapters end with a rhyme, i.e.: “And us? While life is often gloomy and cheerless, the tale runs on, bright and fearless!” The novel is part of a series of 18 on ancient myths, published in Scotland. I suppose that is why the third portion is so detailed. The translation by Ellen Elias-Bursác, Celia Hawkesworth and Mark Thompson is solid. There were few instances in the span of 327 pages where I was puzzled. I doubt the book would appeal to many westerners, especially the third part, which I had to force myself to finish. Its audience is probably restricted to those interested in the lore and those who prefer existential angst in a negative light. Misogyny is a frequent complaint, not entirely without merit. 75 users at Amazon have rated Baba Yaga…, forging to a consensus of 4.2 on a scale of five. I’ll go with 2.75. Born in 1949 in what was then Yugoslavia, Ugrešić left Croatia for political reasons in ’93. She taught at European and American universities, and is now a Dutch citizen. Her fiction and essays have appeared in significant publications worldwide. She has been nominated for and received many awards on both sides of the Atlantic. Facts from Wiki. Photos from Google Images:

Higher learning. Headline from nypost.com: “Purdue professor arrested for dealing meth, offering women money for sex.” Stranger Than Fiction 101.

RIP two-time Super Bowl champion Sidney Thornton, 68. Born in New Orleans, he was drafted out of Northwestern State University in Louisiana by the Steelers in the second round of the 1977 draft, the 48th pick overall. He played six seasons as a reserve RB, rushing for 18 TDs. Well done, sir.

Too cold and windy today for an outdoor book shop for a guy my age.

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