Doris Lessing's Homage for Isaak Babel: A Review
The very first time I heard Doris Lessing's name was in 2007, the same year she won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Doris Lessing – Isaak Babel
I got a total surprise when I read her place of birth: Iran (!?). She is an English author but is born in Iran. Apparently her father used to work in Iran just after World War I.
Then I read Doris Lessing's Nobel Lecture (PDF), thanks to my favourite magazine: Golstaneh Monthly. What a magnificent lecture!
I was shocked by Doris Lessing’s powerful lecture. I found out that, not only I hadn't been aware of a marvellous writer but also a great intellectual. Her lecture challenged me, lectured me and impressed me deeply...
The next step for me was to try to find a book by her. But I could not... Apparently none of her books have been translated to Persian (or I couldn’t find any).
Then, as always, Golstaneh Monthly helped me: they translated one of her works: Homage for Isaak Babel.
A Man and Two Women by Doris Lessing
A Man and Two Women by Doris Lessing
This was another nice sunrise! I love Isaak Babel's My First Goose. The same story that Doris Lessing mentioned it in her story. I loved what the Cossack said about Lenin and hens.
Eventually, in 2009, I read my first book by her: The fifth child; this time in our University of Borås Library.
I have compared the translated version with the Russian version and noticed few minor changes. Considering the Babel’s elegant and gentle personality, the story has a surprising turning point.
“Homage for Isaak Babel” has also a turning point, changing an immature and shallow girl to a person who reflects and consider serious matters. The day that Catherine spent with the author and Philip is also a turning point for her life.
But the story is not just an optimistic message… it gave me the idea that the author has a pessimistic perspective on new generation in general. Ironically, Catherine strongly emphasized on her learnt lesson from Isaak Babel's works: simplicity. Nevertheless, the letter in no way is an example of simplicity! The tone and words of the letter are very formal and complicated (it is more clear to me, considering that English is my second language).