The ‘other things’
When a friend gifted me J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, all I thought was, ‘Damn! Why didn’t I read this book earlier?’ I liked the book so much that I started reading up on it online. I saw that apart from the content, the book has had various cover designs that have helped it achieve its cult status. I realized that apart from the writer of any book, the other people who contribute to a book matter just as much. Imagine Asterix without the illustrations of Albert Uderzo! I am going to write about two people who have shaped various books in their own way without actually writing them.
First, for all of you who read Roald Dahl (or still do!), I am sure you agree that his books would be incomplete without the various illustrations they have. Roald Dahl’s illustrator, Quentin Blake has contributed profoundly to making his books come to life. He has given us a better picture of Matilda and of course, Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Blake has been an illustrator for over 300 children’s books out of which his collaborations with Dahl are the most well-known. His illustrations consist mainly of scribbly lines but he sketches his characters out with finesse. He is known to understand the writer’s style first and draw accordingly. While most of his characters may seem a little similar in appearance, he makes sure he adds distinct features to each. Do visit http://www.quentinblake.com/ for a deeper insight into his work.
Another person who has made a great impact on me is Spanish writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez who shot to fame during the literary boom in Latin America. His Nobel-prize winning book One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien Años de Soledad) was translated by Gregory Rabassa who has translated various Spanish and Portuguese books. Generally, Rabassa translates without reading the book beforehand but does it as he reads the book. In 2006, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts for Translation and till date, he remains one of the world’s most prolific translators. Marquez himself proclaimed Rabass’a translated version of his book superior to the original one. He has enumerated his experiences as a translator in If This Be Treason: Translation and its Dyscontents: A Memoir.
Next time, you pick up a book, do notice the various ‘other things’ rather than just the writing.
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About the Author: Lipi Mehta
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