Posted on 10/31/2005 5:13:30 PM PST by RightWingAtheist
I've mentioned before on the board that I am currently working at the University of Minnesota's libraries, helping them to sort through the huge collection of books which Elmer Andersen willed to it after his passing. I've found a lot of gems, but the one I found today should hold special interest for the people here-and if it doesn't, it will by the time this thread is finished. The book in question was Felix Salter's classic children's novel Bambi, or more specifically, a copy of the first English language printing from 1928. I was surprised and delighted when I found it-and was even moreso when I found out who the translator was. It's a name which all FReepers, and in fact anyone concerned about human freedom and dignity, should know and respect. Anyone here want to hazard a guess at who it was? It's no fair looking up Google and Amazon (so don't even try it!), but I will give you a hint: In the other book he is most famous for, he really made us hiss the villain.
So c'mon fellas, give it your best guess!
What language was it originally written in ?
Whittaker Chambers?
Whittaker Chambers
a commie who also ratted out alger hiss
German, I believe, although the background of Felix Salten is interesting. He was born in Budapest to a Jewish family, emigrated to Vienna as a child, and spent much of his time in Switzerland.
The question has already been answered, but this may fascinate you!
Bambi is a well-known story of the ancient Nubians. It was stolen by Europeans.
Whittaker Chambers
Fascinating. When I was 12 or so, spending the summer at my grandparents' in Missouri, I found a copy of a sequel, "Bambi's Children." Pretty good story, iirc; at least it kept me occupied through a long afternoon or two.
Thanks for the info...I never knew that "BAMBI" was written by a European. I've never read the book, nor had it read to me. Yes, I did see the cartoon as a child and also as an adult.
Interesting.
LOL
Interestingly, Salten's original name was was the very Germanic Siegfried Saltzmann (very Austrian, actually, because "Saltzmann" appears to have been one of the most common names for Austrian Jews). But it obviously, the entire name sounded too Jewish in the anti-Semitic climate of the time(Siegfried, like Julius and Isidore, had become "Jewish by association" in Europe, and while Saltzmann can hardly be considered an exclusively Jewish name, like Goldbach and Rosenberg it was one of those names which automatically suggested Jewishness to the anti-Semite's ears) So he changed the name the supposedley inoffensive Salten..which sounds a lot like the Hungarian Zoltan, when given the proper German pronounciation, and might have also riled anti-Hungarian bigots in Vienna.
Until this thread was posted, I didn't know anything at all about the book, its author, nor who had translated it. And since I'm not a huge fan of "BAMBI", I am not really energized to claim it as part of my Hungarian heritage.
I had to do a search to get the joke! LOL
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