bonjour tristesse: further reading & watching
I’ve gathered here a list of additional media (some directly related and some that I think are just good companions to the book).
Bonjour Tristesse: Françoise Sagan on Translation and Affect - I love Youtube, because what do you mean I was able to discover a video essay on this book that only has 900 views, published 3 years ago??? Professor Jon Beasley-Murray, of the channel Inventing Romance Studies, posted a very thorough analysis of the book’s themes as a whole, though my favorite section (probably because I know so little about it) is when he discusses translation. He asks, “What is the effect of not providing an English equivalent for the title? What does it tell us about translation, and its limits, when we come across a word (or phrase) left untranslated? Why and when would a translator decide not to translate everything?”
Similar to how I feel about Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, I’ve known about Bonjour Tristesse for so long that the title almost feels removed from all context. But recently, I was chatting with a friend and said friend asks me what book I chose for my book club. I answer, “Bonjour Tristesse.” They say, “Pardon?” And then I clarify: “Bonjour Tristesse… Oh, I’m sorry! It’s two French words.”
Anyways, give Jon a watch! Let’s bump this man’s views up!
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