The Flowers of Evil & Paris Spleen (New American Translations) [Paperback]

Charles Baudelaire (Author), Anna Balakian (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: New American Translations | Publication Date: December 1, 1991

poetry, tr William H Crosby, bilingual

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 489 pages
• Publisher: BOA Editions Ltd.; 1ST edition (December 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0918526876
• ISBN-13: 978-0918526878
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #867,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Destroys Baudelaire, June 25, 2009

By 

R. A. Gaskill "rhythm man" (South Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Flowers of Evil & Paris Spleen (New American Translations) (Paperback)

In the poem "Le Soleil" (The Sun), Crosby translates the words "secrete luxures," as "lubricious evils." The phrase in French literally and simply means "secret lusts." Time and again throughout the book, Crosby foists his own meaning on Baudelaire, distorting the intent of the author. In the same poem, a line which translates literally as "sniffing in every corner the chance of a rhyme," Crosby writes, "Sniffing for lucky rhymes at every thingamabob." He uses this monstrously unpoetic and incorrect vocabulary to make a rhyme with "job" in the preceding line. This translation is frequently clumsy and wrong, and if you can't read French, there is little point in reading this, because it is not Baudelaire.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, July 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Flowers of Evil & Paris Spleen (New American Translations) (Paperback)

I have read the purist's dismissal of this work. It is, they complain, not a literal translation. There are many literal, word-for-word translations of Baudelaire. But there is only one translation in which the author attempts and most often succeeds in capturing the sound and spirit of the poet, and this is this one. Poetry is not just words. What makes poetry different from prose is the use of word-sound to carry meaning. Crosby captures the music of Baudelair's verse. It is the only translation to do so.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Spirit of CB, March 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Flowers Of Evil & Paris Spleen (New American Translations) (Hardcover)

Dr. Crosby has done the impossible. He has translated Baudelaire while somehow maintaining the sound, the music of the great man. [...] For those who wish to know the soul and sound of CB this is your book!!!