Literature is the best way to overcome death. Ilan Stavans More Quotes by Ilan Stavans More Quotes From Ilan Stavans All nonfiction writers, whether they like it or not, are translators. The translator is the perfect journalist. The best journalism endeavors to convey an essential idea or story to an audience that knows very little about it, and that requires translation. To do this successfully, the writer must filter the idea through the prism of his eye, and his mind, and his writing style. Ilan Stavans eye writing ideas Literature is the best way to overcome death. My father, as I said, is an actor. He's the happiest man on earth when he's performing, but when the show is over, he's sad and troubled. I wish he could live in the eternal present, because in the theater everything remains in memories and photographs. Literature, on the other hand, allows you to live in the present and to remain in the pantheon of the future. Ilan Stavans men memories father I am an immigrant from Mexico. I came to the United States looking for a landscape where I could explore ideas freely and to test my entrepreneurial spirit. Ilan Stavans i-am looking landscape ideas 'Hispanic' is a reference to Hispania, the name by which Spain was known in the Roman period, and there has always been strong ambivalence toward Spain in its former colonies. Ilan Stavans colonies name always strong 'Don Quixote' is a very political book that has been used by diplomats, politicians, guerrilla fighters, to inspire people, to convince them that they themselves can become quixotic. George Washington had a copy of the book on his desk when signing the U.S. Constitution. Ilan Stavans constitution political book people Latinos are learning English. That doesn't mean that they should sacrifice their original language or that they should give up this in-betweeness that is Spanglish. Ilan Stavans sacrifice learning language mean My hope is that 'The New World Haggadah' will open a new world for readers who will see our heritage through a multilingual prism. I wanted to feature medieval and renaissance authors, resistance in World War II, crypto-Jews and activists during the Dirty War in Latin America, songs of protest, and songs of hope. Ilan Stavans new hope war world If a writer doesn't do anything but give a new word to his language and, from there, maybe to other languages, I think that writer redefines the world. Ilan Stavans new think language world How many different works of art have been inspired by 'Don Quixote?' Thousands. Most people enter the novel, for better or worse, through the musical the 'Man Of La Mancha.' Ilan Stavans better man people art Spanglish is a creative way also of saying, 'I am an American, and I have my own style, my own taste, my own tongue.' Ilan Stavans i-am my-own style way American Jews are no longer a homogenous minority; we come in all colors and from all corners of the world. Ilan Stavans minority american colors world 'The New World Haggadah' is meant for American Jews in the 21st century. Ilan Stavans american new 21st-century world The mandate we have as Jews is for the story of the Exodus from Egypt to be retold every generation. Ilan Stavans every generation story egypt Cervantes married in 1584, when he was thirty-seven and Catalina was nineteen. The marriage lasted thirty years, but Cervantes may have spent only about half of them with his wife. Ilan Stavans only marriage wife half I have always considered it a beautiful metaphor that Cervantes had no fixed address in Spain. He is thus everywhere and nowhere. There are a number of sites connected with his life, but none attract hordes of travellers the way Stratford-upon-Avon and the Globe Theatre in London draw Shakespeare aficionados. Ilan Stavans theatre beautiful life way Disinterring famous people has become a kind of sport in the Hispanic world. Before Cervantes, it happened to Evita, Che Guevara, Federico Garcia Lorca, and Pablo Neruda. Ilan Stavans famous become people world The running joke about the Premio Cervantes, the most coveted literary prize in the Spanish-speaking world, which was established by Spain's Ministry of Culture in 1976, is that Cervantes himself wouldn't have received it. This is because he was, in his heart, the most anti-Spanish of Spanish writers. Ilan Stavans joke heart culture world In 2009, I edited, under the aegis of the Library of America, an anthology called 'Becoming Americans: Immigrants Tell Their Stories from Jamestown to Today.' It featured immigrants from different backgrounds, from black slaves like Phillis Wheatley to Yiddish-language speakers like Henry Roth. Ilan Stavans library black today america At its core, the United States is grateful, warm-hearted, full of unexpected twists and turns - not a cold and bullying prison - it's a place of infinite jest. Ilan Stavans place bullying unexpected grateful Two prominent terms, 'Latino' and 'Hispanic,' refer to people living in the United States who have roots in Latin America, Spain, Mexico, South America, or Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries. Ilan Stavans living roots america people
