A Great Author’s Ongoing Struggle
In the latest edition of *The Atlantic’s* Books Briefing, the editors reflect on the profound impact that seemingly small details can have on our understanding of literature and the world around us. A pivotal moment for one editor came in 2009 while reading *The Original of Laura*, a collection of unfinished fragments by the renowned author Vladimir Nabokov. The realization that Nabokov, despite his mastery of English after 35 years, struggled with basic spelling—such as the word “bicycle”—challenged the editor’s perception of Nabokov’s linguistic transition from Russian to English. This revelation highlighted the complexities and ongoing challenges of language acquisition, emphasizing that Nabokov’s struggles enriched his literary craft. This theme resonates with Ross Benjamin’s recent article in *The Atlantic*, where he discusses the “humbling and unexpectedly exhilarating” journey of learning a new language and the potential consequences of AI-driven instant translation.
Benjamin, a translator of major German works, warns that advancements in AI translation technologies could diminish the necessity for individuals to learn new languages, potentially leading to a loss of cultural nuance and depth in communication. He notes that while one in five U.S. households speaks a language other than English at home, the allure of instant translation might dissuade Americans from engaging with foreign languages altogether. The editor reflects on their own experience growing up in a Russian-speaking household and the determination to master English, drawing parallels to Nabokov’s journey. The beauty of Nabokov’s English prose, characterized by its originality and strangeness, serves as a testament to the richness that arises from grappling with language barriers. Benjamin’s insights underscore the invaluable contributions of interpreters and the unique perspectives of linguistic misfits like Nabokov, who, through their struggles, have crafted works that resonate deeply with readers.
The briefing also features a selection of new stories and literary recommendations, including George Packer’s poignant narrative “We Are Not One” and Carson Colenbaugh’s evocative poem “Love Song to a Tune of Gathering.” Additionally, the briefing highlights the classic children’s book *The Story of Ferdinand*, which tells the tale of a gentle bull who defies societal expectations, a narrative that remains relevant in today’s discussions about masculinity and individuality. As the literary landscape continues to evolve, the Books Briefing serves as a reminder of the enduring power of language and the stories that shape our understanding of the world.
This is an edition of the Books Briefing, our editors’ weekly guide to the best in books.
Sometimes the smallest detail can change the way you think about the world. This happened to me in 2009, when I read
The Original of Laura
—which consists of unedited fragments of Vladimir Nabokov’s unfinished last novel—and noticed that, after 35 years of writing in English, the author had still struggled to spell
bicycle
. I had imagined Nabokov’s leap away from Russian, his native language, as an instantaneous, effortless transformation, but now I realized that it must have been an ongoing struggle—one that enhanced his dazzlingly precise fiction. I thought back to this moment when I read
Ross Benjamin’s article
in
The Atlantic
this week, about the “humbling and unexpectedly exhilarating” process of learning a new language.
First, here are five new stories from
The Atlantic
’s Books section:
What a cranky new book about progress gets right
When scarcity blurs the line between right and wrong
“We Are Not One,” a story by George Packer
“Love Song to a Tune of Gathering,” a poem by Carson Colenbaugh
The accidental trailblazers of a new global condition
In his essay, Benjamin, who has translated Franz Kafka’s diaries and other major German-language works into English, tallies up the potential costs of a world in which AirPods can translate between languages in real time. For example: AI translation might accelerate the trend of fewer Americans learning second languages outside the home. One in five U.S. households, however, does speak another language
inside
the home—and mine was among them. As an aspiring writer with Russian-speaking parents, I was determined from a young age to master English. This is one reason I so admired Nabokov, who wrote 10 excellent books in Russian and then, after fleeing Europe for the United States, nine arguably better ones in English. (He also
wrote a poem for
The Atlantic
in 1941
about switching languages.) Who, after reading
Lolita
or
Pale Fire
,
would assume that the author spoke English with a foreign accent?
And yet, what made me a near Nabokov completist was not that his English was perfectly assimilated but rather that it was strange and original. Instead of falling back on clichéd idioms, as a native speaker might have done, he pinned down rare and delicate words like the butterflies he collected, and then reassembled them in novel ways. I think he would have liked Benjamin’s description of his own translation work: “Spending my days in the space between English and German has given me a deep appreciation for what’s required to cross a linguistic divide: the mental recalibration, the negotiation between different ways of structuring the world, the humility and curiosity that come with navigating a foreign context.”
Some of Nabokov’s most memorable characters are immigrants struggling greatly with the linguistic and cultural adjustments required of them. I don’t believe that the clumsy, eponymous professor of
Pnin
, the pedophilic Humbert Humbert of
Lolita
, or
Pale Fire
’s mad exile, Charles Kinbote, would have existed if not for the language barrier their creator worked so hard to overcome. Benjamin named several potential casualties of an instant-translation society, including the “inconspicuous yet indispensable” interpreters who have helped connect the world. To this list, I might add misfits like Nabokov, who, in wrestling with a new language, made it noticeably richer.
Illustration by Ben Kothe / The Atlantic
The Costs of Instant Translation
By Ross Benjamin
AI might soon rob us of the thrill and challenge of cross-cultural conversation.
Read the full article.
What to Read
The Story of Ferdinand
, by Munro Leaf; illustrated by Robert Lawson
The plot of
Ferdinand
is deceptively simple: A bull who wants only to sit quietly under a tree is mistaken for a fierce beast and sent to a bullfight. There, he refuses combat, instead smelling the flowers in the ring. The tale may seem like a classic misfit story about a boy who doesn’t fit in with his head-butting peers. But unlike many other literary outcasts, Ferdinand is never ashamed to be different; he remains peaceful in a violent world. That was a divisive message when the book was published, with the Spanish Civil War under way and World War II approaching. Critics called
Ferdinand
communist, fascist, pacifist (as well as anti-pacifist), and emasculating; Adolf Hitler banned it for being “degenerate democratic propaganda.” Today, as many warn of a crisis of masculinity, Ferdinand’s unwavering gentleness feels refreshing. Leaf writes that the bull resisted fighting “no matter what they did”—a level of fortitude that may inspire children, even if some adults are more cynical. —
Kate Cray
From our list: 65 essential children’s books
Out Next Week
📚
The Pelican Child: Stories
, by Joy Williams
📚
Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century
, by W. David Marx
📚
Languages of Home: Essays on Writing, Hoop, and American Lives 1975–2025
, by John Edgar Wideman
Your Weekend Read
Karen Espersen with ostriches at her farm in the mountains of Canada’s West Kootenay Alana Paterson for The Atlantic
The Great Canadian Ostrich Standoff
By Daniel Engber
The activists had been camping out for months; their numbers sometimes reached into the hundreds. They knew the government was saying that the ostriches had bird flu, but they were convinced that this was cover for some other, bigger scheme. The feds were conspiring with the United Nations and Big Pharma, they said. Small farmers’ rights were being trampled. But Dave and Karen’s birds had other, more powerful friends. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was making calls to Canadian officials; Dr. Oz had offered to evacuate the ostriches to his ranch in Florida.
Read the full article.
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This article previously included Robert Wright’s
The God Test
in “Out Next Week.” The release of
The God Test
has been postponed until 2026.
