© Coiscéim, 2009
Last Dances presents Grass's lesser-known poetry in a trilingual edition containing selections from his previous collections Letzte Tänze ('Last Dances') and Dummer August ('Dumn August') - the former dating from a time before his SS confession, the latter from after. As such, the selection falls into two distinct parts. Whereas Letzte Tänze conveys a sense of lightness and playfulness, the collection's second half is a lot darker, the irony often verging on bitterness.
Oeser's and Rosenstock's respective English and Irish translations are sympathetic and at the same time as neutral as possible, showing Grass neither as the literary genius on a pedestal, nor the fallen saint he's been presented as in German media, but as what he is - human, a character full of life, maybe larger than life, with all its edges and faults, but a creator of great beauty.
Steidl 2003
Translated into: English & Irish
Not applicable