In the public eye: William Costa’s translation of “Paraguayan Sorrow”

Counterpunch: An interview by Michael Yates with William Costa

A year before his departure from Monthly Review Press, editor Michael Yates took some extra time to interview William Costa, the first-ever editor and translator of a full Rafael Barrett’s book into English. Here’s a short excerpt of this rich and thorough discussion: “Barrett has always been close to the hearts of Paraguayan radicals, who, along with his progeny, have kept his memory alive. And he is known throughout the Southern Cone of South America, though his work has suffered long periods of relative neglect there. However, there has been a resurgence of interest in his life and work. We hope that with the publication of this first English translation of his major work, which includes his powerful set of essays The Truth of the Yerba Mate Forests, the life and works of Rafael Barrett will inspire readers in the English-speaking world. His words speak to today’s workers and peasants as they did to their Paraguayan counterparts more than 100 years ago.” Read the rest…

The Guardian: Rafael Barrett, finally recognized in his adopted country and now translated into English, by William Costa: “‘He came here because his writing and actions angered the Paraguayan government – he was persecuted,’said Alfredo Esquivel Romero, a schoolteacher in Yabebyry, where Barrett hid for a year on an isolated ranch after being deported. ‘He stuck to his principles, writing about the reality of what Paraguayans were experiencing.’ The exclusion and censorship continued after his death. While Barrett was praised by behemoths of Latin American literature, such as Jorge Luis Borges, Eduardo Galeano and Augusto Roa Bastos, his work spent decades in relative obscurity in turbulent 20th-century Paraguay. Now, he is experiencing an overdue resurgence among those pushing for change in a country still battling deep social ills.” Read the rest….

Morning Star: “Spotlight on Paraguay”, by John Green

In this Morning Star review, John Green relishes the rediscovery of a Spanish anarchist and radical, and the light he throws on the little-known story of Paraguay: “In this excellent translation by William Costa, we have been given a unique insight into numerous aspects of Barrett’s political and social thought, and the development of his world view in the many texts written over the short years of his intense literary output.” Read the rest….

This list of press is far from complete! If you see any additional press, please feel free to send it to [email protected].