The War Over War and Peace
By Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 10/2/2007 9:15:00 AM
The War and Peace war is heating up. Ecco’s new translation by Andrew Bromfield—billed as the “original version”—went on sale Sept. 4, and Knopf’s new translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky pubs Oct. 16. Although Ecco publicity director Michael McKenzie insists “it’s not a competition,” in the wake of comments from Knopf editor LuAnn Walther and the media’s attention on the two books, Ecco publisher and senior v-p Dan Halpern has issued a letter to the media defending his book, saying, “To characterize [Ecco’s edition] as the ‘not real’ version and to suggest Tolstoy’s posthumous intents are unfortunate, even laughable, posturing swipes.”
Halpern’s comments are the latest in what could become an epic saga of its own. In August, Knopf editor LuAnn Walther told PW, “It is a serious mistake [for Ecco] to call [its book] ‘The Original Version’ or to mislead readers into thinking that if they have read this first draft, they have read War and Peace. The Bromfield edition is no more and no less than that—a first draft which Tolstoy then reworked and revised for three years until he completed his masterpiece. Our edition is the real thing.”
Since Walther made those comments to PW, the New York Observer wrote about the dueling editions: “Knopf has mounted an aggressive effort to discredit Ecco’s edition, arguing that it is not an ‘original version’ at all but a dumbed down misrepresentation that violates Tolstoy’s work and misleads readers.” The Observer also referred to an open letter to journalists written by one of the Knopf translators, Richard Pevear, which condemns Ecco’s “philistine attitude towards Tolstoy as an artist” and “warns readers against falling for their sales pitch.” New York Magazine, Newsday and other publications have since covered the story.
Halpern’s letter, dated Oct. 1, defends Bromfield, noting his previous accomplishments and applauding him for “having created the first and only English-language translation of the original draft of Tolstoy's world-class work.” Halpern explains how Ecco’s version is different “but no less ‘authentic.’ ” And then Halpern shows his teeth: “Knopf was evidently so concerned about our competing translation that they had their translators write a response to our edition, which was circulated to reviewers, long before either book came out. Unfortunately, in preparing that response, they failed to consider the American edition and marketing campaign, and actually attacked the British edition of the ‘Original Version’ (which appeared earlier than the American edition). Not surprisingly, Mr. Pevear does not address the Ecco translation in any substantive or meaningful way, but instead concerns himself with how the British publicized their edition. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Mr. Pevear doesn’t actually read the original Russian.”
PW showed Halpern’s letter to Knopf executives, and the house’s Paul Bogaards responded, saying, “In a situation like this, it’s best to let the critics and reading public come to their own conclusions about the merits of these respective publications.”
Knopf is touring Pevear and Volokhonsky to New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, and the translators will appear on NPR. Ecco has no plans to tour Bromfield. But with a Newsweek feature on the books forthcoming next week, expect the drama to continue.
