#Nanny Dickering

[dirtyriver]

Cracked Monster Party #4, April 1989, cover by Skene Catling

[vbartilucci]

People of my generation will remember Bill ward for the creation of Nanny Dickering, Cracked Mazagine’s intrepid reporter, who appeared monthly and interviewed the “king” of various industries and causes. It was their version of Mad’s “of the year” column.

Happy 100th Birthday to Bill Ward, known for Torchy Todd and other glamour gals of the 1940s and 50s. 

[inky-curves]

Nanny Dickering by Bill Ward

[crackedmagazine]

Presenting Sylvester's VP candidate pick - longtime CRACKED mazagine interviewer Nanny Dickering!!!

[lesserknownwaifus]

Nanny Dickering from Cracked Magazine.

[jetlaggedinparis]

The Translation Process

An Interview with Sam Taylor, English author and translator of French contemporary authors, Leïla Slimani, Joël Dicker, Laurent Binet, to name a few.

The importance of translation

For as long as I can remember, be it in its original version or translated in the languages I knew (English and French) I have only memorized the name of the author of a work of prose or poetry I had chosen to read and couldn’t care less for its translator, if there was one. When I read such masterpieces as ‘The Name of the Rose’ by Umberto Eco or ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel García Márquez, I took the words at face value and never wondered who had translated them. Translators were the unknown soldiers of my life in reading.

Over the years I would eavesdrop on such passing information that a particular Shakespeare’s play production was worth a re visit at a theatre in Paris as it was enjoying a ‘new better translated version’… why so? I had been fine with the previous versions! Although I was aware of the importance of translation, I was still not interested in the human and qualitative aspect of it.

Only recently did I realize that the translator should not be ignored and that his/her work should be as much acknowledged and valued as the writer’s. Indeed, it requires specific skills that not all bilingual people possess and the responsibility is immense.

Nowadays , there is definitely a trend of awareness as talk shows on books highlight their names and invite them more often, they’re clearly quoted in books reviews, and more and more books blogs have entire sections devoted to books in translation. Thanks to Carolyne Lee, a member of MyFenchLife™ community and translator herself, I discovered Asymptote Journal, described as ‘ the premier site for world literature in translation’.Finally, specific prizes for best translated books abound, especially in the English speaking world (Best Translated Book Award, Pen Translation Prize ,etc.).

The art of translating French into English :

In that respect, when MyFrenchLife™ launched last month a book club of recently-translated award winning or best-selling French novels, as a facilitator, I delved deeper into my new role, and became fascinated by the translation process. In my research, I came across Sam Taylor’ name on many occasions and not only because he was also the translator of our first book on the list ‘The Perfect Nanny’ or ‘Lullaby’ by Leïla Slimani. He had already translated other major recent French novels. I found his site and contact. Nothing could stop me then from submitting to him a few questions, which he kindly answered.

An interview of Sam Taylor, translator of French novels into English

1. What is your preferred title, the UK or the US one and were it Lullaby, did you have your word to say for The Perfect Nanny?

The different titles of the book in the US and the UK reflect different visions of what kind of book it is, I think, and most of all how it should be promoted. I preferred Lullaby because it sounds more literary, and it reads like a literary novel to me. But Penguin US aggressively promoted the book as a thriller, and for that angle The Perfect Nanny probably works better. Leila Slimani was happy with that approach, so who am I to argue? As it happens, the book has been a huge success on both sides of the Atlantic, so perhaps the title didn’t make much difference. Or perhaps both publishers chose the right title for their market?

2. How long did it take you to translate this novel? Were you in contact with Leïla Slimani ? Did she give you any direction?

It’s a fairly short novel, so it probably only took me four or five weeks - I can’t remember precisely. I never even exchanged an email with Leila Slimani, which is unusual. I think I put a few questions in comments on the Word document and the editor asked Leila those questions directly; I’m not sure why. But she seemed very laid back about translation issues.

3. Is it absolutely necessary for a translator to read the whole narrative in the original language before translating or do you have a particular way to proceed?

I think it’s preferable to read the whole book first, but it’s not necessary and it’s not always possible. I doubt it makes any difference to the finished translation - it just means you make fewer wrong turns (like word choices, for example) during the translation process.

4. With such a powerful story, that echoes many of people's personal fears - what makes an apparently normal human being turn into the most atrocious murderer- was is not difficult to just execute your work, unbiased, instead of being the would-be reader-investigator that Leïla Slimani forces us to be after the first chapter revelations ?

I don’t think a translator has to be neutral towards the book they’re translating. In fact, passion is a plus. Part of what you’re translating is the indefinable spark that pulses beneath the words, and if the book doesn’t affect you emotionally it’s more difficult to render that spark into English. I don’t love every book I translate, of course, but it’s always more fun when I do. The biggest emotional reaction I’ve had to a translation was with Antoine Leiris’s You Will Not Have My Hate, which made me cry several times. And I loved translating In Paris With You, so I’m really glad you’re thinking of recommending that to your book group. It’s the best translation I’ve done, I think, and it was also the freest, because it’s verse rather than prose. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed translating it…

I’m translating Leila Slimani’s next novel right now, by the way: Dans le jardin de l’ogre (English title still to be decided). I think it’s going to be even more controversial than the last one was!

It’s a whole new wor(l)d

I could not be happier with Sam Taylor’s answers and be grateful for the time he spent writing them. They are not only shedding light on many of my interrogations on his work but they are also bringing me to the doorstep of a new territory in reading. I will probably never again take a foreign book for granted in my mother tongue.

[vetpiner]

Retrieve keys from elevator pit without dropkey

Defendant Dunwell had entered into an elevator service contract to maintain the elevator. The building was owned by defendant Recherche Realty (owner) and managed by defendant Synoptic. DelCastillo found that the elevator shaftway door did not have an operable parking device, which prevents the door from being unlocked with a drop key if the elevator cab is not present on that floor. He testified that, pursuant to code, such an elevator may only be operated by a trained and qualified operator with no passengers other than those transporting freight, and access to drop keys was restricted to qualified elevator personnel and to building owners, who were required to keep them secured behind a locked panel for emergency use only. Robert DelCastillo, a New York City elevator inspector, inspected the elevator in December 2013, three months before the accident, and issued a violation. The drop key was left accessible on a ledge in the building lobby so residents could open the shaft door to access the elevator. Plaintiff's accident occurred when she backed into the elevator shaft in the building's lobby without the cab there after her nanny had used a “drop key” to unlock the shaft door. Plaintiffs commenced this action to recover for personal injuries allegedly sustained by the infant plaintiff (plaintiff) after she fell down an elevator shaft in the cooperative apartment building in which her family resided when the elevator shaftway door opened while the cab was on a different floor. (Synoptic) for summary judgment dismissing the complaint and all cross claims as against it, unanimously modified, on the law, and the motion denied except to the extent of dismissing defendant Dunwell Elevator Electrical Industries, Inc.'s (Dunwell) cross claim against Synoptic for contractual indemnification, and otherwise affirmed, without costs. Edmead, J.), entered October 17, 2019, which granted the motion of defendant/third-party plaintiff Synoptic Management Corp. Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Carol R. Lawless and Ian Marc Elie Herman of counsel), for respondent. Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, New York (Patrick J. 12290 Decided: November 05, 2020Īcosta, P.J., Singh, Kennedy, Shulman, JJ. TERESA DALY, Second Third-Party Defendant. DUNWELL ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES, INC., Second Third-Party Plaintiff, v. DUNWELL ELEVATOR ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES, INC., et al., Defendants-Appellants, SYNOPTIC MANAGEMENT CORP., Defendant-Respondent. XX, etc., et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, New York.

[duncanswallow1]

How to run a nanny state

How to run a nanny state

I like decisions to be evidence based. ‘We’ve tried this, and it works,’ to put it simply. ‘Hence, we’re gonna implement something that reflects what we actually know.’

Eminently sensible, except it doesn’t work like that. What legislators do is dicker about on the edges. If the government were serious about stopping people smoking, for example, they wouldn’t simply be taxing tobacco to high…

[havemanymonkeys]

that's not even the right Robin!

[travisbierwagen]

Nanny Dickering interviews The Elf King (Cracked Magazine #193, March 1983)

[markmooredeviantartcom]

Sketch for a Nanny Dickering piece sold on Ebay. Nanny was an reporter character in Cracked magazine, covering various issues in satirical fashion. In early stories she was drawn in a pretty tame fashion , dressed in what appeared to be baggy overalls. When pinup artist Bill Ward took over the art , he transformed her into a melon - bosomed , miniskirted sex bomb. I think they've toned down Nanny's look in recent years, but can't seem to erase Ward's over the top Interpretation completely. #pencilsketches #pencildrawing #comicartistsunite #billward #crackedmagazine https://www.instagram.com/p/BvRKuRuByvo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1lkwqgt963fm8

[travisbierwagen]

CRACKED PARTY PACK #4 (Summer 1990)

[havemanymonkeys]

Because if there's one thing Stephen King is known for, it's his constant candelabra.