Fuh-ree-key!
This afternoon, Patti called me at work to tell me, "It's here!". And when I got home, there, sure enough, it was. We immediately started drawing parallels. Jack reminded me that Homer Simpson had found a box of Japanese soap in the dump with a strange Japanese version of himself on the label that he discovered was a major animated character. We talked about Bizarro Superman and, even more bizarre and å propos, Bizarro Seinfeld.
But nothing was as odd as seeing my book Everyday Matters translated into Korean. Not just translated but painstakingly reproduced in Korean. The calligraphy, the rubber stamps, everything was done absolutely perfectly. It is such an unusual feeling to stand in my living room, loking over the journal pages I made right here, and to now see them in this other skin, one made on the other side of the planet and yet so in tune. I don't know if I can fully explain the oddness of it all.
The wonderful translator, Suh Dongsoo, wrote to me several weeks ago:
I haven't met you, but I feel like I am familiar with you.
Maybe that's because I spent several months reading your book, and trying to feel like you, writing your sentences in Korean.
I really enjoyed translating your book. I was deeply moved by your book.
Right before I started translating your book, I had a very unhappy experience myself.
Maybe it wasn't such a big disaster for other people, but I was very shocked by that experience, and was living with an empty heart, thinking how should I live from now on, everyday, every minute.
And then I met your book, and I felt so attached to the book.
I believe translating the book was something very important in my life.
I can't forget one afternoon when I had to cry leaning over my computer translating a sentence.
I want to thank you for giving me the chance to translate this book.
Thank you very much.
How wonderful, and how lucky I am.
The book is apparently doing very well and is about to go into its second printing. And for those of you waiting for the 2nd printing of the book in English, I understand it will be ready in a just a few weeks.
Odder still, as readers of this blog may appreciate, was my discovery of this site, whose contents I don't understand at all, apparently about my book.
I used Google to tranlate part of it and came up with the following:
Love hero unit of be picture lost chance ni that ley ring (Danny Gregory) It was born from Great Britain and when to 12 flesh moving in New York the State of Israel back and and until, the blood chu bug, Canberra, Commonwealth of Australia and Republic of Pakistan, it came and went enough. phu lin su then It studies a political science from the college, nothing after the that el the printed style of writing it eats and and it does not live to be in agony, about 20 it worked from year between advertisement industry. 1995 year wife phay the mote in subway accident the lower half of body after becomes disabled, it draws the picture, it started.
What a weird trip we're on.
A record of my exploration into all aspects of drawing, illustrated journaling, creativity, and the inspiring aspects of art. By the author of "Everyday Matters," "The Creative License", and "An Illustrated Life" and other books.
Comments
HOW AWESOME, DANNY!!!! AND HOW WELL DESERVED!!! BRAVA!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Lin | February 9, 2006 08:43 AM
Wow! And who did all that artwork to make the truck and food labels look JUST LIKE YOUR STUFF? Those amazin' Asians....
It's really beautiful. I'd love a copy of this just for the beauty of the letterforms along with your drawings.
Story of the translator crying at his keyboard as he translates makes *me* cry...
Posted by: desmene | February 9, 2006 09:05 AM
OMG this is so cool, and so damn bizarre...
Posted by: Lil | February 9, 2006 09:26 AM
Oh my goodness Danny how exciting. I can't even imagine how you felt seeing this book with the wonderful illustrations. Some remind me of sketches I made mapping the little town where I grew up, which because of development, no longer exists.
I am enjoying your new book so much, more than I can say. I have sent your link to my artistic friends.
This weekend I am off on another jaunt of sketching the winter Atlantic ocean area. Your book is the first item I pack when I am traveling.
Thanks so much for being at my elbow. I feel your warmth and love of life, your inspiration, through your sketches
Jan Caldwell
Posted by: Jan Caldwell | February 9, 2006 09:50 AM
Dear Danny,
I'm not keeping up with drawing very much at the mo, or even keeping up with your wonderful Journal. But I *did* see this entry, and wanted to congratulate you. It's wonderful that your work has been translated into Korean, and especially wonderful you had such an empathetic translator. :-)
You are an inspiration, and I'm hoping to get back to drawing again soon (have a half way reasonable excuse - wedding of younger daughter followed by Xmas then hubby ill then crown dropped off front tooth etc etc!), plus want to get painting again - something not done for around 30 years!
Very best wishes to you and your family from Liverpool (UK) where the sun has been shinging for 2 days now - always an inspiration! ;-)
Maggie
Posted by: Maggie Wallace | February 9, 2006 11:45 AM
Congratulations!!! What a beautiful story and work.
Posted by: mikaelah | February 9, 2006 12:07 PM
As a book designer, I'm SO impressed with this! I would love to have a copy just to drool over it! It's wonderful!!!! And I love the story of the translator...
Posted by: Dawn | February 9, 2006 12:15 PM
Danny, this is so weird, it looks lovely, but it doesn't look right to me. Is the book translated into any other languages? Will you have a whole shelf of translated volumes?
I was amazed to see the side of the truck translated too. I thought the translator's note very touching. You know you got the best translation possible.
Roz
Posted by: Roz | February 9, 2006 01:48 PM
if it weren't for the insightful words that go along with the pictures, i'd just as soon have the korean version! very neat design.
Posted by: kelly | February 9, 2006 02:20 PM
This is so beautiful! What a wonderful tribute, Danny, for a great book. Hey, like Desmene, I'd love to have a copy, too. Any chance that Amazon or someone could get it?
Posted by: Susan | February 9, 2006 03:22 PM
Wow- the book looks so beautiful and elegant, Danny. I've had the opportunity to do design work thats been translated from English to Japanese...isn't it great to notice all these little details you haven't noticed before when its translated into another language? It really opens up your eyes.
Anyways,a beautiful job....I want ths book!
Posted by: chickengirl | February 9, 2006 05:39 PM
That translation is something else! It made me laugh because it made NO sense, yet somehow I could "read between the lines" I am so happy I picked up your book! I'm doing it!!!! Sweetpea aka Pam
Posted by: Sweetpea | February 9, 2006 06:36 PM
Wow. That's so cool. I can only dream that someday I'll write something so wonderful people will bother to translate it.
What a wonderful journey you are on with this.
Posted by: donna | February 9, 2006 06:49 PM
It's been a while since I smiled over the first chapter. Distracted, I have misplaced it in the chaos my life has become.
This morning I read the translator's words "... living with an empty heart".
I closed the laptop, leaned my forehead on the lid and cried. Now to find the book that lifted the translator's spirits. It's a small chaos all things considered.
Posted by: Deb | February 9, 2006 07:44 PM
Interesting! I can translate it into Tagalog, if you like.
I teach discipline-based art and, inspired by your blog, many of our projects are done in sketch journals.
I wanted to get your books, but they're very hard to come by in the Philippines. I had to ask my cousin in the US to get it for me, and it ahe couldn't find it in the bookstores in Fresno, CA. Is the website the only place where Everyday Mattera and Creative License can be bought?
Posted by: Victoria | February 9, 2006 11:57 PM
Now that's cool! I'm so glad your book is coming out again here....Amazon has been holding my order forever. I had to order another copy of each because I have given the first 2 EDMs and one Creative License away.
Posted by: joyce | February 10, 2006 08:42 AM
Danny, that's great!!! What a beautiful job he did with the integration of the artwork and translation! That Google one is hillarious! Can't wait to finally read "EDM!" Congratulations!
Posted by: Malinda Welte | February 11, 2006 02:48 PM
Wow. Just that ... wow.
Posted by: Linda M | February 12, 2006 12:24 PM
Danny that is so cool seeing your book translated, even down to translations in the sketches and drawings. Amazing and really great work. I love what I see of your book so now I have to go to our local bookstore and see if I can order it.
p.s. really like the group map thing. I didn't know about that before and decided to make a map for my private family blog and group. We have a huge extended family, extended in geography too, so it will be great to see everyone in my family on one of these maps. I added myself to the map for the EDM group.
Posted by: Maureen | February 12, 2006 03:16 PM
Dear Danny,
Just a note to say hi and a little story to let you know how far your book went ... I live in Hong Kong and picked up Everyday Matters at a museum store in San Francisco while I was travelling alone 2 summers ago. In fact, I was taking a career break from my advertising agency life (I was then a suit too!) and was en-route to New York for a short pastry course. Your book had been a good inspiration and companion for the rest of my trip. Over the few weeks I was travelling, I spent time making travel sketches of my own.
After my trip, I went back to where I live and was about to pull out my resume to find a job. It was at the same time that an idea striked me and my friends that we decided to open a store of our own - a women's concept store with books, stationery and other lifestyle items. And we called it onefineday. At that moment, we had no experience at all in sourcing ... but the very first book that I wanted to get on our shelf was Everyday Matters and we did after knocking on many doors.
Our store has just celebrated its 1st Anniversary last week and I just thought that maybe it's good to let you know that in the other end of the world, there is a small bookstore that carries and recommends your books to their customers.
Thank you for your inspirations.
Cheers,
Catherine from onefineday, Hong Kong
Posted by: Catherine | February 27, 2006 11:56 AM
Wow, the Korean book that I have is here!
I bought your book yesterday at "Seoul International book expo", of course the Korean version, and I read it all while I came home in the subway.
I was so glad when I found your book between millions and billions books in that expo. I'm studying graphic design and I was looking for the future plan of my life, work, drawing style, ..etc.
when I first saw this book, I felt strong...what can I call...faith? that this book can give me an answer.
now I have a new plan for my summer vacation. I want to thank everything in my life and I will put them on my paper. and that will give me another answer and answer and ..
Everyday Matters; a Seoul Diary...
Posted by: Lynn Kim | June 7, 2006 11:49 PM