Inscrutable Germans
In
the comments of my last blog, member Ralf observed that
there’s a German edition of Company coming out, and
they’ve posted the cover online. I’m glad I have people like
Ralf to tell me these things. He’s more up-to-date with what’s
happening in my career than I am. From now on I’ll get him to
write my blogs.
The German cover is very interesting, because I have absolutely no idea what it means. Now, I’m used to foreign publishers making inexplicable changes that I can only hope make more sense in their native language and culture. Especially if it’s the Germans, who are yet to publish a book of mine with anything even vaguely resembling the original title. (Syrup became “Fukk” and Jennifer Government is “Logoland”.) Because “chefsache” does not, as you might assume, mean “company.” It means “top priority case.”
My guess is that it must be common German management-speak, like “action items” or “Let’s take this offline” or “We’ve outsourced your job to India.” But the cover is more perplexing. I honestly can’t figure it out. And I’m usually good at this kind of thing. Once in high school I sat for an IQ test where they gave me sets of cards with pictures on them, and I was asked to arrange them to make logical stories. I scored lower on that test than anyone. My problem was that I kept seeing logical stories that weren’t there: I would arrange my cards in a sequence that made perfect sense to me—that spun tales of pathos and drama, of tragedy and triumph—and look proudly at the teacher only to see her eyes flick down to the answer sheet, and return, sympathetically, to meet mine. After that, they wouldn’t let me near sharp objects.
But this one is a mystery to me. Is that guy exploding? Why? And why is he wearing sunglasses? Help me out here: what do you think this cover means?
Comments
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Jamie (#111)
Location: Auckland
Quote: "Anyone still spelling "internet" with a capital "I" is probably struggling with the complexities of their new-fangled electric typewriter."
Posted: 6053 days ago
(OK, I admit that I had to look up how to spell Rorschach...)
Monkeywright (#1732)
Location: Los Angeles, Californi-YARGH!
Quote: ""China is Here?" I don't even know what the hell that means! - PS - visit scenic www.monkeywright.com"
Posted: 6053 days ago
Heyne <
This is German for "Heiney is less than..."
Then we add the happy white face, helpfully labeled "Max Barry". The rest has something to do with Max contracting Red Tide Poisoning and exploding. Or perhaps the explosion refers back to the Heiney. Perhaps the answer lies in the fine print in the lower right corner.
This is the most juvenile post I've ever written, and I've written quite a few in my day.
Elle (#2618)
Location: New York
Posted: 6053 days ago
From the Random House blurb I'd say they're trying to paint Mr. Jones as some kind of Special Agent type figure. Roughly, 'The man who takes it on himself to ask the questions no man is allowed to ask'... hence the dark glasses. And the dramatic demise... in a Bond like explosion.
Okay, I said it was rough.
Mincetro (#584)
Quote: "This isn't skiing"
Posted: 6053 days ago
Michael Ricksand (#2212)
Location: Terra
Quote: "You do not have a right to be stupid."
Posted: 6053 days ago
Robert (#2152)
Location: Berlin, Germany
Posted: 6053 days ago
at least you can hope that the tranlation is quite near to the original. poor we.
Quote: ""it's the way of the future""
Posted: 6053 days ago
Why do publisher's waste money on changing the cover for a different country (apart from the obvious spelling and perhaps cultural references).
But come on! Surely they have donunts in Germany!
-- oh and Mincetro, I'm from Australia, and read it more than 6 months ago (couldn't wait) ordered from Amazon - and oh look here's a handy link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385514395/theofficimaxxbar
:)
Jeffrey (#2286)
Location: Right here
Quote: "Mathematics is a powerful language. Just look at how mathematicians destroyed the housing market."
Posted: 6053 days ago
Rod McBride (#688)
Location: Gardner, KS
Quote: "www.MidwestRockLobster.blogspot.com"
Posted: 6053 days ago
Kevin (#2619)
Location: USA
Posted: 6052 days ago
Ian Harris (#1034)
Location: Cambridge, UK
Quote: "£256.50, exc VAT"
Posted: 6052 days ago
In which case, the dude with the shades is the boss, who gets a nasty surprise one day when one of the workers persuades all the others to fuck the CEO together. Cue explosion of arse/CEO's calm/oppressive corporate hierarchies.
Location: Australie
Quote: "We can plant a house, We could build a tree, I don't even care, We could have all three!"
Posted: 6052 days ago
Think um.. Company has bigtypemondosecretything. You're all happystyle until you understand what bigtypemondosecretything really is then your head go "pop!"
Yenzo (#829)
Location: Secret underwater pyramid base in the Pacific
Quote: "In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe (Carl Sagan)"
Posted: 6052 days ago
That's why I actually like the German title. It's catchy and I think it fits quite well. A literal translation wouldn't have worked, because it would be "Firma", which is already the German title for Grisham's "The Firm".
The cover, though... That beats me. We actually don't have any donuts here (at least, no *real* donuts), but I think people would've gotten the message.
Monkey Head (#747)
Location: Germany
Quote: "bla"
Posted: 6052 days ago
Matthias Truxa (#576)
Location: Germany
Quote: "Nonsens"
Posted: 6052 days ago
there must be a different marketing strategy including the design to get german customers - other countries, other perceptions.
Donuts are not quite common in Germany, and on the other hand, not quite popular for generations except mine (you know, its not a european product). McDonalds & co is denounced as any fast food is, except for the youngest generation.
So because your book is likely much more serious than dunking donuts and they had to attend different thinking generations, they couldnt cover it with one - nobody would read it, since matter of design is not matter of every target group.
you have to consider the germans are highly conservative, concerned to the main target group (that is the intellectuals rather than the main stream folk). not all generations are open for free cynism, as given by an unknown Australien. so you have to lay a cover that intuitivly includes a message that tells non-open people what they have to expect in this book. this wouldnt be a donut, i suppose. neither would it be such a cover, at least for me. but i think whats meant is some kind of hierarchy or business strategy to be given a lecture on, from the perspective of an staff member of outsider - you know - confederacy, things to be aware of, things to consider, things to open your eyes on. well, none of this will hit the message of the book, i think. maybe the cover is another abstract message to arouse curiosity. at least it doesnt say much.
well, i dont buy books by cover, i always read the prologue or back text. so do many here.
Justin (#2009)
Location: Halfmoon, NY
Quote: "Max(x) is awesome!"
Posted: 6052 days ago
Charles Greathouse (#219)
Location: Ohio, USA
Quote: "...for they are subtle, and quick to anger."
Posted: 6052 days ago
Sweden's "Jennifer Saten":
http://213.80.60.99/sfbok/asp/artikel2.asp?VolumeID=9362
The Netherlands' "Jennifer Government":
http://www.deboekenplank.nl/naslag/aut/b/img/barry_m_jennifergovernment_2004.jpg
Joe (#2270)
Location: Campbell, CA, USA
Quote: "I'm subverting the system from the inside. I think."
Posted: 6052 days ago
Nick (#2620)
Location: Amersfoort
Quote: "Am I dreaming this?"
Posted: 6052 days ago
Three weeks ago. In China, at the huge book printing factories of Heine, the book cover man was waiting for a delivery. The new designed German cover for 'Chefsache' should arrive on monday. But it didn't.
Instead arrived the cover of another book: 'The Real Dangers of Living Without an Ozon Layer'. That cover roughly summarized the content: Even with sunglasses, do not get into the naked sun or you will get tanned, then explode.
Of course our book cover man could only read Chinese characters. He was also very nervous (deadline!). So he started up the big book cover folding machine. A zillion German 'Chefsache' books were wrapped in this cover. The man shipped his 10.000 pallets. Just in time. Phew.
Maybe someone at Heine's should make a call to China.
Best regards,
Nico
austin (#2462)
Location: rhode island
Quote: "hmmm...bleh..."
Posted: 6052 days ago
The top picture is of Jones. He has joined the company and is satisfied. Thus the :| face. He's not hatin it, he's not lovin it.
The second picture is of Jones when he figures out what the company is really about. He is sad and ashamed that the employees are being used like that. Thus the :( face.
The End.
Kristen (#1157)
Location: Jersey
Quote: "Insert quotation here."
Posted: 6052 days ago
... but it could be worse. It COULD have David Hasselhoff on the cover.
Kalle (#1278)
Quote: "Sex is herital. If your parents never had it, chanses are you'll never have it either."
Posted: 6052 days ago
SilverCloud (#2038)
Location: SANTA MONICA ,CA.U.S.A.
Quote: "Fortune Favors the Brave"
Posted: 6052 days ago
How to cook with a Microwave or Nuke it til it glows..
At last a cook book for blind men seeking a four course dinner
in three minutes or less.
Yubi Shines (#1664)
Location: Canada
Quote: "HOPE RIDES ALONE!"
Posted: 6052 days ago
Contrast between two faces: Assuming that that's Jones, first face refers to how he starts out - calm and perfectly ignorant of what's really going on. Second face is later on when he's clued in and frustrated.
Explosion: The tumble of chaotic events that occur as the book nears the end.
Done and done :D
Michael (#1299)
Location: Northern California
Quote: "Chugachugachoochoo"
Posted: 6051 days ago
I don't know, but my gut tells me I'm right.
Yubi Shines (#1664)
Location: Canada
Quote: "HOPE RIDES ALONE!"
Posted: 6049 days ago
Location: Leeds, UK.
Quote: "Trust Elizabeth to get upset over a donut."
Posted: 6048 days ago
(i know, i know its a crazy idea)
lab brat (#2561)
Location: Blue Mountains
Posted: 6046 days ago
You know, there could be a story in that somewhere. A book cover conspiracy or something. ;)
Susanne (#2636)
Location: Cologne, Germany
Posted: 6045 days ago
No, it doesn't make any sense.
Your humble German fan, Susanne
Mickey Finn (#2595)
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Posted: 6044 days ago
Rene (#2458)
Location: Austria
Quote: "To live is to die - Cliff Burton"
Posted: 6043 days ago
The worst translation I know of are the Harry Potter books that fell into my hands once (after I'd already read all the originals) because my Mother was reading them as well...
@Mickey Finn: Our End of the world does know of donuts, but JFK was referring to Krapfen (Austrian word for what Germans call Berliner), which is fried yeast dough filled with jam (traditionally apricot) and has no hole through the middle... We can still afford the full disk :-p
Christian (#2192)
Location: Calgary, Canada
Quote: "If being a nerd was baseball, I'd be starting quarterback!"
Posted: 6043 days ago
That's Arnold Schwarzenegger portraying our hero, T-800, when he goes back in time. He's one cold emotionless bad ass.
The purple face is him just before he gets melted down in order to prevent Terminator 3 from happening (which happened anyway).
Finally, we have an explosion as as T-101 and T-1000 are melted down and destroyed. Take that, Robert Patrick! That's right! There's no room for you in the third movie! We're hiring a sexy Terminatrix to do your job! Wooo!
...
I'm done now. Yeah..
Christian (#2192)
Location: Calgary, Canada
Quote: "If being a nerd was baseball, I'd be starting quarterback!"
Posted: 6043 days ago
Avalon (#2687)
Location: Milan Italy
Posted: 6028 days ago
As one Non-German to another Non-German, my advice is this: Don't look for meaning. These sorts of things can only be understood by the Germans.
Thiago Mello (#2699)
Location: Brasil
Quote: "(this is my bad end)"
Posted: 6021 days ago
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