Marina Sofia

@marinasofia

Global nomad, translator (RO and DE to EN), writer and publisher, addicted to world literature. Blog at , publish at

1248 Siguiendo2251 Seguidores3285 Publicaciones

Bluesky

¿Es tu perfil?Reclámalo y marinasofia.dirty.social es tuyo.Reclamar perfil

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· 27d

Worked hard all day so on my way to the non-air-conditioned gym in 31°C stopped at the 2nd hand music shop and bought some Placebo and unusual The Clash releases. Now I'm listening to them, all cool and showered, although Kasper remains sceptical

Grey cat staring at the camera on a sofa in front of a music system

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· 28d

Don't they look beautiful? Review copies for the 2nd in the Barcelona trilogy by @teresasolanawriter.bsky.social have just arrived! Out on 12 September, available for pre-order now @corylusbooks.bsky.social

Three copies of the book The Butterfly House by Teresa Solana, translated by Peter Bush

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· 29d

Followed by a spontaneous walk through the government quarter and riverbank

Person in the distance posing with the Reichstag building to the left and a giant screen on a modern building behind

Giant screen with blue light on the riverbank with a bridge to the left

Riverbank at night with lit buildings and the TV Tower in the distance

Lights projected on a building giving the impression of fireworks with the TV Tower to the right

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· 29d

Marian Gold of Alphaville in fine voice and storytelling mode last night against a magnificent backdrop

Blurred view of a singer and band and orchestra on a blue stage

Long-distance view of the Konzerthaus Berlin summer festival stage in red lights with seated audience

A collage of the stage, the Gendarmen Square buildings, selfie of two women attending the concert and a close-up of the singer in black

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jul 13

Back from a surprisingly verdant and calm trip to Romania, yet always a sobering experience (this time because of fragile parents)

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jul 4

Reading this 1962 Mishima and wondering how someone who seems so clear-sighted about fraudulent politicians and their rhetoric could then go on to do what he did.

Cover of Yukio Mishima's Beautiful Star, colourful illustration of planets and cosmic rays against a grey Penguin Classics background

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jul 1

Attended a concert last night in an amazing piano repair workshop with a 17 year old Turkish pianist Ilyun Bürkev presenting a firecracker programme

A long narrow workshop with pianos, chairs and carpets

Same workshop seen from the front with chairs lined up for a concert

Pianos and spare wooden musical parts lined up

Young pianist in a golden dress receiving the applause from the audience

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jun 24

Thank you!

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jun 20

Have guests over later so I got up early, went to the gym, forgot my shoes there so had to go back, did last bit of shopping, made gazpacho, baked a cake, cleaned the kitchen. I think Kasper says it best...

Grey cat curled up asleep on a light blue blanket

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jun 19

And then the vacuum cleaner came out! And then there was cooking to the sound of Rumkicks punk music! No wonder poor Kasper is exhausted...

Grey cat sleeping on a light blue bedcover

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jun 19

Two pigeons fighting on the windowsill upset Kasper's morning routine of dozing over my coffee and book in bed

Grey cat using a scratch post to climb on a windowsill

Grey cat raised on his hind legs to peer out of the window

Grey cat standing half on his scratch post and half on the windowsill to look outside

Grey cat staring up into the sky out the window

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jun 18

After a day of being glued to my desk, am treating myself to the 2001 version of Emil and the (rapping) Detectives. Nice views of Berlin! #filmsky

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jun 16

You probably know them but Tsubame and Apica no frills version are my favourites i0.wp.com/fountainpenl...

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jun 15

Oh no it's Monday again!

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· Jun 5

Should be working hard but keep getting distracted by the sight of Kasper Mauser on the balcony

Grey cat leaning forward on his scratch post to look intently out ftom a balcony

Grey cat staring fixedly at something ftom the height of his scratch post

Grey cat looking upwards from his scratch post

Grey cat looking rather disturbed or disgusted by something he has observed from the balcony

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 31

And our next novel set in Barcelona will be out in September! Meanwhile, here's the first in the Barcelona trilogy by @teresasolanawriter.bsky.social with that very cathedral on the cover

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 30

Watched Moonglow by Filipina director Isabel Sandoval last night and attended a Q&A with her afterwards. A languorous, melancholy love story that is also political and about lost ideals, set in 1979 Manila. #filmsky

Film poster of Moonglow, showing a couple half covered by red and yellow lights

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 25

I had it on my shelves! And a bit of balcony time with Kasper did wonders for my reading

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 25

Rewatched Paprika and still can't claim to understand it (love it though). But the parade scene fitted so well with carnival in Berlin and OS's celebration of Arsenal win yesterday in London

People lined up your watch a parade divided by a barrier of green grass, with Berlin TV tower in the distance

Brazilian fliat with a giant crab and a dancing man and woman dressed in orange

Crowds of people cheering with flags and sparklers outside the Arsenal stadium

Parade scene from the animated film Paprika

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 20

Amazing how short and roly-poly I look in men's hanbok. I'll be a real menace when I go to Korea, won't I?

Woman in a royal blue cloak with a phoenix pattern on the front and a Korean traditional hat is clumsily making a heart sign in front of brightly coloured silk lanterns

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 19

Some Claude Chabrol films are beautifully sinister and some are so camp it's almost as though he's making fun of himself. I think Innocents with Dirty Hands falls in the latter category.

Film poster Les Innocents aux Mains Sales

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 19

Breakfast with a book on the balcony in the sunshine... but my serenity slightly shattered by the noise of the bin collectors

View of an orange rubbish truck from a balcony covered by netting and the shade of a green linden tree

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 17

Kasper is cautiously exploring the balcony. Don't expect that wide-eyed shyness to last long though!

Grey cat looking up at the net covering a white and grey balcony.

Grey cat sniffing at a metal stand holding two potted flowers on a balcony. In the foreground are a pair of jeans-clad knees.

Shocked expression on the face of a grey cat standing on the windowsill on the balcony

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 11

Am very tired tonight so am opting for an easy read: I know David Magarshack as a translator rather than a crime writer but it sounds highly political and entertaining already.

Cover of book in British Library crime classics series showing Big Ben in background entitled Big Ben Strikes Eleven

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 10

Kasper is making occasional use of his birthday present watermelon scratch pad but he still prefers kicking his toys on 'his' leather armchair

Grey cat looking into the distance while curled up in a bright red and green circular concave scratch pad

Grey cat curled up and kicking a purple toy on a string while sitting in a red and green circular scratch pad

Grey cat lying back on a brown leather armchair, holding a purple and orange toy in his paws

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 6

Don't know if it was the sound of the rain but #KasperMauser was very agitated at 4 am... luckily, things changed by 6 am and both of us got a lie-in

Grey tabby squishing his face and front paws against a baby blue blanket in a sleeping position

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 2

Tonight I saw how the upper crust live and attend gallery openings

Sun shining on a large cream-coloured villa with a terrace

Back of the villa and garden seen from a pergola

Marina Sofia@marinasofia· May 1

I think everyone was out on the streets or in the park today in Berlin