Michael Eaude has praised the book in The Times Literary Supplement
At Adams funeral, Eve remembers how frightened he was on leaving Paradise
and catching flu. But in old age, he had confided to her that he was glad to have
left, because outside Paradise life exists, with its love, fear and death. Eve
grieves for Adam at his tomb, then she stops crying and the mourners all go off
for a drink. This playful but serious poem is the first in this potpourri of a book, a
mixture of stories, poetry and accounts of Bernardo Atxagas readings, in prisons
across France and Spain, and in two French villages. ( ) In Obabakoak, as
in Outside Paradise, Atxagas characters often communicate with animals. In this
collections first story, Pierre adores his bees and wonders whether Margaritas
soul has entered a woodpecker that he hears. Though this may sound twee, its
not, for in Atxagas work, nature is not benevolent, and his sentences are hard
and clear, like polished pearls.
Among other materials, nineteen poems appear in the book, and their English translations are accompanied by the original Basque.
A literary blog, Tony’s Reading List, has also recommended Outside Paradise:
Outside Paradise is a lovely read, a clever blend of poems, stories and anecdotes about the writers reading tours, and Im sure I wont be the only reader to have fun following Atxagas experiences on the road. Whether youre here for the prison tour, the snowy days or the poor hedgehog, this is a journey youre bound to enjoy, and if youre curious about the Basque language well, thats just an added bonus. Many thanks must go to Jull Costa both for her usual excellent work and for pointing me in the books direction in the first place. I cant say Im keen to experience prison first-hand, but this vicarious spell inside was certainly worth the time.
The book’s available translations, here in this site. This latest English edition, you may get it at Francis Boutle Publishers.
