252. Else Jerusalem — Red House Alley with Translator Stephanie Gorrell Ortega

Else Jerusalem’s Red House Alley is a riveting exposé of the sex industry in fin-de-siècleVienna. A bestseller upon its 1909 publication, the novel was banned by the Nazis in 1933 (along with its 1928 film adaptation) and fell into obscurity. Boiler House Press published the first full English translation of this landmark work last year, and translator Stephanie Gorrell Ortega joins us to discuss Jerusalem’s richly-drawn account of brothel workers (based on accounts from real prostitutes). We also draw comparisons with this year’s Academy Award-winning “Best Picture,” Anora.