Well it’s been a while since I round-up some Gems and news I’ve come across in the world of translation .So after a week away from the blog it seemed a nice way to ease myself back into the old routine .First of is one of two new publishers that have crossed my path in recent times A publishing house called Deep Vellum ,set in Texas ,they have three title coming soon I believe ,the first is a collection of short stories from Mikhail Shishkin ,I shall be reviewing The light and the dark by him soon and from that could see his short stories being quite tasty pieces ,Sergio Pitol the Mexican writer and translator is the second writer ,he has won the prestigious Cervantes prize in the past .Lastly they are publishing A member of the Oulipo group of writers Anne Garreta ,she was first member to be born and chosen to join the group after it was founded ,She has won the Prix Médicis in 2002 for her book not a day
Next up is a remind I think but their first book is due very soon and it is the New York based New vessel Press the first book is The Missing Year of Juan Salvatierra by Pedro Mairal a man who was a mute spend six decades paint the history of his village on the shores facing Uruguay ,when his sons die they find these scrolls .This reminds me rather of the story of the outsider art of the American Henry Darger who spent year writing an epic saga called the Vivian girls .The book is due out as an Ebook on the 15th July one for the Dairy I think !!.
This week saws the winner of the Oxford Weidenfield Translation prize announced –
Tess Lewis for Lukas Bärfuss, One Hundred Days (Granta)
Louise B. Popkin for Mario Benedetti, Witness (White Pine Press)
Sam Taylor for Laurent Binet, HHhH (Harvill Secker)
Frank Wynne for Alonso Cueto, The Blue Hour (Heinemann)
Philip Boehm for Herta Müller, The Hunger Angel (Portobello)
Mike Mitchell for Jean-Pierre Ohl, The Lairds of Cromarty (Dedalus)
The winner was The Hunger Angel by Herta Muller here is my Review .I may also draw your attention to another book from the shortlist ,here is My review of The Blue Hour ,A book overlooked I feel as it is better than the more well-known Red April also set in Peru .
Also a reminder for the forthcoming Thomas Bernhard week .I have a specially commissioned piece this Thursday that I have been lucky to get from another writer about his love of Thomas Bernhard .
Jun 09, 2013 @ 12:21:31
Lots on in the world of translation then 🙂 Just heard about Deep Vellum, but there was nothing about books on their web-site…
Jun 09, 2013 @ 13:12:31
These new publishers look quite fascinating, Stu! I am planning to explore some of the Oulipo writers and so it will be nice to read your thoughts on Anne Gareta’s book. Pedro Mairal’s book looks quite fascinating. Nice to know that the new Herta Müller book has won the Oxford Weidenfeld translation prize. I read Müller’s ‘The Land of Green Plums’ last year and liked it very much. I will add ‘The Hunger Angel’ to my ‘to be read’ list.
Jun 09, 2013 @ 19:01:56
Hi Vishy, if you are exploring Oulipo, here’s some books that might interest, hope this is of use.
Invisible Cities — Italo Calvino
My Life in CIA: A Chronicle of 1973 — Harry Mathews
Singular Pleasures — Harry Mathews
Life A User’s Manual — Georges Perec
The Blue Flowers — Raymond Queneau
The Great Fire of London — Jacques Roubaud
Some Thing Black — Jacques Roubaud
Alix’s Journal — Alix Roubaud
Hervé Le Tellier — The Sextine Chapel
The Writings Of Marcel Duchamp
Suicide — Edouard Leve
Eunoia — Christian Bok
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Jun 19, 2013 @ 10:03:08
Thanks a lot for the suggestions, Parrish! I have heard of some of the writers – Calvino, Perec, Queneau – but the others are all new to me. I haven’t read any of these books and so I am excited. I am adding them all to my ‘To be read’ list. Thanks once again for the suggestions!
Jun 09, 2013 @ 13:44:21
Though I am only able to read a small percentage of these great books that are coming out, it is so exciting to hear about so much serious literature being released and/or translated.
I look forward to your upcoming commentaries.
Jun 09, 2013 @ 18:57:17
great info stu, thanks.
Jun 10, 2013 @ 13:36:49
Thanks for the update, look forward to your reviews.