Guggenheim Fellowships

April 12, 2024, 7:22 am

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       The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation has announced this year's batch of fellowships -- 188, selected from almost 3,000 applicants; see all the fellows listed here, for now, by subject (though, alas, not yet with information about the projects they were awarded the fellowships for ...).
       The only fellow with any works under review at the complete review appears to be James Wood (The Book Against God).
       Fiction fellows include Emma Cline, Laird Hunt, Julia Phillips, and Emma Straub; non-fiction fellows include Jonathan Alter and Adam Shatz. The only translation fellow is Ryan Bloom.

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Whiting Awards

April 12, 2024, 7:22 am

≫ Next: John McGlynn Q & A

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       The Whiting Foundation has announced its ten 2024 creative writing fellows -- four in fiction, three in poetry, two in drama, and one in non-fiction; they each receive US$50,000.

John McGlynn Q & A

April 12, 2024, 7:22 am

≫ Next: AI and writers/translators

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       At the Asymptote blog Sarah Gear has Translating Indonesia's On-the-Ground Realities: An Interview with John McGlynn of the Lontar Foundation.
       Lontar have published a fantastic selection of books; several are under review at the complete review.

AI and writers/translators

April 12, 2024, 7:22 am

≫ Next: The Red Handler review

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       The Society of Authors: "ran a survey of its 12,500 members and other authors, and received 787 responses" regarding 'experiences of generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems', and they summarize the findings here.
       Interesting to hear that: 37% of translators, 20% of fiction writers, and 25% of non-fiction writers "said they had used generative AI in their work".
       Also: 36% of translators say they have already lost work due to generative AI, while 43% say the income from their work has decreased in value because of generative AI.
       And 8% of translators said they have used generative AI in their work because their publisher or commissioning organisation asked them to (!).

       Yes, it seems pretty clear that the future is AI -- coming/taking over even more quickly than expected.

The Red Handler review

April 13, 2024, 7:28 am

≫ Next: Wolfgang-Koeppen-Preis

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       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Johan Harstad's The Red Handler -- the Collected Works of (fictional) author Frode Brandeggen, in an (extensively) annotated edition, just out in English, from Open Letter.

       (Two other Harstad titles have also been translated into English and are under review at the complete review, but I wonder if anyone will pick up his (1104-page) Max, Mischa & the Tet Offensive; see, for example, the Gyldendal Agency information page.)

Wolfgang-Koeppen-Preis

April 13, 2024, 7:28 am

≫ Next: John Braine profile

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       They've announced the winner of this year's Wolfgang Koeppen Prize, a biennial author prize awarded to someone whose work is in the spirit of Koeppen's, and it is Danish author Madame Nielsen; Open Letter published Nielsen's The Endless Summer a few years ago -- see their publicity page -- but much more is available n German.
       This prize has a solid list of winners, but it's of particular interest in how the winner is chosen: it's the previous winner who makes the selection -- in this case, 2022 winner Christian Kracht (The Dead, Imperium, etc.) chose Madame Nielsen.

John Braine profile

April 14, 2024, 7:34 am

≫ Next: Faroese Literature

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       At Quilette Brad Strotten profiles John Braine, in Desire and Ambition.
       I'm usually all for the book over the movie, but I have to admit seeing the Laurence Harvey/Simone Signoret Room at the Top before coming to the book, and it -- especially the conclusion -- making a big (and devastating) impression on me.

Faroese Literature

April 14, 2024, 7:34 am

≫ Next: Gabriel review

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       In New York they're holding Faroe Islands Culture Days this week, including with the interesting-sounding Literature from the Faroe Islands event on 17 April.
       This gives me opportunity to point to the impressive FarLit-site -- a Faroese Literature promotion site. The Nordics are very good with their literary support -- check out Norwegian Literature Abroad, the Icelandic Literature Center, and the Finnish Literature Exchange, for example -- but it's also a reminder of how many languages/countries can't (or can't be bothered) to offer something similar. (Translation-support isn't cheap but, relatively speaking, it isn't expensive either; I think a lot of languages/countries would do well to at least invest in information-sites, if not outright financial support.)
       (A reminder: the Faroe Islands have little more than 50,000 inhabitants.)

       Meanwhile, with convenient timing, The Dedalus Book of Faroese Literature is coming out shortly -- see their publicity page --: twenty-seven texts ! Dedalus has shown an impressive commitment to Faroese literature -- notably in publishing the works of William Heinesen (The Black Cauldron, etc.).

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Gabriel review

April 15, 2024, 7:39 am

≫ Next: Mater 2-10 Q & A

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       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of George Sand's 1839 Gabriel.
       I was a bit surprised that this hasn't gotten more attention recently, given it's subject matter -- issues of gender-identity -- but the literary quality is ... well, not great.

       This is published in the very impressive MLA Texts and Translations-series -- well worth working one's way through.

Mater 2-10 Q & A

April 15, 2024, 7:39 am

≫ Next: More Salome variations

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       Hwang Sok-yong's Mater 2-10 has been shortlisted for this year's International Booker Prize, and at Scroll.in Harshaneeyam has International Booker interview: How Sora Russell and Youngjae Bae translated ‘Mater 2-10’ from Korea

More Salome variations

April 16, 2024, 7:41 am

≫ Next: Deep Vellum profile

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       Many Salome-variations are covered in my new novel, Salome in Graz, but the focus is on the ones that appeared up to 1906 -- but there is some mention of a few of the ones that came after, including some cinematic adaptations (Ken Russell !). One that my protagonists didn't get to was screened at the Berlinale practically at the same time the book came out -- Atom Egoyan's Seven Veils, starring Amanda Seyfried; it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year.
       I haven't seen this yet, but hope to at some point; meanwhile, see some of the reviews, at:

• Deadline
• Far Out
• The Globe and Mail
• The Hollywood Reporter
• Indie Wire
• Screen Daily
• Toronto Star
• The Wrap

       And of course you can get my at Salome in Graz at Amazon, or here (where the promotional code LULUBOOKS15 at checkout gets you 15% off through 19 April).

Deep Vellum profile

April 16, 2024, 7:41 am

≫ Next: Max Lawton profile

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       At The Mercury Paola Martinez reports on how Deep Vellum expands literary and translation options in North Texas -- that being publisher Deep Vellum, quite a few of whose books are under review at the complete review.
       Impressive to hear that: "Deep Vellum is now becoming international as they expand their administrative offices to New York and possibly London".

Max Lawton profile

April 16, 2024, 7:41 am

≫ Next: Walking books

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       At Prospect Josiah Gogarty profiles The translator bringing Vladimir Sorokin to English readers -- Max Lawton, translator of Blue Lard, among (many) other works.

Walking books

April 17, 2024, 7:46 am

≫ Next: Sami Rohr Prize

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       At Outside Peter Moore lists The 50 Best Hiking, Trekking, and Walking Books of All Time -- which I'd normally ignore, but ... props for the inclusion of The Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en.

Sami Rohr Prize

April 17, 2024, 7:46 am

≫ Next: Les aérostats review

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       They've announced the winner of this year's (US$100,000) Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, which alternates from year to year in honoring a work of fiction and of non; this year was a non year, and the prize went to Palestine 1936, by Oren Kessler.

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Les aérostats review

April 18, 2024, 7:49 am

≫ Next: Griffin Poetry Prize shortlist

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       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Amélie Nothomb 2020 novel, Les aérostats -- the 28th work by Nothomb under review at the site.
       I'm still a few behind -- but getting there .....

Griffin Poetry Prize shortlist

April 18, 2024, 7:49 am

≫ Next: Republic of Consciousness Prize

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       They've announced the shortlist for this year's Griffin Poetry Prize -- "the world's largest international prize for a single book of poetry written in, or translated into English" --, selected from 592 entries (including 49 translations, from 22 languages), with Don McKay getting the Lifetime Recognition Award.

Republic of Consciousness Prize

April 18, 2024, 7:49 am

≫ Next: New Asymptote

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       They've announced the winner of this year's Republic of Consciousness Prize -- rewarding: "the best fiction by small presses [in the UK/Ireland] publishing 12 or fewer titles a year and are wholly independent of any other commercial financial entity" -- and it is Charco Press, for Of Cattle and Men, by Ana Paula Maia, translated by Zoë Perry; see, for example, the report at The Guardian.

New Asymptote

April 19, 2024, 7:50 am

≫ Next: Salome in Dublin

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       The April issue of Asymptote is now up -- a ton of content, enough to keep you covered for the weekend.
       And just a few days ago I mentioned that Faroese Literature was getting some good attention -- and there's a good dose of Literature from the Faroe Islands in this issue as well.

Salome in Dublin

April 20, 2024, 7:52 am

≫ Next: China's hottest genre ?

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       The title of my novel Salome in Graz refers to a 1906 performance of the Richard Strauss opera, but if you want to get in the mood for reading it there's now another recent perfomance available for free viewing online: via I'm pointed to the recent Irish National Opera production that's now viewable at Operavision; you can watch it there through 19 October.

China's hottest genre ?

April 20, 2024, 7:52 am

≫ Next: Daniel Dennett (1942-2024)

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       At Sixth Tone Zhou Min reports on How 'Farming Literature' Became China's Hottest Genre:

This genre centers around a female protagonist’s efforts to get rich while battling various villains -- mainly in the guise of demanding relatives -- and has become widely popular with Chinese web novel readers and film and TV viewers,

Daniel Dennett (1942-2024)

April 20, 2024, 7:52 am

≫ Next: The Sleepwalkers review

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       Philosopher Daniel Dennett has passed away; see, for example, the obituary in The New York Times.

       The only one of his books under review at the complete review is his Breaking the Spell.

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The Sleepwalkers review

April 21, 2024, 7:55 am

≫ Next: L.A. Times Book Prizes

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       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of the latest Scarlett Thomas, The Sleepwalkers.

L.A. Times Book Prizes

April 21, 2024, 7:55 am

≫ Next: The Novices of Lerna review

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       They've announced the winners of this year's L.A. Times Book Prizes -- twelve categories, with Ed Park's Same Bed Different Dreams taking the fiction prize.

       I not only have not reviewed any of the winning titles, I haven't seen a single one of the sixty (!) finalists. I am apparently really not keeping up with the latest titles .....

The Novices of Lerna review

April 22, 2024, 7:56 am

≫ Next: CWA Daggers longlists

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       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of a collection of stories by Ángel Bonomini, The Novices of Lerna, coming out from Transit Books.

CWA Daggers longlists

April 22, 2024, 7:56 am

≫ Next: The Answer to Lord Chandos review

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       The Crime Writers' Association has announced the longlists for their Daggers awards -- unfortunately not in one convenient list; annoyingly, you have to click on each category to see the longlisted titles. (The Bookseller has an (incomplete) overview.)
       One of the titles longlisted for the Gold Dagger for best crime novel is under review at the complete review -- The Secret Hours, by Mick Herron.
       Disappointingly, I haven't seen any of the titles longlisted for the Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation.
       The shortlists will be announced 10 May, and the winners on 4 July.

The Answer to Lord Chandos review

April 23, 2024, 8:05 am

≫ Next: Merve Emre Q & A

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       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Pascal Quignard's The Answer to Lord Chandos, coming out from Wakefield Press.

       This is Quignard's response to Hugo von Hofmannsthal's classic 'Lord Chandos Letter' -- see, for example, the recent Joel Rotenberg translation from New York Review Books. Quignard dates his letter to Chandos 23 April 1605 -- and today, 23 April, happens also to be Quignard's birthday !

Merve Emre Q & A

April 23, 2024, 8:05 am

≫ Next: PEN America Literary Awards

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       In the Hindustan Times Simar Bhasin has a Q & A with Merve Emre - "Things should be read in as many different ways as possible".
       Among her responses:

Any other contemporary writers who, in your opinion, deserve more literary attention ?

I think the next Nobel Prize winner should be Gerald Murnane, who is an Australian novelist and is utterly, utterly brilliant. There is a fantastic English writer named Lars Iyer who is a genius, I think, and writes these fantastic academic satires. Brilliant. Very, very, very funny.

       (Two Iyer novels are under review at the complete review -- Spurious and Wittgenstein Jr. -- as are several works by Murnane, e.g. Barley Patch.)

PEN America Literary Awards

April 23, 2024, 8:05 am

≫ Next: Sudhir Kakar (1938-2024)

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       PEN America has announced the cancellation of its Literary Awards ceremony -- and, with 28 authors and translators of 61 nominated for the book awards having withdrawn their books from consideration, several of the prizes are going without winners being named.
       With nine of the ten authors nominated for the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award withdrawing their work from consideration, "the Estate of Jean Stein has directed PEN America to donate the $75,000 award to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund"
       One author who didn't have a chance to withdraw her name will get her prize: Maryse Condé is getting this year's PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature posthumously.

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Sudhir Kakar (1938-2024)

April 24, 2024, 8:07 am

≫ Next: Cullman fellows

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       Psychoanalyst and author Sudhir Kakar has passed away; see, for example, Rishika Singh's report in the Indian Express
       Two of his books are under review at the complete review: The Ascetic of Desire and Ecstasy.

Cullman fellows

April 24, 2024, 8:07 am

≫ Next: Deutscher Sachbuchpreis shortlist

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       The New York Public Library has announced the latest batch of fellows at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers who will now receive: "a stipend of up to $85,000, the use of an office with a computer, and full access to the Library’s physical and electronic resources" for the term of the fellowship, which runs September through May.
       The fifteen fellows were selected from 620 applicants, from 66 countries. They include Traces of Enayat-author Iman Mersal and My Fathers' Ghost is Climbing in the Rain-author Patricio Pron.

Deutscher Sachbuchpreis shortlist

April 24, 2024, 8:07 am

≫ Next: How Nietzsche Came in From the Cold review

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       They've announced the shortlist for the German Non-Fiction Prize -- eight titles, selected from 225 (unfortunately not revealed) submissions.
       The winner will be announced 11 June.

How Nietzsche Came in From the Cold review

April 25, 2024, 8:16 am

≫ Next: Helen Vendler (1933-2024)

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       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of a Tale of a Redemption, as Philipp Felsch writes about How Nietzsche Came in From the Cold.

Helen Vendler (1933-2024)

April 25, 2024, 8:16 am

≫ Next: Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist

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       Poetry critic and scholar Helen Vendler has passed away; see, for example, The New York Times' obituary (presumably paywalled).

Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist

April 25, 2024, 8:16 am

≪ Previous: Helen Vendler (1933-2024)

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       They've announced the six-title-strong shortlist for this year's Women's Prize for Fiction, "awarded annually to the author of the best full-length novel of the year written in English and published in the UK".
       I haven't seen any of these.
       The winner will be announced 13 June.