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Channel: the Literary Saloon

Anton Hur profile

       At The Korea Herald Hwang Dong-hee profiles the translator and author, in Charting remarkable year, Anton Hur's journey in literature continues.        Among the titbits of interest: his novel...

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Neustadt Lit Fest

       The Neustadt Lit Fest finishes today, and you can already see a few videos, including Ananda Devi's keynote speech, with more to come.

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Prix Goncourt finalists

       They've announced (warning ! dreaded pdf format !) the finalists for this year's prix Goncourt, the leading French novel prize.        The final four are: Archipels by Hélène Gaudy Houris by...

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British Academy Book Prize

       They've announced the winner of this year's British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding -- meant: "to reward and celebrate the best works of non-fiction that demonstrate rigour...

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Annihilation review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Michel Houellebecq's latest, Annihilation, finally also available in English.

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Jón Kalman Stefánsson Q & A

       At hlo András Greff has a Q & A with Jón Kalman Stefánsson: Now the Trabants are gone in Iceland too

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ARA Historical Novel Prize

       The Historical Novel Society Australasia has announced the winner of this year's ARA Historical Novel Prize -- at A$100,000 (for the 'Adult Prize'), a very well-endowed prize -- and it is...

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Grand Prix du Roman

       The Académie française has announced the winner of this year's Grand Prix du Roman, and it is Le rêve du jaguar, by Miguel Bonnefoy; see also the Rivages publicity page.        The voting was...

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Prix de la Page 111

       They've announced the winner of this year's prix de la Page 111 -- the French prize that is, yes, for the best page 111 of a book -- and it is Frapper l'épopée, by Alice Zeniter; see, for...

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Royal Society Science Book Prize

       The Royal Society has announced the winner of this year's Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize, and it is A City on Mars -- subtitled: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have...

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Gary Indiana (1950-2024)

       American author Gary Indiana has passed away; see, for example, the obituaries at Frieze and Artforum.

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Nordic Council Literature Prize

       They've announced the winner of this year's Nordic Council Literature Prize -- the leading Scandinavian book prize, awarded since 1962 and paying out DKK 300,000 (over US$43,000) -- and it is...

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PW's best of the year

       It's October, so, of course, the first 'best of the year'-lists are appearing -- with Publishers Weekly offering their overall top ten, as well as the best in various categories, including...

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New Asymptote

       The October issue of Asymptote is now out as well -- a ton of stuff, to easily keep you covered all weekend.

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New World Literature Today

       The November-December issue of World Literature Today is now available; as always, lots of interesting pieces -- not least, the extensive book review section.

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Solvej Balle reviews

       The most recent additions to the complete review are my reviews of the first two volumes in Solvej Balle's Nordic Council Literature Prize-winning seven-volume series On the Calculation of...

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Jonathan Coe profile

       At The Guardian Emma Brockes profiles Novelist Jonathan Coe: ‘Liz Truss was very unimpressed to meet me’.        Coe has a new novel coming out in the UK, The Proof of My Innocence -- see the...

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(American) National Translation Awards

       The American Literary Translators Association has announced the winners of their annual prizes, including the National Translation Awards in Prose -- Jamie Richards' translation of Marosia...

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Conclave, the movie

       The movie version of Robert Harris' novel, Conclave -- not to be confused with Roberto Pazzi's Conclave --, directed by Edward Berger and with an impressive-sounding cast that includes Ralph...

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John Nathan Q & A

       The New Yorker has a Mishima Yukio story in this week's issue, and Deborah Treisman has a Q & A with the translator, John Nathan, On a Newly Translated Story by Yukio Mishima.        Nathan...

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New Swedish Book Review

       The 2024:2 issue of the Swedish Book Review is now out, with numerous translation-samples, features, and a lot of reviews.

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Prix de la littérature arabe

       They've announced the winner of this year's prix de la littérature arabe, awarded to a work by an Arab writer written in or translated into French, and it is Le désastre de la maison des...

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Patrick White Literary Award

       They've announced the winner of this year's Patrick White Literary Award, an Australian literary prize endowed by Patrick White with his Nobel Prize winnings, awarded to an author who has not...

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Israeli cultural institutions boycott

       In The Guardian Ella Creamer and Lucy Knight report that Sally Rooney, Rachel Kushner and Arundhati Roy call for boycott of Israeli cultural institutions -- though the 'Initiating Signatories'...

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Paul Bailey (1937-2024)

       British author Paul Bailey, twice shortlisted for the Booker Prize, has passed away; see, for example obituaries in The Guardian and The Times.

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Leo-Perutz-Preis

       They've announced the winner of this year's Leo Perutz Prize, a leading Austrian mystery/thriller book prize, whereby the book should have both an 'innovative character' and some relation to...

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Dozakhnama review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Rabisankar Bal's Saadat Hasan Manto/Mirza Ghalib-novel, Dozakhnama: Conversations in Hell.

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Warwick Prize shortlist

       They've announced the shortlist for this year's Warwick Prize for Women in Translation, which includes two books by Nobel laureates (Han Kang and Nelly Sachs).        Disappointingly, I haven't...

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Cundill History Prize

       They've announced the winner of this year's Cundill History Prize -- paying out US$75,000 --, and it is Native Nations, by Kathleen DuVal; see also the Random House publicity page.

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Considering the Mao Dun Literature Prize

       At the China Books Review Dylan Levi King argues: Don't Write Off the Mao Dun Literature Prize in his useful overview, finding: 'Never mind the Booker, Pulitzer and National Book Award —...

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A decade of Arno Schmidt: a centennial colloquy

       My centennial colloquy on the great Arno Schmidt appeared exactly ten years ago -- 3 November 2014 -- and I am pleased to see it's held up pretty well, including interest-wise -- someone bought...

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Profile: Deborah Levy

       At The Guardian Emma Brockes profiles Deborah Levy: ‘A writer’s career is choppy – I was 50 when I found success’.

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Profile: Alan Bennett

       At The Guardian Mark Lawson profiles Alan Bennett at 90: ‘What will people think ? I don’t care any more’        Among my most memorable theater-experiences is seeing Bennett in the original...

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Urdu Bazaar

       Aishwarya Kumar and Abhaya Srivastava report on Fading literature: Delhi's famed Urdu Bazaar on last legs, as: Today, streets once crowded with Urdu bookstores abuzz with scholars debating...

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Voss Literary Prize shortlist

       They've announced the shortlist for this year's Voss Literary Prize, an Australian best-novel award; unsurprisingly, Alexis Wright's Praiseworthy is one of the five finalists.

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Brother Anthony profile

       In The Korea Times Kim Ji-soo profiles Brother Anthony, pioneer in Korean literature translation.        Of course, Han Kang getting the Nobel Prize is discussed: "Nobel is not for popularity...

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Dinner Pieces review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of the collection of Leon Battista Alberti's Dinner Pieces, recently out in two volumes in Harvard University Press' I Tatti-series.

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AI translation

       As, for example, Ella Creamer reports in The Guardian, Dutch publisher to use AI to translate ‘limited number of books’ into English, as: Veen Bosch & Keuning (VBK) -- the largest publisher...

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Prix Goncourt (and Renaudot)

       They've announced the winner of this year's prix Goncourt, the leading French book prize, and it is Houris by Kamel Daoud; see also the Le Monde report by Gladys Marivat, Kamel Daoud wins Prix...

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Prix Femina

       The dribble of French prize-announcements continues, now also with the announcement of the winners of the prix Femina in its various categories.        Le rêve du jaguar by Miguel Bonnefoy --...

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Kids (not) reading in the UK

       The (British) National Literacy Trust has released its latest annual survey, Children and young people's reading in 2024 (warning ! dreaded pdf format !) -- based on 76,131 responses --, and...

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