Hello Gentle Reader
Last month saw the suspension of “The Short Story Review,” because of my schedule getting so hectic and more close in and time and space becoming all that more difficult to squeeze in time read all the stories and give them an honest and proper review. For that reason the “Short Story Review,” saw its suspension. It is my sincerest apologizes for the abrupt decision.
The German Book Prize long list has been announced. The shortlist will be announced in September. I will not reproduce the long listed author or titles. As the shortlisted is announced, the award and the authors get more interesting, until then however one needs to be patient. The prize is awarded every year at the Frankfurt Book Festival – the largest book trade fair, in the world. The first three days themselves are exclusively reserved for trade visitors (aka) businesses. The last two days are open to the general public. This, itself leads me to wonder, why there are less translations from German into English? Where are the German Books! I have been cordially waiting for Kathrin Schmidt’s “Du stirbst nicht,” or “You’re Not Going to Die,” which won the German Book Prize in 2009. Then there is Melinda Nadj Abonji the Swiss author who won the prize in 2010 for her novel “Falcons without Falconers.” As well as many other authors and their novels shortlisted for the authors:
Marlene Streeruwitz – “The Huntress,”
Judith Zander – “Things We Said Today,”
Rainer Merkel – “Light Years Away,”
Clements J Setz – “The Frequencies,”
Jan Brandt – “Against the World,”
Patience like the sand in an hour glass eventually runs out. With no word about the future or even the possibility of these works being translated into English, it leaves one with the appearance of being a grain of sand stuck in the middle of past and present. This leaves me both annoyed and wondering. Always pondering the hope of reading them; or leaving me with the possibility and urge to learn German and by the books and read them in their native tongue.
Continuing in the same vein in the discussion of the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, which has been awarded to such authors as Herman Hesse, Chinua Achebe, Péter Esterházy and others has been awarded to Liao Yiwu, the dissident author who had fled his native communist country and is now residing in Germany, where he was greeted with much enthusiasm by Nobel Laureate in Literature Herta Müller. This is a far cry for China and the Chinese government as it was back in 2009 when it was the guest of honour with the motto “Tradition and Innovation.” This of course was a controversial event, and now that Liao Yiwu has won the prize, and been the first Chinese writer to win the Prize, there is certainly a controversy in China that is brewing. Maybe it’s the Frankfurt Book Fair, making a statement on the mistake of inviting China to the Book Fair as a guest of honour, realizing now they’re human rights record. This year’s guest of honour though is interesting. It is New Zealand with the motto “While You Were Sleeping.” Hopefully some great authors from New Zealand are highlighted. Future guests of honour have also been named for 2013 and 2014 Brazil and Finland respectively.
This Literary Season sounds and looks interesting. The Liao Yiwu has won the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, which will make the Communist party of China grind their teeth. The Booker Prize Longlist so far look’s interesting and promising. With great works, by authors renowned, popular, as well as new faces. It is actually Will Self’s first time being on the Booker Prize Longlist, and it might be promising for author with his novel “Umbrella,” which continually sounds interesting – however it is not published in Canada until January of 2013! Hopefully thought author has decided to lose the continual use of polysyllabic words. New Zeeland the quiet country in the Oceanic Continent, who is usually quiet and placid in its quiet existence, has finally been given some due credit.
Who knows what the Booker Prize Shortlist will be. Or what the German Book Prize Shortlist will behold. Does one even dare try to gamble on the Nobel Prize for Literature? It appears to be an exciting season. Here’s hoping it is.
Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
*And Remember: Downloading Books Illegally is Thievery and Wrong.*
M. Mary
