Hello Gentle Reader
As we wait for the announcement for the Best Translated Book Award, it had come to my attention that there is a list, of yet to be translated books, that are underappreciated in the English speaking world. It’s called Finnegan’s list. It was created by the European Society of Authors (SEA) who are trying to create a European Union based on cultural values and exchanges; not just the exchange and trade of economic priorities. It was founded in two-thousand and eight, to promote alliances between translators, authors and publishers. Finnegan’s List is a list composed of ten well known authors from ten different countries. The authors are then tasked with naming and reasoning, why the authors they chose and their work, should be better translated and appreciated in other cultures. In two-thousand and ten, the debut of this project was published; last year (two-thousand and twelve) the list was presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Finnegan’s list is interesting it has no particular language or source in mind, when the list is made. It is more of a dialogue of culture and literature. For quite some time this list was presented without my knowledge. Now that I hear its purpose, and have come to know that it exists, I am far more interested in the list, and the authors presented on it. The only regret is, not knowing about it sooner.
The following is this year’s list and the authors who named: [For the reason please see the link]
(I will post a link to the original at the end)
The Ten Authors (all of which are new names to me)
Alberto Manguel – is a Argentinian bibliophile (of 30, 000 books) and has written numerous non-fiction works, some of them being: “The Library at Night,” and “A History of Reading,” as well as novels. He has also been a anthologist, working in creating diverse anthologies from different themes and genre’s like erotica to gay themes; to the fantastical and mystery. As a young man he read to the blind Jorge Luis Borges, at his home.
Ilma Rakusa – is a poet, translator, essayist and short story writer. She has translated well-known names from France, Russia and Hungary into German; some of the authors are: Imre Kertész, Marina Tsvetaeva, and Péter Nádas. She has won numerous awards for her translations, essays, short prose and poetry.
Samar Yazbek – comes from the now turbulent land of Syria. She fled her home country in two-thousand and elven; living in exile in France. Her most recent work “A Woman
in the Crossfire: Diaries of the Syrian Revolution,” won English PEN Writers in Translation award. She has written novels, short prose, and numerous poetry collections along with film scripts. She has tackled taboo subjects like the rights of woman in Syria – and is a prominent human rights advocate.
Etgar Keret – is one of the most popular and prominent Israeli author. He has been published in “The New Yorker,” “The Guardian,” “The New York Times,” and “The Paris Review,” just to name a few of his English language publications. His work has been published in thirty one languages abroad.
Tariq Ali – is a well revered British-Pakistani author. One who understands the delicate dispute between east and west – as well as the conflict between Islam and the developed or rather the western world. Ali is known as a commentator on numerous political issues, and his articles have appeared in numerous international publications. He is currently working on a five novel cycle about Islam. The first novel being “Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree,” has been his literary breakthrough.
Oksana Zabuzhko – is not a new name to me. The prominent Ukrainian poet, first came to my attention from the website “Poetry International,” where I read a few of her poems. She has been translated into numerous languages; which includes her most recent novel: “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets,” as well as her non-fiction book “Field Work in Ukrainian Sex.”
Arnon Grunberg – his novel “Blue Monday,” became a bestseller in Europe. Grunberg is a Dutch writer, and journalist. His work has been translated into twenty one languages, and is a columnist for numerous international magazine publications, as well as having his own blog.
Georgi Gospodinov – is one of the most translated Bulgarian authors. He is a contributor to “The Best European Fiction,” the year of 2010. His novel “Natural Novel,” has been translated into nineteen different languages. His poetry collections have been awarded national literary prizes. His latest book is titled “The Physics of Sorrow.”
Gabriela Adameşteanu – is a contemporary Romanian writer. Her novels “The Equal Way of Every,” and “Wasted Morning,” are her most famous work. She has won international and stately literary prizes. She is also a translator, essayist, and journalist.
Jaroslav Rudiš – is a Czech authors of novels and graphic novels; as well as short prose and plays for stage and the radio. His novel “The Sky under Berlin,” won the Jiří Orten Award for
young writers in 2002. His graphic novel trilogy that was co-authored with Jaromír 99 has been adapted into a film.
The authors and their individual lists:
Alberto Manguel:
Eduardo Berti, Todos los Funes, (“All of the Funes,”)
Marina Warner, “From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and their Tellers,”
Amparo Dávila, Cuentos Reunidos, (“Collected Short Stories,”)
Ilma Rakusa:
Bohdan Ihor Antonych, “Poems,”
Miroslav Krleža, “Izlet u Rusiju,” (“Voyage to Russia,”)
Radomir Konstantinović, Filosofija palanke, (“Philosophy of a Backwater Town,”)
Samar Yazbek:
Mamdūh Azzām, (Arabic name) “Ascension to Death,”
Mustafa Khalifa, (Arabic title) “The Shell,”
Hānī al-Rāhib, (Arabic title) “The Epidemic,”
[ Please note Gentle Reader, I am not being impudent when I stated “Arabic Title,” – for some reason I was unable to copy the Arabic words./symbols, and because I do not speak Arabic, let alone read or write it, I was forced to put ‘Arabic Title,’ no offense is meant]
Etgar Keret:
Orly Castel-Bloom, דוליסיטי, (“Dolly City,”)
Gadi Taub, אלנבי, (“Allenby Street,”)
Hila Blum, הביקור,(“The Visit,”)
Tariq Ali:
Eka Kurniawan, Cantik itu Luka, (“Beautiful, a Wound,”)
Andreas Embiricos, ΟΜέγαςΑνατολικός (“The Great Eastern,”)
Saadat Hasan Manto, “Collections of Short Stories,”
Oksana Zabuzhko:
Lesya Ukrainka, Каміннийгосподар (“Stone Master,”)
Mykola Kulish, , Drugie zabicie psa (“Killing the Second Dog,”)
Frans Kellendonk, Mystiek lichaam (“Mystical Body,”)
Georgi Gospodinov:
Vera Mutafchieva,Летопис на смутното време (“Chronicle of the Time of
Unrest,”)
Ivan Teofilov,Инфинитив (“Infinitive,”)
Ani Ilkov, Изворът на грознохубавите (“The Spring of the Ugly-Beautiful,”)
Gabriela Adameşteanu:
Camil Petrescu, Patul lui Procust (“The Bed of Procustes,”)
Jan Koneffke, Eine Liebe am Tiber (“A Love on the Tiber,”)
Lídia Jorge, O Vale da Paixão (“The Valley of Passion,”)
There you have it Gentle Reader, the Finnegan’s list of two-thousand and thirteen. Some very interesting authors and books have been listed. “Philosophy of a Backwater Town,” by Radomir Konstantinović by title alone sounds very interesting. Georgi Gospodinov choice of Ivan Teofilov and his collection “Infinitive,” appears interesting based of his comments. I am slightly disappointed that Samar Yazbek’s reasons were not included. I’d like to know more about her choices.
Any How Gentle Reader the jury has picked some interesting works. To see the original list, and the reasons the authors chose their books please visit the following link:
http://www.seua.org/wp-content/uploads/Finnegan_2013.pdf
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
