Hello
Gentle Reader
The
Best Translated Book Awards twenty-eight strong longlist has now shortened into
a more manageable ten strong shortlist. On this year’s shortlist there are
surprised omissions, expected inclusions, and interesting inductions. Without
further delay the following is this year’s shortlist, following is a series of
ruminations:
Olga
Tokarczuk – Poland – “Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead,”
Christos
Ikonomou – Greece – “Good Will Come From the Sea,”
Ariana
Harwicz – Argentina – “Die, My Love,”
Daša
Drndić – Croatia – “E.G.G,”
Jean-Baptiste Del Amo – France –
“Animalia,”
Yuko
Tsushima – Japan – “Territory of Light,”
Vasily
Grossman – Russia – “Stalingrad,”
Igiaba
Scego – Italy – “Beyond Babylon,”
Guillermo
Saccomanno – Argentina – “77,”
The
induction of Yoko Ogawa on this year’s shortlist is no surprise. The highly underrepresented
author in the English language, has slowly proven herself as a writer of her
own merit, and not existing in the shadow of Haruki Murakami. Unlike Murakami
who has found his niche within the literary world; writing of the usual loner
male, seeking sexual solidarity within populated yet solitary world, and experiencing
the strange magical and surreal twists of a world at once familiar and foreign;
Ogawa is multifaceted, moving with understated grace between the acutely macabre,
contemplations on memory, the surreal and grotesque, and the poignantly heartfelt
as well as tragic. Yoko Ogawa’s bibliography—though small in the English language—is
large and overarching in her native Japanese of course, but also French. Yoko
Ogawa’s diverse literary output has gained her attention and following from her
readers, who enjoy the sensible emotional potency of her narratives, which
grapple with philosophical concepts as well as the yearning of human desire in
a empathetic matter. Yoko Ogawa is still shortlisted for the International
Booker Prize, which has delayed its announcement due to concerns over COVID-19.
It
is interesting to see Olga Tokarczuk on this year’s shortlist, when last year her
novel “Flights,” was omitted, and yet this year her novel: “Drive Your Plow Over
the Bones of the Dead,” has been shortlisted. For the record “Flights,” by far is
the superior novel; though it did win the International Booker Prize beforehand,
and the judges may have wished to avoid following on the coattails of the
International Booker Prize.
There
is no surprise to see Igiaba Scego and her novel “Beyond Babylon,” included on
this years shortlist. The author’s glob trotting, macro perspective on
political turmoil, personal trauma, and recovery and reconciliation is an astute
and worthy contender for the award. Igiaba
Scego moves Italian language literature out of the shadow of Elena Ferrante,
and away from the domestic and private narratives, into a global reach
concerned with politics, pain, suffering, redemption, and recovery. It’s a masterful
work riddled with human spirit, and an ideal of the unbreakable bounds of the
human capability.
The
late Daša Drndić is also shortlisted with her novel: “E.G.G,” which is of course
no surprise. The late Croatian author was considered a living classic during
her lifetime; her work explored philosophy, history, psychology, and complicated
relationship human beings have with these experiences, and how they relate to
them. Her work has always been noted for its finely tuned and researched work,
and “E.G.G,” is no different.
Of
the three Japanese writers previously longlisted, two writers have made it to
the shortlist, first the expected Yoko Ogawa and her monumental novel: “The
Memory Police,” second is Yukio Tsushima and autobiographical novel “Territory
of Light.” As autobiographical novels are gaining greater traction in the English
language it is no wonder, it should come as no surprise that Japanese writers will
find their work translated, as they’ve been producing the ‘I-Novel,’ for many
years, and Yukio Tsushima is no different. The daughter of famous Japanese
writer, Osamu Dazi, who wrote extensively in the confessional ‘I-Novel,’ genre;
Yukio Tsushima takes the form and makes it her own, by providing bother
confessional narrative, while producing social criticism of Japanese societies
eschewed perspective of woman, and single motherhood. The novel is both potent,
realistic, and socially relevant.
Of
the many French writers shortlisted, it is peculiar to see Jean-Baptiste Del
Amo and his novel: “Animalia,” shortlisted; of any of the potential writers to
be shortlisted, I thought Virginie Despentes with her post-punk novel: “Vernon
Subutex: 1,” had the bigger chance. Both novels, however, share an inclination for
the grotesque, for the extreme, for the socially defiant, and otherwise brutalist
and barbaric perspective of the human psyche.
Argentina
see’s two writers shortlisted for this year’s prize: Ariana
Harwicz and Guillermo Saccomanno. The two writers could not be any
different in scope, or narratives. Ariana Harwicz has written as deeply
intrapersonal psychological narrative, riddled with contrary perspectives that
tackle issues of womanhood, motherhood, the banal trivialities of love; the
novel explores these topics with raw intensity, that is scalding and blistering
all the same. On the flipside, Guillermo Saccomanno tackles Argentina’s Dirty
War with his novel: “77.”
In
reviewing the shortlist, its clear who the heavy hitters are for this year’s
prize:
Yoko
Ogawa The Memory Police,”
Igiaba
Scego “Beyond Babylon,”
Daša
Drndić “E.G.G,”
Ariana
Harwicz “Die, My Love,”
Yuko
Tsushima “Territory of Light,”
Though
when it comes to literary prizes, it’s always anyone’s game. The discussions,
conversations, and debates the judges will surely be having will be fueled by
their reading tastes, their own personal criteria, and good dosage of their own
bias. What remains is finding common ground, accepting caveat, and compromise. Personally,
I hope for Yoko Ogawa on both the Best Translated Book Award, as well as the International
Booker Prize.
The
Poetry Finalists for this year’s award are as follows:
Stéphane
Bouquet – France – “Next Loves,”
Shimon
Adaf – Israel – “Aviva-No,”
Amanda
Berenguer – Uruguay – “Materia Prima,”
Etel
Adnan – Lebanon (French language) – “Time,”
Lupe
Gómez – Spain (Galician Language) – “Camouflage,”
First
and foremost, Gentle Reader, I am not a poetry reader. Poetry is a strange correspondence.
It’s an encrypted transmittal. Codified confessions, declarations, and
pronouncements, which continually evade my prying attempts at comprehension. Despite
this, I am surprised at this years Poetry Shortlist. Once again, Kim Hyesoon is
omitted, which appears to be trend when the (South) Korean feminist poet is
often nominated and longlisted for the prize. Surprisingly, Gemma Gorga and her
poetry collection: “The Book of Minutes,” and Pere Gimferre with his poetry
collection: “The Catalan Poems,” were also omitted. Both of these collections
were considered highlights of the poetry publications. By my most limited
understanding Stéphane Bouquet appears to be one of the heaviest hitters on the
poetry shortlist, with his collection: “Next Loves.” Then again, as I am not an
seasoned poetry reader, versed in its intricate and secretive measures, its anyone’s
game come the poetry prize.
The
Best Translated Book Award is set to announce the winners later this month.
Thank-you
For Reading Gentle Reader
Take
Care
And
As Always
Stay
Well Read
M.
Mary
No comments:
Post a Comment