THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS TRANSLATION PRIZES

THURSDAY 1 MARCH 2018 THE KNOWLEDGE CENTRE BRITISH LIBRARY LONDON

THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS TRANSLATION PRIZES

Programme

Introduced by Paula Johnson The Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize The Society of Authors for translation from the Arabic

Presentation of the Prizes The Goethe-Institut Award for New Translation for translation from the German Reception in the foyer The Schlegel-Tieck Prize for translation from the German

The Scott Moncrieff Prize for translation from the French

The Premio Valle Inclán for translation from the Spanish

The Vondel Prize for translation from the Dutch

The TA First Translation Prize for debut translation The Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for translation from the Arabic

Winner: Sponsors: Robin Moger for Omar Saif Ghobash, who his translation of with his family sponsors the The Book of Safety Prize in memory of his late by Yasser Abdel Hafez father, is from the United (Hoopoe Fiction, Arab Emirates. Saif Ghobash AUC Press) was a man passionate about Arabic literature as well as ‘An alluring translation international works. by Egyptian author and journalist Yasser Abdel Hafez that captures beautifully The Banipal Trust the moods, paces, rhythms for Arab Literature and nuances of the Arabic original and, ruthlessly but lovingly, lures us into the Judges: conflicting, conspiratorial, Pete Kalu and violent world that it draws.’ Alastair Niven lvo obe Professor Wen-chin Ouyang The Banipal Judges Salam Sarhan

The £3,000 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize, first awarded in 2006, is presented annually.

The prize was established tock by Banipal, the magazine of modern Arab literature, and the zC/iS

Banipal Trust for Arab Literature. ake © J Extract from The Book of Robin Moger is a translator its inception. Excerpts Safety by Yasser Abdel Hafez of contemporary Arabic from his first novel On the prose and poetry, currently Occasion of Life, published Translated by Robin Moger living in Cape Town, South in 2005, appeared in (Hoopoe Fiction, AUC Press) Africa. He has translated Banipal 25 – New Writing several Arabic novels into in Egypt, in Spring 2006. English and was one of Kitab al-Aman, his second ‘Even going into the desert the translators for Writing work now translated as The Revolution: The Voices Book of Safety, this year’s with Amgad al-Douqli and his from Tunis to Damascus Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize driver, my doubts accompanied (I B Tauris, 2013) which winner, was published in won the 2013 English 2013. me. The Saqqara pyramid was PEN Award for outstanding the last thing I could make out. writing in translation. His The Banipal Trust for Arab translations of Yasser Literature was founded After that, it was all desert with Abdellatif’s The Law of in 2004 by the publisher no landmarks to tell one part Inheritance and Iman of Banipal magazine. It from the next.’ Mersal’s How to Mend: supports and promotes Motherhood and its Ghosts cultural dialogue between are due to be published later the Arab world and the this year. West, the translation into English and publication of Yasser Abdel Hafez is works by contemporary Arab an Egyptian novelist and authors, and the production journalist, born in Cairo of live literature events with in 1969. A law graduate Arab authors in the UK. from Ain Shams University, (banipaltrust.org.uk) Cairo, he began his career as a journalist when he was 18, and has worked Copyright © Yasser Abdel Hafez, 2013. on Cairo’s Akhbar al-Adab Translation © Robin Moger, 2017 weekly literary journal since THE GOETHE-INSTITUT AWARD FOR NEW TRANSLATION For translation from the German

Winner: Sponsor: Mandy Wight for Goethe-Institut her translation from Unterleuten by Judges: Juli Zeh (Luchterhand Annemarie Goodridge Literaturverlag) Eva Hoffman Oliver Kamm ‘Mandy Wight’s submission epitomises the principle that The Goethe-Institut Award, a good translation reads as if presented since 2010, is a it’s not a translation – and it biennial award of €1,000 for reads with arresting skill and the best translation from a fluency.’ OK chosen text – this year from Unterleuten by Juli Zeh. ‘An accurate and dynamic The winner is invited to rendering of a multi-layered attend the Leipzing Book and challenging text.’ AG Fair, which includes a place at the International ‘A very consistent voice, Translators’ meeting. and stylistic coherence.’ EH

tock z / iS dofran © Ri Extract from Unterleuten by Juli Mandy Wight was born in German and her blog Zeh (Luchterhand Literaturverlag) in Bangor, Wales and on books, including brought up in Reading German books, is Translated by Mandy Wight and then York. After living peakreads.wordpress.com. and working as a solicitor in London for ten years, The Goethe-Institut is ‘Meiler thought he’d give his she moved back north to the cultural institute of son at least twenty moves Sheffield in 1986 where the Federal Republic of she re-trained as a teacher Germany, promoting the before taking him out and had and brought up her family. study of German language to acknowledge at the fifteenth She now lives in the Hope globally and encouraging Valley, Derbyshire. She international cultural move that he himself was came to translating through cooperation. It organises and getting into difficulties. They being a linguist and a reader supports arts programmes, in German and French fosters German literature fought in silence.’ mostly, as well as English, in translation, delivers but had put translation on German language courses, hold until she left her last and offers information ‘Meiler nahm sich vor, seinem teaching post in 2014. and training services for Sohn mindestens zwanzig She subsequently attended teachers of German. The seminars at the Literary library of the Goethe-Institut Züge zu geben, bevor er ihn Translation Centre at the London serves as a resource vernichtete, und musste beim London Book Fair, and the for those interested in fünfzehnten Zug feststellen, dass Translate in the City course, contemporary Germany. run by the City of London (goethe.de/uk) er selbst in Bedrängnis geriet. University. She has had Sie kämpften schweigend.’ translation published online with No Man’s Land and in 2017 attended the Summer School at BCLT. She has Translation © Mandy Wight, 2017. written reader’s reports for Copyright © Juli Zeh, 2016. the magazine New Books The Schlegel-Tieck Prize for translation from the German

Winner: Commended: Sponsor: Allan Blunden Katy Derbyshire Goethe-Institut for his translation of for her translation of Nightmare in Berlin by Bricks and Mortar Judges: Hans Fallada (Scribe) by Clemens Meyer Dr. Emily Jeremiah Dr. James Jordan (Fitzcarraldo Editions) hoto ‘Blunden captures, for his P English-speaking audience, The Schlegel-Tieck Prize ‘Meyer’s ventriloquizing (£3,000) has been awarded tock the unique character of S text represents a daunting annually since 1965 and takes Fallada’s writing in which a task to the translator its name from two great poets lamy gentle, ironic tone operates seeking to convey it to an and functions at odds with of the Romantic period, August / A

Anglophone readership, and td

William Schlegel (1767-1845) L the grim realities of his Derbyshire admirably meets stories’ settings.’ JJ and his friend Ludwig Tieck the challenges it poses, (1773-1853), also a noted ress conveying its energy in a P

translator. al very impressive way.’ EJ i ctor © Pi Extract from Nightmare in Allan Blunden is a British The Goethe-Institut is Berlin by Hans Fallada translator who specialises in the cultural institute of the German literature. He is best Federal Republic of Germany, Translated by Allan Blunden known for his translation of promoting the study of (Scribe) Erhard Eppler’s The Return German language globally of the State? which was and encouraging international the runner-up for the 2010 cultural cooperation. It ‘…if there was anywhere on earth Schlegel-Tieck Prize. He has organises and supports arts also translated biographies of programmes, fosters German where there was a chance for Martin Heidegger and Stefan literature in translation, them to start again, it was right Zweig, and the prison diary of delivers German language Hans Fallada. courses, and offers information here in Berlin, a city reduced to and training services for rubble, burnt out and bled to Hans Fallada (1893–1947) teachers of German. The was the pen name of German library of the Goethe- death.’ author Rudolf Ditzen, whose Institut London serves as a books were international resource for those interested bestsellers. He opted to stay in contemporary Germany. in Germany when the Nazis The Schlegel-Tieck Prize is came to power, and eventually supported by the Goethe- had a nervous breakdown Institut London. when he was put under (goethe.de/uk) pressure to write anti-Semitic books. He was confined in a Nazi insane asylum, where he secretly wrote The Drinker. Immediately after the war he wrote his last two novels, Nightmare in Berlin and Alone in Berlin, but he died Copyright © Aufbau Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin 1947 before either book could be and 2014. Translation © Allan Blunden, 2016. published. The Scott Moncrieff Prize for translation from the French

Winners: Commended: Sponsors: Will McMorran and Antony Melville Institut français Thomas Wynn for their for his translation du Royaume-Uni translation of The 120 of Anicet or the ALCS Days of Sodom by Panorama by Louis the Marquis de Sade Aragon (Atlas Press) Judges: (Penguin Classics) Professor Andrew Hussey ‘This early novel by Aragon Dr. Ian Patterson ‘The quality of Sade’s mind is a Dadaist tour de force, is the reason that he is and its appearance at last in The Scott-Moncrieff Prize of still worth reading in the English, in this lively, elegant, £1,000 has been awarded 21st century – if you have funny, almost ventriloquial annually since 1965 and the stomach… without translation, is hugely is named after C.K. Scott in any way giving in to welcome.’ IP Moncrieff, the celebrated hyperbole, this translation is translator of Proust’s a 21st century monument, Remembrance of Things Past. changing not only the way in which we view the French 18th century, but providing a guide to the present and the future.’ AH

photos - adoc © Extract from The 120 Days of Dr Will McMorran is a readers of new publications Sodom by the Marquis de Sade Senior Lecturer in French in French as well as & Comparative Literature translations into English and Translated by Will McMorran and at Queen Mary University rights sales. It also supports Thomas Wynn (Penguin Classics) of London. translation from French into English via its Burgess Dr Thomas Wynn is a Programme, and organises ‘I never hesitate in my choices, Reader in French at Durham public events and festivals University. in connection with recent and as I am always sure French publications and to find pleasure in those I The Marquis de Sade was debates. born in Paris in 1740 and make, remorse will never dull spent 32 years of his life in The Authors’ Licensing their appeal; steadfast in the prison and insane asylums and Collecting Society for a host of violent and (ALCS) is a not-for-profit principles I formed in my sexual crimes. He wrote The membership organization tender youth, I always act in 120 Days of Sodom while for the benefit of all types accordance with them; they have incarcerated in the Bastille. of writers. Owned by its He was accepted by a new members, ALCS collects revealed to me the emptiness regime after the French money due for secondary and nullity of virtue; I loathe it.’ Revolution, but by 1796 was uses of writers’ work. It is a ruined man. He died in an designed to support authors insane asylum in 1814. and their creativity, ensure they receive fair payment and Institut français see their rights are respected. du Royaume-Uni It promotes and teaches the The French Book Office, a principles of copyright and department of the Institut campaigns for a fair deal. It français in London, promotes represents around 90,000 French literature in the UK members, and since 1977 by informing publishers, has paid over £450 million Translation © Will McMorran and Thomas Wynn, 2016. translators and other potential to writers. (alcs.co.uk) The Premio Valle Inclán for translation from the Spanish

Winner: Commended: Sponsor: Margaret Jull Costa Rosalind Harvey for ALCS for her translation of her translation of On the Edge by Rafael I’ll Sell You a Dog by Judges: Chirbes (Harvill Secker) Juan Pablo Villalobos Dr. Katie Brown (And Other Stories) Professor John King ‘Chirbes’ kaleidoscopic, polyphonic narration, which ‘Rosalind Harvey’s translation The Premio Valle Inclán of moves from one century to is pitch perfect in finding £2,000 was first awarded in another, from one character equivalences for both the 1997 and is given annually. to another, in the same situational comedy and also breath, is a mammoth the many anarchic voices challenge for a translator, but in the narrative. A splendid Margaret Jull Costa makes it achievement.’ JK seem effortless.’ KB hoto P tock S lamy / A allery G nt i r P ua iq nt © A Extract from On The Edge Margaret Jull Costa has The Authors’ Licensing by Rafael Chirbes been a literary translator and Collecting Society for over thirty years. She (ALCS) is a not-for-profit Translated by Margaret Jull Costa has been commended for membership organization (Harvill Secker) the Premio Valle Inclán for the benefit of all types five times, and won the of writers. Owned by its prize three times, twice for members, ALCS collects ‘When I returned, I’d been translations of novels by money due for secondary Javier Marías. She won the uses of writers’ work. It is convinced I’d only stay a short 2017 Best Translated Book designed to support authors time… what was temporary Award for her co-translation and their creativity, ensure with Robin Patterson of they receive fair payment ended up becoming permanent… the Brazilian novelist Lúcio and see their rights are That’s what usually happens, it Cardoso’s Chronicle of the respected. It promotes and Murdered House. A Fellow teaches the principles of happens to a lot of people: they of the Royal Society of copyright and campaigns think the situation they’re in is Literature, she has been for a fair deal. It represents merely temporary and that all awarded an OBE for services around 90,000 members, to literature, and in 2015 and since 1977 has paid they’re doing is living their life, she was given an Honorary over £450 million to writers. the life they’ve been given or the Doctorate by the University (alcs.co.uk) of Leeds. life they wanted – Olba, until my last breath.’ Rafael Chirbes (1949–2015) wrote nine novels and received the National Prize for Literature and the Critics Prize for On the Edge. ABC named him ‘the best writer of the twenty-first century Copyright © Rafael Chirbes, 2013. in Spain’. Translation © Margaret Jull Costa, 2016. THE VONDEL PRIZE FOR TRANSLATION FROM THE DUTCH

Winner: Commended: Sponsors: David McKay for David Doherty for The Dutch Foundation his translation of his translations of for Literature War and Turpentine The Dutch Maiden by Flanders Literature by Stefan Hertmans Marente de Moor and (Harvill Secker) You Have Me To Love Judges: by Jaap Robben Jane Draycott ‘David McKay’s sensitive (World Editions) Donald Gardner and meticulous translation Laura Watkinson of Stefan Hertmans’ ‘War ‘David Doherty has shown how and Turpentine’, based on Named after the most prominent his grandfather’s notebooks, versatile he is as a translator with two very different Dutch poet and playwright of has brought to life the the 17th century, Joost van den atmosphere and speech of books: Jaap Robben’s deeply disturbing coming-of-age Vondel, the biennial award of Belgium’s lost generation €5,000 was first awarded in with great precision.’ DG novel and Marente de Moor’s ice-cold period novel about a 1996. young woman fencer, set in pre-war Germany.’ DG

tock / iS a iz ark _M sa © Ki Extract from War and Turpentine David McKay was born in the The Dutch Foundation by Stefan Hertmans United States and has lived for Literature promotes in The Hague since 1997. He interest in Dutch-language Translated by David McKay is a translator of both fiction literature abroad. It (Harvill Secker) and non-fiction, especially in maintains contacts with a the field of the visual arts, and large number of international academic work. Together with publishers, and has a stand ‘Places are not just space, translator Ina Rilke he recently at major international book put the finishing touches to fairs in Frankfurt, London, they are also time. I look at an English translation of Max Bologna and Beijing. Foreign the city differently now that Havelaar or the coffee auctions publishers wishing to of the Dutch trading company publish translations of Dutch I carry his memories with me. by Multatuli, which will be or Friesian literature may My thoughts go on circling published in 2018 by NYRB apply for a subsidy towards Classics in New York. He is the translation costs. Kouter… associated with now working on a translation (letterenfonds.nl/en) Sunday mornings… and the of the novel De bekeerlinge by old-fashioned band music Stefan Hertmans. Flanders Literature, an autonomous governmental performed in the perfectly Stefan Hertmans is the institution, encompasses restored bandstand.’ prizewinning author of many all branches of the literary literary works, including sector in Flanders (the poetry, novels, essays, plays, northern Dutch-speaking short stories and a handbook part of Belgium). The on the history of art. He has principal instruments taught at the Royal Academy of its foreign policy of Fine Arts in Ghent, at the are information and Sorbonne, the Universities documentation, translation of Vienna, Berlin and Mexico and production grants, and City, at The Library of refund of travel expenses. Copyright © Stefan Hertmans, 2013. Congress in Washington, and (flandersliterature.be) Translation © David McKay, 2016. University College London. THE TA FIRST TRANSLATION PRIZE FOR DEBUT TRANSLATION

Winner: Sponsors: Bela Shayevich for Daniel Hahn her translation of British Council Second-hand Time by Svetlana Alexievich, Judges: and edited by Daniel Hahn Jacques Testard Rosalind Harvey (Fitzcarraldo Editions) Bill Swainson

The TA First Translation Prize, ‘Bela Shayevich’s translation newly established in 2017, is an is a work of extraordinary, annual £2,000 prize for a debut tock sustained virtuosity, meeting literary translation into English / iS ta the challenges of this huge published in the UK. The prize i polyvocal text energetically on

is shared between the translator _B

and fearlessly like Alexievich ta and the book’s editor. i herself, she deploys such n

great skill and sensitivity to © A ensure that all the voices are properly heard.’

The TA First Translation Prize Judges Extract from Second-hand Time Bela Shayevich is a (1985), Zinky Boys (1990), by Svetlana Alexievich Soviet-American artist and Chernobyl Prayer (1997) and translator. She studied Second-hand Time (2013). Translated by Bela Shayevich Comparative Literature She was awarded the Nobel (Fitzcarraldo Editions) at Emory University and Prize for Literature in 2015. received a Masters in Russian translation from The British Council is the ‘My father would say that he Columbia University. UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and personally started believing in Jacques Testard is the educational opportunities. communism after Gagarin was founder and editor of They work with over 100 Fitzcarraldo Editions. countries in the fields of arts sent into space. We’re the first! Testard was previously and culture, English language, We can do anything!’ commissioning editor at education and civil society. Notting Hill Editions and co- Last year they reached over founded arts and literature 65 million people directly and journal the White Review. 731 million people overall including online, broadcasts Svetlana Alexievich was and publications. They make born in Ukraine in 1948 a positive contribution to the and has spent most of her countries they work with – life in the Soviet Union changing lives by creating and present-day Belarus, opportunities, building with prolonged periods of connections and engendering exile in Western Europe. trust. (britishcouncil.org) Starting out as a journalist, she developed her own Daniel Hahn is a writer, editor non-fiction genre, bringing and translator. He founded together a chorus of voices the TA First Translation Prize describing specific historical in 2017 with his share of the Copyright © Svetlana Alexievich, 2013. moments. Her works include winnings from the International Translation © Bela Shayevich, 2016. The Unwomanly Face of War Dublin Literary Award. Arts Council England The Times Literary The British Library, a Grade I champions, develops and invests Supplement is the pre-eminent listed building, is the national library in artistic and cultural experiences English-language journal of of the United Kingdom and the that enrich people’s lives. It supports literature and ideas. It has a long second largest library in the world a range of activities across the commitment to the art of translation by number of items catalogued. arts, museums and libraries – from and to the review of foreign books. theatre to digital art, reading to That commitment is as strong today The auditorium at the Knowledge dance, music to literature and crafts in the era of these most valuable Centre, British Library to collections. Arts Council England and welcome awards, as it was in accommodates up to 255 delegates, invests money from government the days when it promoted the work with facilities for simultaneous and The National Lottery in arts and of Pavese and Pasternak, Borges translation, film, sound and video culture across England. and Musil. presentation, combined with a full team of onsite technical expertise. The Society of Authors promotes and The Society of Authors’ Translation Prizes 2018 supports ten translation prizes, seven of which (to be presented in 2019) are presented tonight. We are the UK trade union for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators, and have been advising individuals The Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize (deadline for entry 31.3.18) and speaking out for the profession for more The Bernard Shaw Prize than a century. We administer many other prizes, including the Authors’ Awards, the Women’s Prize, The John Florio Prize the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award and the Sunday Times PFD Young Writer of the Year The Schlegel-Tieck Prize Award. We also offer grants for works in progress The Scott Moncrieff Prize (societyofauthors.org/Grants). The TA First Translation Prize (deadline to be confirmed) The Premio Valle Inclán

For further information on the Translation Prizes:

Visit societyofauthors.org/Prizes/Translation-Prizes Email [email protected] Tel 020 7373 6642 ‘A subscription to the Society is the greatest investment any writer can make.’ Philip Pullman uthors A of ety i oc S he T by shed i ubl GNED BY DEREK WESTWOOD P I DES