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The Literary Saloon Archive

21 - 31 October 2024

21 October: Anne Applebaum picks up Peace Prize | Hotlist
22 October: Prix Mémorable longlist
23 October: British Academy Book Prize | Prix Goncourt finalists | Neustadt Lit Fest | Anton Hur profile
24 October: ARA Historical Novel Prize | Jón Kalman Stefánsson Q & A | Annihilation review
25 October: Nordic Council Literature Prize | Gary Indiana (1950-2024) | Royal Society Science Book Prize | Prix de la Page 111 | Grand Prix du Roman
26 October: New World Literature Today | New Asymptote | PW's best of the year
27 October: (American) National Translation Awards | Jonathan Coe profile | Solvej Balle reviews
28 October: John Nathan Q & A | Conclave, the movie
29 October: Patrick White Literary Award | Prix de la littérature arabe | New Swedish Book Review
30 October: Paul Bailey (1937-2024) | Israeli cultural institutions boycott
31 October: Leo-Perutz-Preis

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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 Vienna, and it is Gemälde eines Mordes, by Heinrich Steinfest -- the seventh in his Cheng-series; see also the Piper publicity page.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       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.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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' of the Refusing Complicity in Israel's Literary Institutions-letter includes Nobel laureates Annie Ernaux and Abdulrazak Gurnah; the letter now has over a thousand signatories
       Signatories state that:

We will not cooperate with Israeli institutions including publishers, festivals, literary agencies and publications that:

A) Are complicit in violating Palestinian rights, including through discriminatory policies and practices or by whitewashing and justifying Israel's occupation, apartheid or genocide, or

B) Have never publicly recognized the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people as enshrined in international law.

       There does not appear to be an official blacklist yet of institutions that fit these criteria, so I'm not sure exactly who/what is being boycotted, but presumably guidance will be forthcoming.
       This has certainly taken off fast; it'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Among the predictable reactions is also, as David Sanderson reports in The Times, that other Authors criticise plan to boycott Israeli book industry -- though that article relies mainly on ... Lionel Shriver's take on the whole thing .....

       (Updated - 31 October): See now also the Creative Community for Peace press release about how 1000+ Authors, Writers, Journalists, Publishers, and Entertainment Leaders Stand United Against Cultural Boycotts -- the counter-open-letter, as it were, whose signatories include two other Nobel laureates -- Herta Müller and Elfriede Jelinek --, Lionel Shriver and Lee Child, as well as Ozzy Osbourne and Gene Simmons, among many (apparently 1000+) others.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       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 received due recognition yet, and it is Π.O. (Pi.O.); see, for example, the Books + Publishing report, Pi-O wins 2024 Patrick White Literary Award and Bill Kouras' Greek City Times report, Greek-Australian Poet Π.O. Wins 2024 Patrick White Literary Award.

       This prize has an impressive list of winners, including Christina Stead (1974), Thea Astley (1989), Elizabeth Harrower (1996), Gerald Murnane (1999), and Janette Turner Hospital (2003).

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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 notables by Amira Ghenim; see, for example, the Livres Hebdo report.
       See also the Philippe Rey publicity page.

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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.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       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 wrote a Mishima-biography -- only the Inose Naoki one is under review at the complete review, though I also read Nathan's, ages ago -- and he admits:

From his vast œuvre I selected fiction that felt amenable to my interpretation of his fatal course and indeed seemed to bear witness to it. Other writing that did not fit in I tended to ignore or mention only in passing. For example, because his “popular” novels didn’t seem to bear on the argument I was at pains to develop, I barely mentioned them in the biography. Romance fiction he tossed off, torrid for its day, with titles like “The Capital of Love,” “Love Stampede,” and “The S.S. Happiness Sets Sail”—these novels, fifteen in all, each a best-seller, accounted for fully half of his output as a novelist. I see now that they reflect a vulgarity, like glittering tinsel on a Christmas tree, that was a part of Mishima’s sensibility, no less than his refinement.

       Nice to see another story by Mishima available in translation, but it's also a reminder of how incredibly much of his work is still not available in English; coïncidentally (ha !) the Mishima esate is 'handled' by Andrew Wylie's 'literary' agency.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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 Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini is now out -- as are the first reviews; here a selection:

• Anti-Catholic bias aside, ‘Conclave’ is just plain bad by Stefano Rebeggiani, at Angelus
• Conclave is Excellent, Praise the Lord by Olivia Rutigliano, at CrimeReads
• 'Conclave' review: Vatican-set thriller is divinely fun by Kristy Puchko, at Mashable
• ‘Conclave’ Review: Serpents and Doves Amok in the Vatican by Manohla Dargis in The New York Times
• Papal politics take an unholy turn in the clever thriller 'Conclave' by Justin Chang at npr
• Edward Berger’s Conclave Is the Most Fun You Can Have in a Luxurious Fake Vatican by Stephanie Zacharek at Time
• Is a Movie About Electing a Pope Allowed to Be This Entertaining ? by Bilge Ebiri at Vulture
• 'Conclave' movie review: You must see this white-knuckle papal thriller by Brian Truitt at USA Today

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       (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 Castaldi's The Hunger of Women -- and Poetry -- Cole Swensen's translation of Pierre Alferi's And the Street.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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 Viking publicity pages -- with US publication to follow in April 2025.
       With all of his fiction under review at the complete review, I look forward to seeing this one as well.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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 Volume (Book I)
• On the Calculation of Volume (Book II)

       These two are out in the US from New Directions next month, and are coming in the UK from Faber next April. As to the rest of the volumes ... well, even in the original Danish, they're only up to volume five.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       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.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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 fiction
       I've only seen a handful of these, and none of them are under review at the complete review.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       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 Fars rygg, by Niels Fredrik Dahl; see also the Oslo Literary Agency information page and a brief Q & A with Dahl about the book at NORLA.

       None of Dahl's books appear to have been translated into English, and only one is under review at the complete review: På vei til en venn. (In the English-speaking world he is presumably better-known as the husband of fellow author (Grace, etc.) and daughter-of-very-famous-people Linn Ullmann.)
       The Nordic Council Literature Prize has an excellent track-record, and many winners have been translated into English -- nine are under review at the complete review, with a tenth to follow shortly -- and one can probably expect this one to make its way into English as well.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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       Gary Indiana (1950-2024)

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

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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 we really thought this through ? -- , by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith.
       See also the publicity pages from Penguin Press and Penguin.
       I haven't seen this one yet, but it sounds fun; I think I'll have a look.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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 example, the Livres Hebdo report.
       And, yes, the prize money is ... all of €1.11.
       See also the Flammarion publicity page for Frapper l'épopée.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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 about as close as it gets: the Bonnefoy got eight votes, to seven each for Les derniers sur la liste by Grégory Cingal and Cabane by Abel Quentin, in the third round of voting.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       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 Edenglassie, by Melissa Lucashenko; see also the University of Queensland Press publicity page.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       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 and originality and have contributed to public understanding of world cultures and their interaction" -- , and it is Language City by Ross Perlin.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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 Kamel Daoud
• Jacaranda by Gaël Faye
• Madelaine avant l'aube by Sandrine Collette

       The winner will be announced 4 November.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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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.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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       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 "Toward Eternity is set to be released in Korean in the summer of 2025, translated by none other than Bora Chung" -- whose Cursed Bunny Hur translated, back in the day. A rare example of reciprocal translation -- I wonder how many others there are.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       Prix Mémorable longlist

       They've announced the longlist for the 2025 prix Mémorable, a French prize awarded to a work by a forgotten author, or newly translated into French, or a new translation of a previously available work; see, for example, the ActuaLitté report.
       Among the eight titles are works by Rosa Luxemburg, Gabriele Tergit, and Molnár Ferenc, as well as Stefano D'Arrigo's Horcynus Orca.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       Anne Applebaum picks up Peace Prize

       At the close of the Frankfurt Book Fair Anne Applebaum got to pick up the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, and at the official site you can find her acceptance speech as well as all the others,as well as other relevant information. (Unfortunately, the pages can't be linked to separately, but click on the links .....)
       Applebaum spoke 'Against pessimism'.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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       Hotlist

       They've announced the winner of this year's Hotlist, the German award where any independent publisher can submit one title -- as 204 did -- and it is Wallstein Verlag, for Nach den Fähren, by Thea Mengeler; see also the Wallstein publicity page.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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