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The French-American Foundation's Best English Translations of French Prose in 2008 Finalists were announced and it includes some solid, good works. I am excited that it includes one of my personal faves from 2008 that I reviewed for Three Percent, Small Lives by Pierre Michon. I found this novel moving and elegant, an homage to the life lived in the French countryside. I also found the translation by Jody Gladding and Elizabeth Deshays quite impeccable. I wouldn't be sad if this book won, considering it was published by the fine folks at Archipelago Books who also published Tranquility by Attila Bartis, the winner of the Best Translated Book of 2008. Also included in the list are some newly translated works by classic French authors - The Beast Within by Emila Zola and translated by Roger Whitehouse, Afloat by Guy de Maupassant and translated by Douglas Parmée, The Only Son by Stephane Audeguy and translated by the talented Johm Cullen, Les Misérables by Victor Hugo and translated by Julie Rose, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery and translated by Alison Anderson. I think Barbery's book might have gotten a nod because of it's popularity. But I would have liked to have seen Sam Richards' translation of Celine Curiol's Voice Over make an appearance, for it was really strong.
As far as nonfiction, the univeristy presses have a great showing this year. Life Explained by Michel Morange and translated by Matthew Cobb & Malcolm Debevoise from Yale University Press, Comparing the Incomparable by Marcel Detienne and translated by Janet Lloyd by Stanford Univeristy Press, Abolition by Robert Badinte and translated by Jeremy Mercer from University Press of New England, Corpus by Jean-Luc Nancy and translated by Richard A. Rand by Fordham University Press and finally, Notebooks 1951-1959 by Albert Camus and translated by Ryan Bloom by Ivan R. Dee. Unfortunately, I haven't read these, but they all look really interesting in their own particular way. I am particularly interested in the last three on the list.
Amazingly, just this short list of books gives you an idea of how strong the work is that is being translated and how strong the translations are. Kudos the French-American Foundation for recognizing the translators.
The French-American Foundation's Best English Translations of French Prose in 2008 Finalists were announced and it includes some solid, good works. I am excited that it includes one of my personal faves from 2008 that I reviewed for Three Percent, Small Lives by Pierre Michon. I found this novel moving and elegant, an homage to the life lived in the French countryside. I also found the translation by Jody Gladding and Elizabeth Deshays quite impeccable. I wouldn't be sad if this book won, considering it was published by the fine folks at Archipelago Books who also published Tranquility by Attila Bartis, the winner of the Best Translated Book of 2008. Also included in the list are some newly translated works by classic French authors - The Beast Within by Emila Zola and translated by Roger Whitehouse, Afloat by Guy de Maupassant and translated by Douglas Parmée, The Only Son by Stephane Audeguy and translated by the talented Johm Cullen, Les Misérables by Victor Hugo and translated by Julie Rose, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery and translated by Alison Anderson. I think Barbery's book might have gotten a nod because of it's popularity. But I would have liked to have seen Sam Richards' translation of Celine Curiol's Voice Over make an appearance, for it was really strong.
As far as nonfiction, the univeristy presses have a great showing this year. Life Explained by Michel Morange and translated by Matthew Cobb & Malcolm Debevoise from Yale University Press, Comparing the Incomparable by Marcel Detienne and translated by Janet Lloyd by Stanford Univeristy Press, Abolition by Robert Badinte and translated by Jeremy Mercer from University Press of New England, Corpus by Jean-Luc Nancy and translated by Richard A. Rand by Fordham University Press and finally, Notebooks 1951-1959 by Albert Camus and translated by Ryan Bloom by Ivan R. Dee. Unfortunately, I haven't read these, but they all look really interesting in their own particular way. I am particularly interested in the last three on the list.
Amazingly, just this short list of books gives you an idea of how strong the work is that is being translated and how strong the translations are. Kudos the French-American Foundation for recognizing the translators.
Thanks for letting me know about Archipelago Books! I'm always on the lookout for new sources of translated literature. "Tranquility" sounds great. The only other Hungarian novel I've read and reviewed so far has been Ferenc Karinthy's "Metropole."
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Yes, Archipelago is top notch. I am so glad you're enjoying their work. Metropole was such an interesting book. I reviewed that as well and certainly feel it's a worthy book to read. Looking forward to your thoughts on Tranquility.
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Monica, it's always fun and informative stopping by here.
I haven't read Afloat, but I've been reading Douglas Parmée's translation of The Child, a wonderful book by Jules Valles (highest recommendation, really). I had contacted NYRB to interview Parmée about Valles, and received a sad note: He "died in August, just after completing a translation of Renard's Histoires Naturelles which we will publish in the future. I never met him, but he was a lovely, witty correspondent, and exemplary in his devotion, well into his 90s, to his trade."
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Will, always good to hear from you and thanks for stopping by. I will definitely read the Valles and I am sorry to about Parmée. At least there is a great body of work that left behind. Thanks for the suggestion.
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