This week we’ll be looking at Parthian Books, an independent publisher that operates from Swansea, Wales within the United Kingdom.

Parthian began twenty five years ago as the brainchild of Richard Lewis Davies and Gill Griffiths (initially to publish Davies’ book Work, Sex and Rugby) and has since developed into a leading Welsh publisher. While their focus in on Welsh writers writing in English, there is an impressive spread of translation in their catalog, including a recent series on the Baltic countries, which we’ve been spotlighting.

Spotlighted Titles:

 

New Baltic Poetry edited by Jayde Will

Recommended by Adam Cullen in his title picks he so eloquently wrote about here just last month, there are few ways to better inundate oneself with the poetry of an area than simply diving head first into an anthology, especially one as carefully crafted as this. Jayde Will has experience translating all of the languages of the Baltic countries and that knowledge, combined with a stellar combination of poets and translators (and some who are both!), leads to an excellent anthology for both the experienced reader and the newcomer.

 

Her Mother’s Hands by Karmele Jaio, translated from Basque by Kristin Addis

Karmele Jaio has rendered a tender ode to memory in this excellent debut. Kristin Addis’ translation of the award winning book is excellent, the first pages containing a longing reflection that seems to filter details of the present with the teary haze of long passed memory. The book won an English Pen award for the translation work done by Addis, and I am glad that Karmele Jiao’s debut novel was so well-treated. Her meditations on memory, the shattering of supposed truths, and on rediscovering others and oneself is an absolute delight.

In addition to these fine titles, give a look to the Parthian Baltic Bundle which is currently on a steep discount as part of Parthian’s Baltic Series. There are quite a few good books available in there!