What first drew you to Lithuanian stories? I first went to Lithuania in 1995, just four years after it had established its independence from the Soviet Union. Despite the many problems the country faced, it was a wonderful place to be. Vilnius was a beautiful, old city and to walk its streets was to … Continue reading Q&A with Author and Noir Press Founder Stephan Collishaw
Estonian literature is an enigma. Not Churchill’s Russian riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma – no, the abyss between the Russian and Estonian cultures and languages is vast despite their geographic proximity, the former being Indo-European and the latter Finno-Ugric in essence. Rather, the culture – and the language – of Estonia is … Continue reading The Enigma of Estonian Literature: Title Picks by Translator Adam Cullen
Taken from the universal Slavic word for flame, Plamen Press is dedicated to showcasing the literary talents of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe that have long been obscured from the English-speaking world. From brilliant, illuminating poetry to recent works and venerable classics, Plamen seeks to use recent advancements in publishing to shed a light on … Continue reading Publisher Spotlight: Plamen Press
Filip Florian’s debut novel Little Fingers is a winding tale centered around the discovery of a mass grave in Romania, and the scramble of political agendas, deaths, and amusing vignettes surrounding it. It won the Best Debut Novel from the Romanian Writers’ Union after its publication in 2005. Alistair Ian Blyth’s extremely faithful translation from … Continue reading The Twisting Passages of Filip Florian’s “Little Fingers”
Today I would like to introduce you to the works of Norwegian author Maria Parr. Born in 1981, she writes children's books and works as a teacher. She has won several awards for her books. The hilarious story about Trille and Lena growing up in Mathildewick was first translated by Guy Puzey and published as … Continue reading Maria Parr
Reviewed by Professor Mahmoud Zain al-Abidin Two years ago, The Battle for Home : Memoir of a Syrian Architect was released in the English language by Thames & Hudson publishers in London. The writer, Syrian architect Marwa al-Sabouni, shared in her book illustrations for the architectural buildings in her city, Homs, the third largest city … Continue reading The Battle for Home: The Memoir of a Syrian Architect
The Library of Arabic Literature is published by NYU University and is dedicated to bringing the classics of the Arabic world to English-speaking audiences all around the world. Focusing on titles from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, the idea behind the Library of Arabic Literature is to showcase clear translations from a wide range of … Continue reading Publisher Spotlight: The Library of Arabic Literature (NYU Press)
Cubana Press is a small non-profit press based from California State University dedicated to bringing the powerful prose and poetry of Cuba to English and Spanish speakers all across the world. Their titles include bilingual English and Spanish publications and range from poetry collections to lengthy novels, all spinning from the viewpoint of women in … Continue reading Publisher Spotlight: Cubana Press
Emilia, a pensioner in northern Romania, is forced to confront the nostalgic illusions she nurtures as a reaction to the grim post-communist present when her daughter, now living in Canada, telephones urging her not to vote for the former communists in upcoming elections. Determined to discover in her own mind why ‘things were better back … Continue reading Title Pick: I’m an Old Commie! by Dan Lungu (Romania)
This month we will be taking in and discussing some of the literature of the island of Puerto Rico, whose beautiful prose is matched by the strength of its people’s character. Puerto Ricans are American citizens. Puerto Ricans are American citizens. Puerto Ricans are American citizens. This is the mantra I repeated on social … Continue reading Just 100 Miles Across: Puerto Rico’s Place in the World of Children’s Books — By Mimi Rankin
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 