Rwandan Genocide, The Task of Translation, and Western Markets for Testimony: Part I—by Kim Rostan

Posted on by Karen Van Drie

Whoever writes is exiled from writing, which is the country—his own—where he is not a prophet. Maurice Blanchot,  The Writing of the Disaster   When the Rwandan genocide began in 1994, the “era of testimony” (as dubbed by scholar Shoshana Felman) was already well underway. Following the Nazi genocide in Europe, there was initially relative … Continue reading Rwandan Genocide, The Task of Translation, and Western Markets for Testimony: Part I—by Kim Rostan

Publisher Spotlight: Ohio University Press

Posted on by Karen Van Drie

"The mission of Ohio University Press is to publish and disseminate the fruits of research and creative endeavor, specifically in the areas of literary studies, regional works, American history, and international studies. Its charge to produce books of value in service to the academic community and for the enrichment of the broader culture is in … Continue reading Publisher Spotlight: Ohio University Press

Publisher Spotlight: Catalyst Press

Posted on by Karen Van Drie

Catalyst Press is an independent press founded in 2017. At Catalyst, we see books as a spark or catalyst for change in the world. We seek to publish books that reveal the world from different perspectives, tilting or reversing or tweaking our own understanding of what’s real, true, necessary, or beautiful. Catalyst’s publishing program will … Continue reading Publisher Spotlight: Catalyst Press

Title Pick: Baho! by Roland Rugero

Posted on by Karen Van Drie

In Baho!, the first Burundian novel ever translated into English, the 28-year-old Roland Rugero uses elements of fable and oral tradition to explore the themes of miscommunication and justice in his war-torn Central African nation. When Nyamuragi, an adolescent mute, attempts to ask a young woman in rural Burundi for directions to an appropriate place … Continue reading Title Pick: Baho! by Roland Rugero