Interviews Photo of Sulaiman Addonia by Alexander Meeus. For me, one of the most astounding books of this past year—which may have slipped your attention due to the pandemic—was Silence Is My Mother Tongue, the second novel by Ethiopian Eritrean writer Sulaiman Addonia (@sulaimanaddonia). Published last September by Graywolf Press, the novel is just now beginning to get the recognition it deserves: it was recently shortlisted for the Firecracker Award for Independently Published Literature and is a 2021 LAMBDA Literary Award finalist. Set in a refugee camp in Sudan, the novel defies expectations—shimmering with sensual detail, it charts the daily encounters and erotic dreams of an extraordinary cast of characters, with the inseparable siblings Saba and her mute brother, Hagos, at its center. Of course, since war erupted in Ethiopia’s Tigray region this past winter, Addonia’s work has only taken on more resonance. “I have been looking at the pictures of refugees fleeing Tigray and waiting outside the United Nations refugee agency office at Hamdayet in Sudan,” Addonia wrote in a New York Times editorial in late November, “the place through which my family and I passed decades ago, on our way to a refugee camp further inland. I was struck by the eyes of young children. Their gazes retreat and shift, as if their wide eyes have already become the trenches into which they will hide their childhood.” We spoke by email—Addonia... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'
[ World Literature Today | 2021-05-18 13:43:22 UTC ]
Jokha Alharthi and Marilyn Booth have won the 2019 Man Booker International Prize for "Celestial Bodies," a coming-of-age novel written by Alharthi and translated from Arabic by Booth. Organizers of the literary prize, given annually to a work of fiction translated into English, made the... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-05-21 22:50:00 UTC ]
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PEN World Voices marks 15 years of hosting literary events with a human rights focus. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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This fall the Nobel Prize for Literature will be awarded for both 2018 and 2019, after changes were made to how laureates are chosen in the wake of scandals that forced the literary prize to be cancelled in 2018. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The shortlist for the 2019 International Prize for Arabic Fiction was announced today at the El-Hakawati Palestinian National Theatre in East Jerusalem. The IPAF - often referred to as the ‘Arabic Booker’ - is an annual literary prize for prose fiction, which encourages the readership of... Continue reading at British Council global
[ British Council global | 2019-02-05 16:33:45 UTC ]
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Iranian-Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani’s book has been awarded a literary prize. He wrote it on a messaging service. Iranian-Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani didn’t have access to a laptop or typewriter, so he wrote his memoir through texts on WhatsApp. Now his book, No Friend but the... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2019-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Raising concerns about damage to a 'fragile ecosystem,' authors shortlisted for Québec's Prix littéraire des collégiens objected to the announcement that Amazon had become the prize's main sponsor. The post In Québec, a Literary Prize Is Suspended Over Objections to Amazon Sponsorship appeared... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Last year, nine months after Hurricane Irma tore through the Caribbean, I traveled from my home in North Carolina to Anguilla to teach writing workshops to children and adults as part of a literary festival. As a prompt, I asked them to describe what they could not forget about the storm. When... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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"Absolutely Fabulous" actress and stand-up comedian Helen Lederer is launching a new literary award in a bid to give female comic writing "the exposure and praise it deserves". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary periodical The London Magazine is launching a new literary award for debuts in partnership with law firm Collyer Bristow. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Darf Publishers has signed a Swiss feminist surrealism novel and a recent winner of Japan’s "most influential" literary award for fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Crook's Corner restaurant in Chapel Hill has sponsored a literary award since 2013, and recently increased the prize to $5,000 for the best debut novel about the South. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Emerald Street's Anna Fielding on why a literary festival is a logical event for an email newsletter to hold. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Random House Germany recently launched an online community for romance readers and a literary festival to connect romance writers to their fans. The post Random House Germany Courts Romance Readers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A 'co-authored' novel made a respectable showing in a Japanese award designed for Artificial Intelligence and human collaboration. The post In Japan, Novel by Artificial Intelligence and Humans Vies for Literary Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Novelist Neil Griffiths is launching a new literary prize to honor the “small presses producing brilliant and brave literary fiction” in the UK and Ireland. The post For ‘a Vibrant Literary Life’: Neil Griffiths’ Small Press Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Award-winning novelist Neil Griffiths is launching a new literary prize to celebrate “small presses producing brilliant and brave literary fiction” in the UK and Ireland - in part because he believes the publishing business model is "terrible". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-02-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Writers in Zimbabwe have created a traveling book fair and are marshaling social media to build direct bonds with impoverished readers. The post Zimbabwe Writers Battle Disinterest With Literary Festival appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Some in Canada are protesting the awarding of the 2014 Governor General’s Literary Award to a controversial book about high school gender identity issues. The post Protest Against Controversial YA Award-winner in Canada appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Newsflash: check out which debut authors and their editors have made the list for this literary prize! As any author will tell you, great books are a bit of a team effort – especially their first book – and that’s why the Branford Boase award was launched 15 years ago This award is given every... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dulwich Books hosted its first literary festival over half-term, using the money it received as the winner of the Independent Bookshop of the Year award at the Bookseller Industry Awards in May. The south London bookshop won a £5,000 prize sponsored by Gardners for winning the award, and... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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