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 ]
Earlier this morning, the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) announced the winners of the 2020 Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize for nonfiction and fiction/poetry. The Award, one of the few major literary prizes from a public library system, comes with a $5,000 purse. Previous winners include... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-11-23 17:59:11 UTC ]
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Apparently, this week is the Super Bowl for the book world (or at least the book world media). Which means you need to do two things to prepare: assemble your snacks (check) and place your bets. Six novels are up for the Booker Prize, the biggest literary prize in the UK, which comes complete... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-11-18 14:30:15 UTC ]
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The Aspen Words Literary Prize is focused on authors whose work deals in cultural relevance and contemporary conditions. The post Aspen Words’ Issue-Driven Literary Prize: The 2021 Longlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-11-10 18:06:42 UTC ]
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We're examining the eligibility requirements of five major literary awards, specifically looking at their positions on citizenship. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-11-02 11:33:00 UTC ]
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The late French author Romain Gary is the only writer to have won France’s most prestigious literary award under two names: he received the Prix Goncourt for The Roots of Heaven (Les Racines du ciel; 1956) under his birth name and, more than 20 years later, “Émile Ajar” won the prize for The... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-29 17:36:47 UTC ]
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In two unresolved cases that have come to light recently, the highly regarded Hay Festival finds itself dealing with sensitive allegations from within its ranks. By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson Challenging Developments rom many vantage points, no international literary... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-10-29 17:32:33 UTC ]
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Today, Graywolf Press announced that Anna Burns’ Milkman has been selected as the winner of the International Dublin Literary Award. The Award, now celebrating its 25th year, is the world’s largest annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English. The prize comes with a whopping... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-22 15:20:06 UTC ]
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When Czesław Miłosz (1911–2004) visited the University of Oklahoma in April 1978 to be honored as the fifth laureate of the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, he marveled over the improbability of it all: “The Neustadt literary prize belongs too, in my opinion, to those things which... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-21 08:48:17 UTC ]
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Today, Longwood University announced that Aleksander Hemon has been named the winner of the 2020 John Dos Passos Prize for Literature. The prize is Longwood University’s premier literary award—the largest literary award of any Virginia college or university; it aims to honor “an underappreciated... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-13 17:31:47 UTC ]
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Essay To mark the upcoming 2020 Neustadt Lit Fest and the announcement of the 2021 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature, here is an excerpt featuring the children’s and young adult books selection from 100 Essential Books by Iranian Writers,... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2020-09-30 13:21:42 UTC ]
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Autumn means changing leaves, apple-based baked goods, decorative gourds, pumpkin spice lattes—and an avalanche of literary award longlists. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the must-read National Book Award nominees you’re now realizing you didn’t read, why not base your TBR pile off of... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2020-09-25 11:00:06 UTC ]
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My correspondence with K-Ming Chang began with fan mail. I had recently read her flash fiction story Gloria in Split Lip—a knife-sharp story about queerness, shame, and faith—and instantly devoured the rest of her fiction and her poetry, moved by the possibilities in her writing. A Kundiman... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-24 08:48:00 UTC ]
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Last but certainly not least: it’s the time for fiction! The National Book Foundation has announced the ten books contending for this year’s National Book Award for Fiction. The award, created in 1950, is the most prestigious literary prize in the United States, rewarding bold and cogent... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-18 14:15:26 UTC ]
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Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction. The National Book Awards, created in 1950, is the most prestigious literary prize in the United States, rewarding quality and cogent writing. This year’s longlist features a mix of debut... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-17 19:15:43 UTC ]
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And now, it’s the time for the poets! Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2020 National Book Award for Poetry. The National Book Awards, created in 1950, is the most prestigious literary prize in the United States, rewarding bold and cogent writing. According to... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-17 14:15:43 UTC ]
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‘Tis the season for book awards! Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2020 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. The National Book Awards, created in 1950, is the most prestigious literary prize in the United States, rewarding quality and cogent... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-16 14:15:20 UTC ]
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News and Events World Literature Today, the University of Oklahoma’s award-winning magazine of international literature and culture, announced today that the 2020 Neustadt Lit Festival will be held entirely online from Oct. 19-21. The festival will... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2020-09-10 12:52:47 UTC ]
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Teenage author Dara McAnulty has become what is reckoned to be the youngest ever winner of a major literary award after scooping the Wainwright Prize for UK Nature Writing with Diary of a Young Naturalist (Little Toller). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-08 07:56:58 UTC ]
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The International Dublin Literary Award is the world’s biggest annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English. The honor comes with a whopping €100,000. Mark your calendars: the winner will be announced on October 22. Congratulations to this year’s finalists! * International... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-03 18:08:27 UTC ]
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UCLan Publishing's Hazel Holmes – who is part of the Rising Stars Class of 2020 and the founder of the Northern YA Literary Festival – shares her top tips for setting up your own event. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-26 22:02:58 UTC ]
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