Longlists in both the fiction and poetry categories have been selected for the 2018 Best Translated Book Award, sponsored by Three Percent. Finalists will be announced May 15, and the winners named May 31, as part of the New York Rights Fair.
"Nine readers of varied backgrounds, taste and experience came together to create an awards longlist reflecting just that," said fiction judge Patrick Smith. "There are new voices and powerhouse authors on the list. Amir Tag Elsir appears for the second time in three years--a quiet demand that places like Sudan be recognized for their contribution to world literature. From intimate books about families and relationships, to loud, wildly entertaining books, this list shows the strength of literature in translation, and that it’s for readers of all sorts. Anyone can find something on the list to engage with and to move them."
Poetry judge Emma Ramadan commented: "This year's poetry longlist was especially competitive, with the judges seeking to highlight works that bring something new into the English language. With eleven countries and three continents represented, the BTBA poetry longlist this year, as in years past, is a rich representation of what the rest of the world has to offer to our ways of thinking about the possibilities of literature."