Books from 13 publishers, seven languages and eight regions are among the 14 winners of English PEN's translation awards, which are selected "on the basis of outstanding literary quality, the strength of the publishing project, and their contribution to U.K. bibliodiversity."
Nichola Smalley, English PEN translation advisory co-chair and chair of the PEN Translates selection panel, said: "A wonderful thing about PEN Translates panel discussions is the panelists' openness to having their minds changed when presented with new information or perspectives. It was no different this time around. The projects submitted provoked prolonged and impassioned debate. Through thoughtful consideration we ended up with 14 fantastic titles ranging from the radical and political to the wildly imaginative to the intimate and personal (and in many cases a skillful blend of these) from presses big and small and medium, with re-discovered contemporary classics, social commentary and unexpected love stories. With authors and translators from across the experience scale and languages spanning the globe, this portfolio is a microcosm of the literary diversity PEN Translates exists to support."
Preti Taneja, co-chair of the English PEN Translation advisory group and chair of the PEN Translates x SALT selection panel, commented: "Each of these projects will bring writers, translators and their outstanding work to new readers and audiences who might not otherwise have access to them. In a world in which funding is increasingly difficult to secure, the panel is glad to support festivals and publications that celebrate translation and diverse literary culture."
Nadia Saeed, translation and international manager at English PEN, added: "When I see the range of applications we receive each round, the caliber of the work we are yet to be able to read in translation never ceases to amaze me, and these 14 titles are no exception. From love stories from Saudi Arabia to cult queer fiction from Mexico to seminal feminist poetry from Sri Lanka, these titles further exemplify the importance of bibliodiversity in times where we aren't always quick to look beyond the surface of things. We're excited to be supporting such vital contributions to literature in translation."