Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 1d

We're thrilled to get to give a call out to ALTA conference sponsor, the University of Arizona Poetry Center! We're grateful for this support of our conference, ALTA48: Visions and Versions, held 11/5-8 in Tucson, AZ. This support makes it possible! @uapoetrycenter.bsky.social

Poetry Center

See the work from leading poets as part of this project that seeks to confront racial inequities within the criminal justice system to promote social justice and change.

poetry.arizona.edu

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 1d

“Charlotte Mandell had written the English words I was reading, whose power and beauty left me gasping and stunned.”

Bryan Alistair Charles discusses Proust in translation with translator and ALTA member Charlotte Mandell at Lit Hub: @literaryhub.bsky.social

On Translating Proust and the Art of Not Reading Ahead

Le devoir et la tâche d’un écrivain sont ceux d’un traducteur. –Marcel Proust, Le Temps retrouvé * The duty and the task of a writer are those of a translator. –The Past Recaptured, tra…

lithub.com

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Reposted by American Literary Translators Association

Coffee House Press @coffeehousepress.bsky.social · 2d

🎉🎉🎉Congratulations to Omar Khalifah and translator Barbara Romaine on being shortlisted for the 2025 National Translation Awards!!! #ALTA @littranslate.bsky.social

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 2d

@openletterbooks.bsky.social @fsgbooks.bsky.social @coffeehousepress.bsky.social @penguinbooksusa.bsky.social @graywolfpress.bsky.social @eulaliabooks.bsky.social @archipelagobooks.bsky.social @worldpoetrybooks.bsky.social @blackoceanbooks.bsky.social

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 2d

This year’s prose judges are
@unpoetaloco.bsky.social, @rekognition.bsky.social,
@ilzeduarte.bsky.social, @manjushreethapa.bsky.social, and Peter Constantine. This year’s judges for poetry are Conor Bracken, Dongshin Chang, and Rachel Galvin.

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 2d

The 2025 NTA shortlists feature authors writing in 8 different languages and books from 13 different presses, celebrating the diversity of literature in translation in English and the large, vibrant community of translators, publishers and readers.

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 2d

The winners will be announced on November 6 at an Awards Ceremony as part of ALTA’s annual conference, ALTA48: Visions and Versions in Tucson, AZ. The winning translators will receive a $4,000 cash prize each.

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 2d

🎉 We are delighted to announce the shortlists for the 2025 National Translation Awards (NTA) in Poetry and Prose!

2025 marks the 27th year for the NTA, and the 11th year to award separate prizes in poetry and prose.

View the lists here: literarytranslators.org/the-2025-nat...

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 2d

🎉 Wonderful news! Huge congratulations to László Krasznahorkai - whose book SPADEWORK FOR A PALACE, translated by John Batki, was shortlisted for the 2023 National Translation Award in Prose! - on being awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature! 🥳🎊 www.nobelprize.org/prizes/liter...

Nobel Prize in Literature 2025

The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025 was awarded to László Krasznahorkai, “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”

www.nobelprize.org

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 3d

📣 Exciting news: A Polish mentorship with mentor Bill Johnston has been added to the 2026 ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program!

This program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship btw. an experienced & an emerging translator.

Apply by 11/30: buff.ly/cpduT69

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 3d

“I feel the weight of small moves that narrow the sense of the poem, even as I transmute it.”

David Keplinger comments on the small meaningful choices that go into translating poetry and the difficult emotions that arise when those choices are made. At Poetry:

Poets on Translation: Vemod or, Woe-mood

Poems, readings, poetry news and the entire 110-year archive of POETRY magazine.

www.poetryfoundation.org

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 3d

🎉 The finalists for the 2025 National Book Award for Translated Literature have been announced! Congratulations to all on the list, including ALTA members Shelley Fairweather-Vega, David McKay, and Robin Myers! @nationalbook.bsky.social

2025 National Book Awards Finalists Announced

Twenty-five Finalists to contend for National Book Awards in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature

www.nationalbook.org

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 4d

“I treated the translation of this novel like a poem, in that I let the strangeness wash over me and didn’t try to think too hard about making things ‘make sense.’”

ALTA member Alex Niemi and Sarah Viren discuss Niemi's translation process and the rhythm of language. At Lit Hub:

Alex Niemi on the Process of Translation and the Rhythm of Language

I’ve known Alex Niemi since 2012, when we both started a graduate program in literary translation at the University of Iowa. We co-edited our program’s literary translation journal, Exchanges, and …

lithub.com

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 5d

We're delighted today to shout out ALTA conference sponsor, the Center for the Art of Translation! This crucial support of our upcoming conference, ALTA48: Visions and Versions, held November 5-8 in Tucson, AZ, helps to make it all possible. Thank you! @catranslation.org

Center for the Art of Translation | Two Lines Press

The Center for the Art of Translation champions literary translation, dedicated to finding new, global voices brought into English by translators.

www.catranslation.org

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 5d

🎉 The full ALTA48: Visions and Versions conference program book is here! ⠀

See the full program, packed full with details about this year's conference, held Nov 5-8 in Tucson! There's a detailed schedule, info about the conference hotel, awards features, presenter bios, & much more:

ALTA

A L T A

literarytranslators.org

American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 8d

We're glad today to get to shout out ALTA conference sponsor Visit Tucson! Thank you for sponsoring our upcoming conference, ALTA48: Visions and Versions, held November 5-8 in Tucson, AZ - this support helps make it all possible. Thank you! www.visittucson.org

Tucson Hotels, Events, Restaurants, Things to Do Planning

With 350 days of sunshine a year, Tucson, Arizona is the place to vacation! Find trip planning information on hotels, events, restaurants and things to do.

www.visittucson.org

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 8d

“There can never be a definitive version in translation because the definitive is the original.”

John Self broaches the topic of retranslations and the critical role all translators of classic works must take on in order to justify their own translation. At The Critic:

Accost in translation | John Self | The Critic Magazine

Each new rendering in English of a classic written in another language must make the case for its superiority to previous versions. Cue barbs and accusations.

thecritic.co.uk

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 9d

📣 Check out these workshops with ALTA mentor Deepa Bhasti at Wasafiri! 👇

Wasafiri Magazine @wasafirimag.bsky.social · 17d

We're delighted to announce four curated online writing workshops tutored by our inaugural International Translator in Residence, the International Booker Prize winning writer-translator, Deepa Bhasthi.

The first pair of workshops will be held in autumn 2025.

Registration: buff.ly/Gguo10u

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 9d

“We need to be aware of the new and unheard voices in the literatures of our regions, and fulfil our roles as translators.”

Anupama Raju shares her ruminations on the motivations behind translation and how they affect the collective perception of world literature. At Scroll In:

What motivates a translator? Translator-writer Anupama Raju asks on International Translation Day

‘I also felt responsible and accountable to bring the social and political undercurrents of a work to a larger reading public.’

scroll.in

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 10d

We're excited today to give a shout out Schaffner Press for sponsoring the upcoming ALTA conference, ALTA48: Visions and Versions, held November 5-8 in Tucson, AZ! This crucial support helps to make the conference possible. Thank you! @schaffnerpress.bsky.social schaffnerpress.com

Schaffner Press – BOOKS OF SOCIAL RELEVANCE FOR DISCERNING READERS

Schaffner Press is an independent publishing company based in Tucson, Az. which focuses on books of high literary quality and topics of social concern.

schaffnerpress.com

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 10d

If you're going to be at the upcoming ALTA48 conference from November 5-8 in Tucson, consider coming to the BIPOC Literary Translators Caucus Reading Series at 8:30pm on November 6 in The Royal Room! The reading is free and open to all.

Interested in reading? Sign up from here!

ALTA

A L T A

literarytranslators.org

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 10d

Be sure to check out all the amazing translators who've been nominated for the various ALTA awards and prizes. One such nominee is Stephania Heim, shortlisted for the Italian Prose in Translation Award for her translation of Girorio de Chirico’s “Mr. Dudron.” Read more at WWU News: buff.ly/BW70ByP

Associate Professor of Literature Stefania Heim shortlisted for translation award

WWU News

news.wwu.edu

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 11d

Interested in learning more about one country’s long-overshadowed literary tradition? Check out this list of ten important Ukrainian books in translation, featuring two of ALTA member Nina Murray’s translations. At Lit Hub: buff.ly/M4W0HqC @literaryhub.bsky.social

Ten Titles in Translation That Celebrate Ukraine

For decades, Ukraine remained in the shadow of the Russian imperial discourse. Foreign readers had access to only a limited number of translations of Ukrainian literature. Today, fortunately the nu…

lithub.com

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 11d

📣 Translators! Don't miss your chance - VSC's open call will offer 2, 3, and 4-week residencies in 2026, and ✨translators are eligible for them.✨

Get in your application by the end of the day today! 👇

Vermont Studio Center @vermontstudioctr.bsky.social · 13d

Autumn is arriving on campus! 🍁 🍂 Applications are open for Summer & Fall 2026 residencies at VSC. Join us on campus next year! Apply until September 30th at buff.ly/pYktysz

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · 15d

We're happy to get to shout out ALTA48 conference sponsor, the American-Scandinavian Foundation! We're grateful for this support of our upcoming conference, ALTA48: Visions and Versions, held November 5-8 in Tucson, AZ. Without your support, it just wouldn't be possible. Thank you!

The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF)

The American-Scandinavian Foundation is the leading cultural and educational link between the U.S. and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

www.amscan.org