Gangnam Style, Mo Yan, and the human brain
This week, we've featured several links for your calendar, including events and submission deadlines—make sure you mark them down!
News, Reviews, and Interviews
Wishing congratulations to all of the authors (and publishers) chosen as this year's National Book Award winners!
Copies of Mo Yan's Sandalwood Death have finally arrived! Follow the link to learn how you can get your hands on a copy.
Mahmoud Saeed was recently interviewed at the Arabic Literature (in English) blog, where he discussed his Pushcart-nomainted short story "Lizard's Colony" (which you can read in the November 2012 issue of World Literature Today).
Neuroscientist David Eagleman wonders if we're reaching the maximum capacity of the human brain at the Brain Pickings blog.
The annual ALTA conference shows that translation is still gaining ground in American academics.
How do you successfully manage a book festival in the slums of Rio de Janiero? Toni Marques explains at the Words Without Borders website.
Words Without Borders also recently published an edited (and translated) version of Liao Yiwu's Peace Prize of the German Book Trade acceptance speech.
English PEN recently announced the 6 winners for the 2013 Writing in Translation Awards.
Listen to (or read) the latest audio interview with Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan, courtesy of Granta.
For Your Calendar
Black Lawrence Press is currently in their open reading period. They would love to receieve the French and German translations you've been working on!
Join Paul Legault on December 6 at the Center for the Art of Translation in San Francisco to learn about translating from English to English.
The PEN American Holiday Benefit is December 11, and we know you won't want to miss it—if nothing else than to show off your 80's-style dance moves!
Margaret Atwood will be visiting Tulsa, Oklahoma in April of next year. Tickets for the event go on sale in January, so mark your calendars!
Toad Press is currently accepting chapbook-length poetry and prose translations until the end of this year.
Fun Finds and Inspiration
Chinese poet and political dissident Ai Weiwei performs the newest Internet sensation: Gangnam style.
If you're facing writer's block and aren't sure what to do, here's some helpful advice from 13 famous writers on their writer's block elimination methods.
The University of Oklahoma Press is having a massive holiday sale, and over 1,700 books have been discounted for your holiday shopping needs.
1976 Neustadt Laureate Elizabeth Bishop answers the question of why she became a writer at the Missouri Review.
How is Google's autocomplete poetic? Mashable has a great video about it up at their website.
If you ever find yourself getting nervous about performing at a poetry slam or open mic night, read these tips courtesy of The List.
Poetry International revealed another fantastic winner from its Facebook book spine poetry contest.
If you weren't able to attend the Guadalajara International Book Fair, you can watch video coverage of the events on YouTube.
NPR recently found that amid the vast destruction produced by Hurricane Sandy it also washed up some long-forgotten 1940s love letters.
