Learning to love Finnish, the best poems of 2014, and more
News, Reviews, and Interviews
In an announcement before the holidays, the Anton Chekhov Foundation revealed that it is working to translate over 500 of Chekhov’s earliest works into English.
If Finnish is one of the most difficult languages to learn to read and write, how can the publishing world encourage writers to become Finnish translators? Books from Finland rounds up the reasons why six translators began working with Finnish literature as well as why they love it.
Translator Esther Allen discusses the United States’ historic decision to open relations with Cuba and how this decision will affect the literary world in a recent post for Words Without Borders.
According to a new, free report from the PEN American Center, international writers are increasingly concerned about mass surveillance.
For Your Calendar
If you’re in the NYC area next week, make sure to mark you calendar for the Academy of American Poets’ memorial for the late Mark Strand, January 18.
Calling all literary translators! The John Dryden Translation Competition is currently accepting submissions for any genre until February 16.
The Free Word Centre is looking for submissions to their European Literature Night series. If you’re a translator living in Europe, consider submitting a pitch to participate. (But hurry, final applications are due January 16!)
Fun Finds and Inspiration
If you’re working on making room on your bookshelves for all the new books you received over the holidays, consider making donations of all your old books!
If you’re still struggling to make new year’s resolutions, perhaps these resolution poems from the editors at the Poetry Foundation can help.
Working on your writing project? The Atlantic rounded up the entire year in writerly advice, with great interviews from authors such as David Mitchell, Yiyun Li, and more.
There is much attention on the best books and poetry collections of the year, but what about singular poems? The Vancouver Poetry House rounded up this list of what its staff consider to be the best poems of 2014. What do our readers think?
What’s the ultimate literary gift you can give? Edward Nawotka from Publishing Perspectives argues that it’s a hand-translated book, like the one he and his daughter received from a close friend this year for the holidays.
Looking for a great short read to help boost your reading goals this year? Try any one of these 17 short novels, guaranteed to include a great story you can finish in just one sitting.
