News and Events

2018 ALTA National Translation Award Winners

November 2, 2018
by WLT

The covers to Third Millennium Heart and Compass juxtaposed

The American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) has named its 2018 National Translation Award winners. Third-Millennium Heart (Action Books) by Ursula Andkjær Olsen, translated from the Danish by Katrine Øgaard Jensen was awarded the prize for poetry. Compass (New Directions) by Mathias Énard, translated from the French by Charlotte Mandell took home the prize for prose.

We have been fortunate to work with both translators in the recent past and are proud to share those collaborations with you here.

"On Wrungness in Translation," by Katrine Øgaard Jensen, a translator's note talking about the challenges of bringing Olsen's poetry into English

"Outgoing Vessel (an excerpt)," by Ursula Andkjær Olsen and translated by Katrine Øgaard Jensen. Five pieces from a longer work by Olsen.

"Translator as Medium," by Charlotte Mandell, on the translator's role.

"Absenting the Self: Charlotte Mandell on Translating Mathias Énard," an interview with Charlotte about translating Compass.

"The Needle Always Points East in Mathias Énard’s Compass," by Book Review Editor Rob Vollmar