Authors and Translations

In the picture: Flemish literature in South Africa

Protea Boekhuis and Lapa Uitgewers, both based in Pretoria, are two South African publishing houses that are making great efforts to add Flemish authors to their lists.

Protea Boekhuis is a prominent publisher in South Africa, which publishes just about all genres. Definite eye catchers in their list in recent years were Tom Lanoye and Anne Provoost. Following Tom Lanoye's ''n Slagterseun met 'n brilletjie' ['A Butcher's Son with Glasses'] in 2008, in 2011 Protea published the Afrikaans translation of 'Sprakeloos' ['Speechless'], which received exceptionally good reviews and was actually number three in the Top 10 bestsellers in March 2011.

Even before publication of the Afrikaans translation of Anne Provoost's 'De arkvaarders' ['In the Shadow of the Ark'] in 2012, as in America before, there was already some commotion in the media because the book evoked rancour amongst some Christian and Biblically inspired leaders due to the way Provoost had handled the material. "Bible readers will take offence at the sadistic acts of murder and violence and the sexual undertone in this representation of life on the ark during the flood," 'Rapport' quoted the American Smith. The three titles were translated by Daniel Hugo.

In the children's and youth genre, in 2011 Protea published Bart Moeyaert's 'Broers' [Brothers] and Nicol Stassen's translation of Peter Verhelst's 'Die geheim van die keel van die nagtegaal' ['The Secret of the Nightingale's Throat']. An Afrikaans translation of 'Galgenmeid' ['Gallows Maid'] by Pat van Beirs and Jean-Claude van Rijckegem is in preparation.

The house is also active in the field of poetry. In 2009, under the title 'Die lenige liefde' ['Lithe Love'], they published an anthology of works by Herman De Conink and, in 2012, Miriam Van hee's 'In plaas van die stilte' ['Instead of Silence'], again translated by Daniel Hugo.

In recent years, the publishing house Lapa has published two books by Pieter Aspe in translations by Daniel Hugo: 'Die Midas moorde' ['The Midas Murders'] (2011) and 'Die vierkant van die wraak' [The Square of Revenge] (2010). They also issued 'Papawers' [Poppies] (2010) by Ingrid Van der Veken in a translation by Christine Barkhuizen le Roux.