Third publishers tour in Flanders

Foreign guests FLF captivated by Flemish novels

 

From 31 May to 3 June 2010, the Flemish Literature Fund (FLF) guided nine important foreign publishers from seven different countries through Flanders' literary fields. During this publishers tour, the publishers met with top authors, publishers and literary organisations in Flanders and paid a literary visit to the cities of Antwerp and Brussels.

 

 

Bernard Dewulf wins Libris Literature Prize

Flemish writer-poet Bernard Dewulf received the Dutch Libris Literature Prize 2010 for ‘Kleine dagen' (Small Days). It is Dewulf's second collection of columns, in which he muses on his children growing up. ‘Kleine dagen' was chosen from a shortlist of six books, four of which were Flemish titles.

Gallimard to publish translation Peter Terrin

The rights for Peter Terrin's book ‘De bewaker' (The Guard) were recently sold to Gallimard, the prestigious French publishing house, with the assistance of the FLF. Terrin is the first Flemish prose author on Gallimard's list since the translation of Hugo Claus's ‘Omtrent Deedee' (About Deedee) 40 years ago.

 

Four Flemish authors on longlist Libris Literature Prize

On 22 March, the jury of the Dutch Libris Literature Prize 2010 announced which titles made it on to the shortlist. Four out of five Flemish authors which were nominated on the longlist are still in the running:

 

• Walter van den Broeck for ‘Terug naar Walden' (Back to Walden), a book about the current economic crisis • Bernard Dewulf for ‘Kleine dagen' (Small days), a collection of columns • Tom Lanoye for ‘Sprakeloos' (Speechless), an autobiographical novel about his mother's death • Peter Terrin for ‘De bewaker' (The guard), a psychological story about a guard

Stefan Brijs invited in Paris

On 26 March, the Paris-based Institut Néerlandais and Flemish-Dutch association Ons Erfdeel organize a literary evening featuring recently translated Dutch-language novels. The event will take place during the yearly book fair Salon du Livre. Flemish author Stefan Brijs and his Dutch colleagues Charlotte Mutsaers and Thomas Lieske are the guests of the evening. They will debate with Margot Dijkgraaf, literary critic for Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad and director of the Academic and Cultural Centre SPUI25.

 

The European Ghost Literary Project is looking for stories

The 'European Ghost Literary Project' is looking to gather as many stories as possible which are based on European myths, folk tales and legends. The goal is to tell a story of European history and culture from Portugal to Russia, from Iceland to Turkey. The collected stories will be published as a book.

 

Award ceremony Prix des Phares du Nord in Paris

On 29 January, the Prix des Phares du Nord was awarded to Anita Concas for her translation of Kader Abdolah's novel 'Het huis van de moskee' (‘The house of the mosque'). Concas received the translator's award from Dutch ambassador Hugo Siblesz and Flemish representative Nic Vandermarliere. Following the award ceremony, the Institut Néerlandais hosted a dinner party in the presence of author Kader Abdolah.

Five Flemish authors on longlist Libris Literature Prize

The longlist of the Libris Literature Prize includes no less than five titles by Flemish authors. A total of eighteen novels were selected from 200 entries. Along with thirteen Dutch novels, these are the Flemish contenders:

• ‘Terug naar Walden' (Back to Walden) by Walter van den Broeck

• ‘Kleine dagen' (Small days) by Bernard Dewulf

• ‘Sprakeloos' (Speechless) by Tom Lanoye

• ‘De bewaker' (The guard) by Peter Terrin

• ‘Vissen redden' (Saving fish) by Annelies Verbeke

Launch French version of ‘The Angel Maker' by Stefan Brijs

‘Le Faiseur d'anges', the French translation of Stefan Brijs' novel ‘De engelenmaker' (‘The Angel Maker') will appear on 21 January with the support of the Flemish Literature Fund. It is published by Héloïse d'Ormesson, a Paris-based publishing house and translated by Daniel Cunin. Cunin, who previously translated works from amongst others Annelies Verbeke and Bart Moeyaert, is a guest at the Translators' House in Antwerp.

 

Hugo Claus on longlist Best Translated Book Award

‘Wonder', the American translation of ‘De verwondering' by Hugo Claus, features on the longlist of the Best Translated Book Award. This is one of the most important translation prizes for literature in the English-language territory. The prize is instituted by Three Percent, a resource for international literature at the University of Rochester. The aim is to generate attention for foreign literature in English translation.