The French translation is by Alain van Crugten, who has already translated plays by Lanoye and is known as the French translator of Hugo Claus' 'Het verdriet van België' (The sorrow of Belgium).
In the autobiographic 'Sprakeloos', Lanoye talks about the death of his mother, who lost her speech after a stroke. The novel won the Golden Owl Readers's Prize and was shortlisted for both the Libris Literature Prize and the Golden Owl. 'La langue de ma mère' is the first translation of the book. Translations into Danish (Turbine) and Afrikaans (Protea Boekhuis) are in preparation and due out this year.
On Tuesday 18 January at 20.15 hours, 'La langue de ma mère' will be presented in the presence of Tom Lanoye and translator Alain van Crugten during a bilingual programme in Flagey, Heilig-Kruisplein, Brussel. The book presentation is an initiative of De Buren, Het Beschrijf and Flagey.
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