One of my previously unstated 2014 reading goals was to read more literary prize winners from each of the four Romance languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French) that I am reading extensively in this year. While this literary prize is much newer (and worth only €25,000) than the Premio Strega, Goncourt, or even the revived Premio Alfaguara, there are some high-quality writers on this list that I do want to read in Portuguese by year's end, if possible, with perhaps some, if not all, of them being reviewed. Below are the list of the winners of this biannual prize:
1999 Paulo José Miranda, Natureza Morta
2001 José Luís Peixoto, Nenhum Olhar
2003 Adriana Lisboa, Sinfonia em Branco
2005 Gonçalo M. Tavares, Jerusalém*
2007 Valter Hugo Mãe, o remorso de baltazar serapião
2009 João Tordo, As Três Vidas
2011 Andréa del Fuego, Os Malaquias
2013 Ondjaki, Os Transparentes
* first read in Spanish translation years ago
Based off of the three (two in Portuguese) that I have read, the quality is very good in terms of the content as well as the form. The Tavares at least is available in English translation (through Dalkey Archive); uncertain if any of the others have been translated yet into English.
1999 Paulo José Miranda, Natureza Morta
2001 José Luís Peixoto, Nenhum Olhar
2003 Adriana Lisboa, Sinfonia em Branco
2005 Gonçalo M. Tavares, Jerusalém*
2007 Valter Hugo Mãe, o remorso de baltazar serapião
2009 João Tordo, As Três Vidas
2011 Andréa del Fuego, Os Malaquias
2013 Ondjaki, Os Transparentes
* first read in Spanish translation years ago
Based off of the three (two in Portuguese) that I have read, the quality is very good in terms of the content as well as the form. The Tavares at least is available in English translation (through Dalkey Archive); uncertain if any of the others have been translated yet into English.
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3 comments:
Nenhum Olhar was also translated. The english version is titled "Blank Gaze".
From the author's website:
"Prize. His first novel "Nenhum Olhar" (published as "Blank Gaze" in the UK by Bloomsbury and as "The Implacable Order of Things" in the USA by Doubleday/Anchor/Random House) was shortlisted in all major literary awards in Portugal and won the Jose Saramago Literary Award, delivered every two years for the best novel written in all portuguese-speaking countries."
Very cool to know! I plan on reading each of these in Portuguese, provided I can find affordable copies, but sometimes I might want a translation to read just to make 100% sure of a few nuances. Then again, re-reads usually do help comprehension even more (although the translations make it much easier for me to cite relevant passages for review purposes).
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