The longlist for the National Book Award for translated literature has been revealed, with 10 books in the running for the annual prize.
Pink Slime, written by Uruguayan author Fernanda Trías and translated by Heather Cleary, made the longlist, alongside two other books originally written in Spanish: Woodworm, written by Layla Martínez of Spain and translated by Sophie Hughes and Annie McDermott; and The Abyss, written by Colombian-Mexican author Fernando Vallejo and translated by Yvette Siegert.
The Tale of a Wall: Reflections on the Meaning of Hope and Freedom, written by imprisoned Palestinian author Nasser Abu Srour and translated by Luke Leafgren, made the cut. Two other books originally written in Arabic were also longlisted: The Book Censor’s Library, written by Bothayna Al-Essa of Kuwait and translated by Ranya Abdelrahman and Sawad Hussain; and Where the Wind Calls Home, written by Syrian author Samar Yazbek and translated by Leri Price.
Also making the list were Ædnan, written by Linnea Axelsson of Sweden and translated by Saskia Vogel; On the Calculation of Volume (Book I), written by Danish author Solvej Balle and translated by Barbara J. Haveland; The Villain's Dance, written by Congolese author Fiston Mwanza Mujila and translated by Roland Glasser; and Taiwan Travelogue, written by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ of Taiwan and translated by Lin King.
The longlist will be winnowed into a shortlist, which will be revealed on Oct. 1. The winning author and translator will be announced at a ceremony in New York on Nov. 20.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
