New Books in German has helped bring a wealth of German-language literary treasures to an English-speaking readership. To celebrate our role in championing great German-language literature, colleagues from all over the literary world have chosen their favourite NBG title in English translation. We are pleased to bring you this collection of twenty-five recommendations of remarkable books.
From Elfriede Jelinek to Ingeborg Bachmann, Marianne Fritz to Friederike Mayröcker, the Austrian literary canon includes many celebrated women writers. Known for their often postmodern, subversive approaches – to both style and substance – they have helped secure this Alpine nation an impact on German-language literature that its size might belie.
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Jo Heinrich tells us about her first experience of tackling a full length book translation. Jo's translation of Katja Oskamp's Marzahn Mon Amour is out now with Peirene Press.
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Sarah Hemens interviews Ijoma Mangold, author of compelling memoir of growing up different, The German Crocodile. In the book, Iljoma Mangold, one of Germany's best literary critics, remembers his youth in 1970s Heidelberg and the new Federal Republic, and momentous visits in early adulthood to the USA and Nigeria.
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Six novels were selected for the shortlist of this year’s German Book Prize. Read more about the six here.
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Jamie Bulloch discusses his translation of Die Liebe im Ernstfall (Love in Five Acts) and reflects on what can help German-language books resonate with an English-speaking readership.
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Writing and translation both require the right choice of word. Olga and Katy discuss their work.
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We were lucky to grab Bov Bjerg during the lock down and ask him a few questions about his most recent novel, the story of a family in which three generations have taken their own lives, and why it would be well received in English translation.
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Jozef van der Voort interned with NBG in spring 2020. Here he shares his experiences of the internship and his favourite titles from our latest crop of reviews.
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Translator Jamie Bulloch reflects on Robert Menasse’s timely novel about the European project, winner of the 2017 German Book Prize
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