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Three Percent, University of Rochester (Open Letter Books) · award year

Best Translated Book Award 2012

The 2012 Best Translated Book Award went to Stone Upon Stone by Wiesław Myśliwski, translated by Bill Johnston (Fiction) and Spectacle & Pigsty by Kiwao Nomura, translated by Kyoko Yoshida and Forrest Gander (Poetry). 16 books were finalists and 31 books made the longlist across 2 categories.

Winners

Fiction

  1. Stone Upon Stone by Wiesław Myśliwski, translated by Bill Johnstonsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Spectacle & Pigsty by Kiwao Nomura, translated by Kyoko Yoshida and Forrest Gandersource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Fiction

  1. I Am a Japanese Writer by Dany Laferrière, translated by David Homelsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. In Red by Magdalena Tulli, translated by Bill Johnstonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Kafka’s Leopards by Moacyr Scliar, translated by Thomas O. Beebeesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Kornél Esti by Dezső Kosztolányi, translated by Bernard Adamssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Lightning by Jean Echenoz, translated by Linda Coverdalesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Never Any End to Paris by Enrique Vila-Matas, translated by Anne McLeansource (opens in a new tab)
  7. New Finnish Grammar by Diego Marani, translated by Judith Landrysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Scars by Juan José Saer, translated by Steve Dolphsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Upstaged by Jacques Jouet, translated by Leland de la Durantayesource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. A Fireproof Box by Gleb Shulpyakov, translated by Christopher Mattisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. False Friends by Uljana Wolf, translated by Susan Bernofskysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Hagar Before the Occupation, Hagar After the Occupation by Amal al-Jubouri, translated by Rebecca Gayle Howell and Husam Qaisisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Last Verses by Jules Laforgue, translated by Donald Revellsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. engulf—enkindle by Anja Utler, translated by Kurt Bealssource (opens in a new tab)

Longlist

Fiction

  1. Buzz Aldrin, What Happened to You in All the Confusion? by Johan Harstad, translated by Deborah Dawkinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Demolishing Nisard by Eric Chevillard, translated by Jordan Stumpsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Fiasco by Imre Kertész, translated by Tim Wilkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Funeral for a Dog by Thomas Pletzinger, translated by Ross Benjaminsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Leeches by David Albahari, translated by Ellen Elias-Bursaćsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Montecore by Jonas Hassen Khemiri, translated by Rachel Willson-Broylessource (opens in a new tab)
  7. My Two Worlds by Sergio Chejfec, translated by Margaret B. Carsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Private Property by Paule Constant, translated by Margot Miller and France Grenaudier-Klijnsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Purgatory by Tomás Eloy Martínez, translated by Frank Wynnesource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Scenes from Village Life by Amos Oz, translated by Nicholas de Langesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Seven Years by Peter Stamm, translated by Michael Hofmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Suicide by Edouard Levé, translated by Jan Steynsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Shadow-Boxing Woman by Inka Parei, translated by Katy Derbyshiresource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Truth about Marie by Jean-Philippe Toussaint, translated by Matthew B. Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Zone by Mathias Énard, translated by Charlotte Mandellsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Best Translated Book Award

Every winning, finalist (shortlisted) and longlisted book for the Best Translated Book Award, listed once per category at its highest level. Year is the award year. The award ran 2008-2020 and then went on hiatus, so there are no 2021 or 2022 awards. 2008 was a reader vote among Three Percent's top 10 fiction translations of 2007, with three poetry books named alongside; Wikipedia lists Guantanamo as the first winner. The 2008 list of 50 mixed fiction, poetry and essays is not included. Poetry had finalists only until 2014; poetry longlists start in 2015. 2008-2018 lists and 2008-2017 winners come from the Three Percent blog at rochester.edu, where besttranslatedbook.org now redirects. 2019 and 2020 lists and the 2018-2020 winners come from The Millions, which announced the BTBA lists. Obvious name typos on the source pages were corrected (for example Xue Can to Can Xue). Translators are joined with "and"; for anthologies the credited editor is the author.

Organization: Three Percent, University of Rochester (Open Letter Books). Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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