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

Best Translated Book Award 2019

The 2019 Best Translated Book Award went to Slave Old Man by Patrick Chamoiseau, translated by Linda Coverdale (Fiction) and Of Death. Minimal Odes by Hilda Hilst, translated by Laura Cesarco Eglin (Poetry). 15 books were finalists and 35 books made the longlist across 2 categories.

Winners

Fiction

  1. Slave Old Man by Patrick Chamoiseau, translated by Linda Coverdalesource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Of Death. Minimal Odes by Hilda Hilst, translated by Laura Cesarco Eglinsource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Fiction

  1. Bricks and Mortar by Clemens Meyer, translated by Katy Derbyshiresource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Congo Inc.: Bismarck’s Testament by In Koli Jean Bofane, translated by Marjolijn de Jagersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemorisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Fox by Dubravka Ugresic, translated by Ellen Elias-Bursac and David Williamssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Moon Brow by Shahriar Mandanipour, translated by Sara Khalilisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Pretty Things by Virginie Despentes, translated by Emma Ramadansource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Governesses by Anne Serre, translated by Mark Hutchinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Hospital by Ahmed Bouanani, translated by Lara Vergnaudsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Öræfi by Ófeigur Sigurðsson, translated by Lytton Smithsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Autobiography of Death by Kim Hyesoon, translated by Don Mee Choisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Moss & Silver by Jure Detela, translated by Raymond Miller and Tatjana Jamniksource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Negative Space by Luljeta Lleshanaku, translated by Ani Gjikasource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Future Has an Appointment with the Dawn by Tanella Boni, translated by Todd Fredsonsource (opens in a new tab)

Longlist

Fiction

  1. A Dead Rose by Aurora Cáceres, translated by Laura Kanostsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. After the Winter by Guadalupe Nettel, translated by Rosalind Harveysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Bottom of the Sky by Rodrigo Fresán, translated by Will Vanderhydensource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Bride and Groom by Alisa Ganieva, translated by Carol Apolloniosource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Codex 1962 by Sjón, translated by Victoria Cribbsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Comemadre by Roque Larraquy, translated by Heather Clearysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Disoriental by Negar Djavadi, translated by Tina Koversource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Dézafi by Frankétienne, translated by Asselin Charlessource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Flights by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Jennifer Croftsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Lion Cross Point by Masatsugu Ono, translated by Angus Turvillsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Love in the New Millennium by Can Xue, translated by Annelise Finegan Wasmoensource (opens in a new tab)
  12. People in the Room by Norah Lange, translated by Charlotte Whittlesource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Seventeen by Hideo Yokoyama, translated by Louise Heal Kawaisource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Transparent City by Ondjaki, translated by Stephen Henighansource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Wedding Worries by Stig Dagerman, translated by Paul Norlen and Lo Dagermansource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Architecture of a Dispersed Life by Pablo de Rokha, translated by Urayoán Noelsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dying in a Mother Tongue by Roja Chamankar, translated by Blake Atwoodsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Nioque of the Early-Spring by Francis Ponge, translated by Jonathan Larsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Scardanelli by Friederike Mayröcker, translated by Jonathan Larsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. the easiness and the loneliness by Asta Olivia Nordenhof, translated by Susanna Niedsource (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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