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

Best Translated Book Award 2020

The 2020 Best Translated Book Award went to EEG by Daša Drndić, translated by Celia Hawkesworth (Fiction) and Time by Etel Adnan, translated by Sarah Riggs (Poetry). 15 books were finalists and 35 books made the longlist across 2 categories.

Winners

Fiction

  1. EEG by Daša Drndić, translated by Celia Hawkesworthsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Time by Etel Adnan, translated by Sarah Riggssource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Fiction

  1. 77 by Guillermo Saccomanno, translated by Andrea G. Labingersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Animalia by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo, translated by Frank Wynnesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Beyond Babylon by Igiaba Scego, translated by Aaron Robertsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz, translated by Sarah Moses and Carolina Orloffsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Good Will Come From the Sea by Christos Ikonomou, translated by Karen Emmerichsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman, translated by Robert Chandler and Elizabeth Chandlersource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Territory of Light by Yuko Tsushima, translated by Geraldine Harcourtsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snydersource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Aviva-No by Shimon Adaf, translated by Yael Segalovitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Camouflage by Lupe Gómez, translated by Erín Mouresource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Materia Prima by Amanda Berenguer, translated by Gillian Brassil and Anna Deeny Morales and Mónica de la Torre and Urayoán Noel and Jeannine Marie Pitas and Kristin Dykstra and Kent Johnson and Alex Verdolinisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Next Loves by Stéphane Bouquet, translated by Lindsay Turnersource (opens in a new tab)

Longlist

Fiction

  1. A Dream Come True by Juan Carlos Onetti, translated by Katherine Silversource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Girl Returned by Donatella Di Pietrantonio, translated by Ann Goldsteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. China Dream by Ma Jian, translated by Flora Drewsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Death Is Hard Work by Khaled Khalifa, translated by Leri Pricesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Labyrinth by Burhan Sönmez, translated by Umit Husseinsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Parade by Hiromi Kawakami, translated by Allison Markin Powellsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Space Invaders by Nona Fernández, translated by Natasha Wimmersource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Tentacle by Rita Indiana, translated by Achy Obejassource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Book of Collateral Damage by Sinan Antoon, translated by Jonathan Wrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Boy by Marcus Malte, translated by Emma Ramadan and Tom Robergesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Cheffe: A Cook’s Novel by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stumpsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Wind that Lays Waste by Selva Almada, translated by Chris Andrewssource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Vernon Subutex 1 by Virginie Despentes, translated by Frank Wynnesource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Welcome to America by Linda Boström Knausgård, translated by Martin Aitkensource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Will and Testament by Vigdis Hjorth, translated by Charlotte Barslundsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. A Drink of Red Mirror by Kim Hyesoon, translated by Jiwon Shin and Lauren Albin and Sue Hyon Baesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Book of Minutes by Gemma Gorga, translated by Sharon Dolinsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Tell Me, Kenyalang by Kulleh Grasi, translated by Pauline Fansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Catalan Poems by Pere Gimferrer, translated by Adrian Nathan Westsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Winter Garden Photograph by Reina María Rodríguez, translated by Kristin Dykstra and Nancy Gates Madsensource (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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