Romanian literature is very rich, and rich also in translation: this bibliography is only partial, but I hope it gives some idea of, and access to, these rich and fluid trends in contemporary poetry and prose. It’s a bibliography of twentieth- and twenty-first-century poetry and prose in English translation (so it doesn’t include, for example, Mihai Eminescu) and of translations published in book form since 2010 – so some major writers who have no current translations, e.g. the wonderful poet Tudor Arghezi, are not here either.
It’s partial in another sense, because for reasons of space I’ve trimmed it down, especially the poetry section. Additionally, Romanian literature, which from the outside can seem monoglot and solid, in fact has wonderful linguistic, thematic and cultural diversity. Within the boundaries of Romania – fluid and varying bound- aries historically, often painfully so – poetry and prose have been, and are, written in Romanian, but also significantly in German, Hungarian and in Roma languages, while several major Yiddish and Hebrew poets were also born in greater Romania. For this specific Riveter bibliography I’ve made certain choices, including, for instance, English translations of German- language writers from the Banat and Timişoara, Herta Müller among them, and also from Bukovina, the early Romanian-language poetry of Paul Celan, but also many translations from the German of Celan’s later poetry written in Paris.
Mention of Paris is apposite: many Romanian poets have lived there. Some, like Arghezi, who stayed only a year or so, or like Magda Cârneci, who lived there much longer, continued writing in Romanian; while others, great writers among them – Benjamin Fondane, Tristan Tzara and more – wrote mostly in French, so I have included translations of the French work of these latter. Major playwrights such as Eugène Ionesco and more recently Matéi Vişniec also lived in France and wrote in French, as did influential philosophers such as Emil Cioran.
I have of course included Romanian writers who write in Hungarian, but mostly only contemporary ones; the great classic Hungarian poets and novelists born in what is now Romania I’ve largely not included, for reasons of space inter alia.
While listing translations from all these languages and trying to demonstrate the range of literatures within Romania, the main thrust of this brief bibliography is to give some indication of the breadth of modern Romanian-language poetry and prose fiction that has been made available in English translation in the decade since 2010.
By Stephen Watts
ROMANIAN LANGUAGE POETRY
BATIŞTE, Sânziana (b.1943) ZODIA LUPILOR / THE STAR SIGN OF THE WOLVES tr. Diana- Viorela Burlacu. Romanian & English texts. eLiteratura (Cluj/ Bucharest) 158pp 2018 paper only. An earlier edition was published in Cluj in 2013.
BLAGA, Lucian (1895–1961) POEMS OF LIGHT tr. Gabi Reigh. English text only. Publisher NotNamed/Translator(UK) 39pp 2018 paper only. Self-published. IN PRAISE OF SLEEP Selected Poems tr. with intro. Andrei Codrescu. English text only. Black Widow Press (Boston MA) 220pp 2019 paper only. New & revised from 1989.
BLANDIANA, Ana (b.1942) MY NATIVE LAND A4 tr. with intro. Paul Scott Derrick & Viorica Patea aft. essay poet. English text only. Bloodaxe Books (Hexham UK) 111pp (intro. 9–24, essay & note 99–111) 2014 paper only. THE SUN OF HERE AFTER / EBB OF THE SENSES tr. with intro. Paul Scott Derrick & Viorica Patea. English text only. Bloodaxe Books (Hexham UK) 134pp (intro. 9–19) 2017 paper only. SHIP OF POETS. Romanian, Chinese & English texts. Chinese University of Hong Kong Press (Hong Kong) 90pp 2019 paper only. Published trilingually for the 2019 International Nights in Hong Kong ‘Speech & Silence’ Festival.
BOBE, T. O. (b.1969) CURL tr. Sean Cotter. English text only. Wakefield Press (Cambridge MA) 72pp 2019 paper only. Poetry & prose & zones between.
CÂRNECI, Magda (b.1955) O TĂCERE ASURZITOARE / A DEAFENING SILENCE tr. Adam J. Sorkin with Mădălina Bănucu & the poet. Romanian & English texts. Shearsman Books (Bristol UK) 94pp (note p. 94) 2017 paper only.
CELAN, Paul (1920–1970) ROMANIAN POEMS tr. with essays Nina Cassian. Romanian & English texts. Sheep Meadow Press (Rhinebeck NY) 85pp (intro. 1p, essays 23–66) 2015 paper only. With 2 essays by the translator on Celan and on Romanian poetry. Bilingual texts not given en face.
COSMA, Flavia (b.1938) ON PATHS KNOWN TO NO ONE tr. the poet. English text only. Cervena Barva Press (Somerville MA) 128pp 2012 paper only. Poet also writes in English. THE LATIN QUARTER tr. not named (poet) intro. Alan Britt. English text only. Mad Hat Press (Asheville NC) 78pp (intro.vii-x, biblio. etc. 71–78) 2015 paper only. Translation probably a reworking by the poet of the Romanian original.
DEACONESCU, Ion (b.1947) SAND TAPESTRIES tr. Oliver Friggieri & Diana Maria Nicolăescu. English text only. Honeycomb Press (Dublin, Glasgow, NY) 93pp 2017 paper only. SHADES AND COLORS tr. Oliver Friggieri & Manolis Aligizakis. English text only. Libros Libertad/Ekstasis Editions (Victoria BC) 94pp 2017 paper only. THE LAST WING / Ultima Aripă ed. Bill Wolack tr. Veronica Lungu. Romanian & English texts. Cross-Cultural Communications (Merrick NY) 135pp 2019 paper & cloth.
DINESCU, Mircea (b.1950) THE BARBARIANS’ RETURN Selected Poems tr. Adam J. Sorkin & Lidia Vianu pref. poet. English text only. Bloodaxe Books (Hexham UK) 112pp (pref. 9–10, note p. 112) 2018 paper only.
DRAGHINCESCU, Rodica (b.1962) A SHARP DOUBLE-EDGED LUXURY OBJECT tr. Adam J. Sorkin with Antuza Genescu. English text only. Červená Barva Press (Somerville MA) 41pp 2014 paper only.
FIRAN, Carmen (b.1958) ROCK AND DEW Selected Poems tr. Adam J. Sorkin & poet (mostly), Andrei Codrescu, Julian Semilian, Isaiah Sheffer. English text only. Sheep Meadow Press (Riverdale-on-Hudson NY) 74pp (notes p. 74) 2010 paper only. Collects translations from earlier small-press editions.
FLORA, Ioan (1950–2005) MEDEA AND HER WAR MACHINES tr. with fore. Adam J. Sorkin & Alina Cârâc. English text only. UNOPress/University of New OrleansPress (NewOrleans LA) 102pp (fore.9–17, notes 99– 102) 2011 paper only. Engaged Writers Series. With a cover photo by the translator.
GĂLĂŢANU, Mihail (b.1963) THE STARRY WOMB tr. Adam J. Sorkin, Petru Iamandi & the poet. English text only. Diálogos Books (New Orleans LA) 104pp (note 100–104) 2014 paper only.
HINOVEANU, Liliana (b.1956) GARA NOIEMBRIE / NOVEMBER STATION tr. Alin Ioan Ciolac pref. Daniela Micu. Romanian & English texts. Editura Aius (Craiova) 95pp (pref. 5–7) 2014 paper only (wrs.). Preface given in Romanian only.
IERONIM, Ioana (b.1947) CIFRE ÎN DELIR / HOUSE OF THE PEOPLE Casa Poporului / When Big Is Not Beautiful tr. Adam J. Sorkin (poetry) & Ernest H. Latham Jr. (prose) with poet pref. Silvia Colfescu. Romanian & English texts. Editura Vremea (Bucharest) 70pp (pref. p.7) & 70pp (pref. p.7) 2016 paper only. Poetry by Ioana Ieronim collaged with prose by many writers/commentators. Bilingual texts on subject of Ceauşescu’s palace architecture presented tête-bêche.
ILICA, Carolina (b.1951) VIOLET tr. Olimpia Iacob & Jim Kacian & Lidia Vianu. English text only. Proverse Hong Kong (Hong Kong) 107pp (note etc. 105– 107) 2019 paper only.
IONESCU-QUINTUS, Mircea (1917–2017) THE DEVIL’S GRINDER / MOARA DRACILOR tr. with intro. Paula & Cyrus Console-Şoican pref. poet. Romanian & English texts. Parmenides Publishing (Las Vegas, Zurich, Athens) 164pp (bil. intros. ix-xli, bil. letters, illustrations & biography 109–164) 2013 paper only.
ISANOS, Magda (1916–1944) WHEN ANGELS SING Poetry and Prose of Magda Isanos intro. A. K. Brackob aft. Elisabeta Isanos. English text only. Center for Romanian Studies (..) [152pp] 2019 paper & cloth. With illustrations by Alexandra Chirita.
IUGA, Nora (b.1931) THE HUNCHBACKS’ BUS / Autobuzul Co Cocuşaţi tr. with intro. Adam J. Sorkin & Diana Manole. Romanian & English texts. Bitter Oleander Press (Fayetteville NY) 120pp 2016 paper only. IVANCU, Emilia (b.1979) WASHING MY HAIR WITH NETTLES tr. with aft. Diarmuid Johnson. English text only. Parthian Books (Cardigan UK) 63pp (aft. & note 55–63) 2015 paper only.
LEONTE, Carmelia (b.1964) THE HISS OF THE VIPER tr. Mihaela Moscaliuc. English text only. Carnegie Mellon University Press (US) 72pp 2014 paper only. Carnegie Mellon Poetry in Translation Series.
MĂLĂNCIOIU, Ileana (b.1940) LEGEND OF THE WALLED-UP WIFE tr. with pref. Eiléan NíChuilleanáin. English text only. Gallery Press (Oldcastle, Co.
Meath) 74pp (pref. 9–11, notes [….]) 2011 paper & cloth. Translator also given as author on title page.
MANOLE, Diana B & W tr. Adam J. Sorkin & poet. Romanian & English texts.
Editura Tracus Arte (Bucharest) 182pp 2015 paper only.
MARGENTO (b.1970) (Chris Tănăsescu) NOMADOSOFIA / NOMADOSOPHY Poem Graf / A Graph Poem tr. poet & others. Romanian & English texts. Casa de Editură Max Blecher (Bistriţa) 366pp (bil. notes 342–366) 2014 paper only.
MOISA, Gavril (b.1951) VANZATORUL DE VISE / THE DREAM SELLER tr. Mariana Zavati Gardner. Romanian & English texts. Editura Grinta (Cluj- Napoca, Romania) 110pp (bil. note 108–110) 2010 paper only.
MUREŞAN, Ion (b.1955) THE BOOK OF WINTER AND OTHER POEMS tr. with intro. Adam J. Sorkin & Lidia Vianu. English text only. University of Plymouth Press (Plymouth UK) 104pp (intro. 22–28, notes & publisher’s list 92–104) 2011 cloth only. With 16pp colour reproductions of work by Ciprian Paleologu. UPP Romanian 20/20 Series: 2011.
NAUM, Gellu (1915–2001) ATHANOR & Other Poems tr. with intro. Margento (Chris Tanasescu) & Martin Woodside. Romanian & English texts. Calypso Editions (LosAngeles)106pp(intro.ix–xvii, note p.106) 2013 paper only.
NICOLAU, Felix (b.1970) KAMCEATKA/TIME IS HONEY tr. Margento (Raluca & Chris Tanasescu) with poet. Romanian & English texts. Editura Vinea (Bucharest) 121pp (note 119-121) 2014 paper only. With 6 illustrations by Monica Hayes.
PALER, Octavian (1926–2007) DEFINITIONS tr. Ileana Ştefănescu & S. D. Curtis. English text only. Istros Books (Bristol UK) 46pp (note 1p) 2011 paper only (small format chapbook). Short prose poems, definitions, aphorisms.
PETEAN, Mircea (b.1952) LINIŞTE REDUSĂ LA TĂCERE / QUIETNESS SILENCED / CALME RÉDUIT AU SILENCE tr. Cristina Tătaru (Engl.) pref.
poet. Romanian, French & English texts. Editura Limes (Cluj-Napoca) 111pp (tril. pref. 5–19, tril. notes etc. 100–111) 2011 paper only. Trilingual haiku with Romanian text & French & English translations.
PETREU, Marta (b.1955) THE BOOK OF ANGER tr. Adam J. Sorkin, Christina Zarifopol-Illias & Liviu Bleoca. English text only. Diálogos Books (New Orleans LA) 117pp (note 114–117) 2014 paper only. With a back-cover photo of the poet.
POP, Ioan Es (b.1958) NO WAY OUT OF HADESBURG AND OTHER POEMS tr. with intro. Adam J. Sorkin & Lidia Vianu. English text only. University of Plymouth Press (Plymouth UK) 114pp (intro. 16–22, notes 112–114) 2010 cloth only. With 10 colour paintings by Nicolae Aurel Alwexi. University of Plymouth 20/20 Series: 2010.
PRODAN, Ofelia (b.1976) ULISE ŞI JOCUL DE ŞAH / ULYSSES AND THE GAME OF CHESS tr. Florin Bican fore. Alexandru Matei. Romanian & English texts. Editura Charmides (Bistriţa) 117pp (bil. fore. 6–15, bil. note 4pp) 2011 paper only.
ROTARU, Andra (b.1980) LEMUR tr. Florin Bican. English text only. Action Books (Notre Dame IN) 90pp 2018 paper only.
SAVIN, Viorel (b.1941) EXILAT IN STRIGT / EXILED IN A SCREAM (Third Letter to the Romanians) tr. Mariana Zavati Gardner & John Edward Gardner. Romanian & English texts. Editura Ateneul Scriitorilor (Bacu) 234pp 2014 paper only.
SOCIU, Dan (b.1978) MOUTHS DRY WITH HATRED tr. Adam J. Sorkin & poet with Mihaela Niţă. English text only. Longleaf Press (Fayetteville NC) 36pp 2012 paper only (chapbook).
SRAGHER, Peter (b.1960) ASCULTĂ LINIŞTEA VORBIND / HEAR SILENCE SPEAKING Romanian & English Poems tr. the poet. Romanian & English texts. Lapwing Publications (Belfast UK) 54pp (notes 53–54) 2012 paper only. Poet writes in English, German & Romanian. Texts here translated into English.
STĂNESCU, Nichita (1933–1983) WHEEL WITH A SINGLE SPOKE and Other Poems tr. with aft. Sean Cotter. English text only. Archipelago Books (NY) 315pp (aft. 307–315) 2012 paper only (wrs.).
STERIAN, Margareta (1897–1992) CULORILE CANTECULEI / Les Couleurs De La Chanson / Colours of the Song tr. with pref. poet. Romanian, French & English texts. Editura Muzeului de Artă (Timişoara) 108pp (tril. pref. p. 5) 2010 cloth only. Book of paintings with poems throughout by the artist. First published 1984 in Cluj.
ŢUŢUIANU, Floarea (b.1955) SYLLABLES OF FLESH tr. with fore. Adam J. Sorkin & Irma Giannetti. English text mostly (& some Romanian). Plamen Press (Washington DC) 71pp (fore vii–ix, note 69–71) 2017 paper only. With 6 poems also in Romanian & with 6 colour photo-collages by the poet.
URSU, Liliana (b.1949) A PATH TO THE SEA tr. poet, Adam J. Sorkin & Tess Gallagher. English text only. Pleasure Boat Studio (NY) 130pp (prefs. 13–15, notes 123–130) 2011 paper only. CLAY AND STAR Selected Poems tr. with pref. & note Mihaela Moscaliuc. English text only. Etruscan Press (Wilkes-Barre PA) 66pp (pref. 2pp, notes etc. 4pp) 2019 paper only. With 2 small back-cover photos of the poet & the translator.
VELEA, Dumitru (b.1948) XERXES AT THE HELLESPONT tr. with notes Mariana Zavati Gardner. English text only. Editura Contrafort (Craiova) 63pp (bil. notes 58–63) 2010 paper only.
VLAD, Alexandru (1950–2015) POEMELE/THE POEMS tr. with pref. Virgil Stanciu fore. Ion Mureşan aft. Al. Cistelecan. Romanian & English texts. Editura Şcoala Ardeleanā (Cluj-Napoca) 91pp (bil. prefs. 6–21, bil. aft. 78–91) 2015 paper only (wrs.). With drawings & designs by Alexandru Pasat.
VULTURESCU, George (b.1951) ALTE POEME DIN NORD / OTHER POEMS FROM THE NORTH tr. with intro. Adam J. Sorkin with Olimpia Iacob. Romanian & English texts. Editura Fundatiei Culturale Poezia (Iaşi, Romania) 128pp (Romanian text pp. 1–63, English text pp. 65–128) 2011 paper only. Bilingual texts not presented en face.
ANTHOLOGIES
THE VANISHING POINT THAT WHISTLES An Anthology of Contemporary Romanian Poetry ed. with intro. Paul Doru Mugur with Adam J. Sorkin & Claudia Serea tr. Adam J. Sorkin (mostly) with Claudia Serea (esp.) & others. English text only. Talisman House (Jersey City NJ) 366pp (intro. 2–7, notes 353–366) 2011 paper only. With work by 40 younger contemporary poets & 19 translators.
ROMANIAN WRITERS ON WRITING ed. with pref. & intro. Norman Manea (with Sanda Cordos) tr. Raluca Manea & Carla Baricz (mostly) & others. English text only. Trinity University Press (San Antonio TX) 321pp (pref. xi–xii, intro. 1–6, index etc. 297–321) 2011 paper only. With work by 80 writers, mostly prose but with translations of [20] poets. The Writers World Series (Series Ed.: Edward Hirsch).
OF GENTLE WOLVES: An Anthology of Romanian Poetry ed. & tr. Martin Woodside. Romanian & English texts. Calypso Editions (Los Angeles CA) 66pp (pref. vi–vii, note p. 66) 2011 paper only. With work by 14 poets from C20th & C21st, some rarely translated before.
TESTAMENT Anthology of Modern Romanian Verse / Antologie De Poezie Română Modernă ed. & tr. with notes Daniel Ioniţă (with Eva Foster & Daniel Reynaud) intro. Alex Ştefănescu. Romanian & English texts. Editura Minerva (Bucharest) 255pp (intro. & notes 8–33) 2012 paper only. With work by 55 mostly C20th poets.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANIAN POETS tr. Florin Bican (mostly), Adam J. Sorkin & others fore. Graham Henderson pref. Dorian Branea. Romanian & English texts. Romanian Cultural Institute Publishing House (Bucharest & London) 71pp (prefs. 5–15) 2012 paper only. With work by 6 contemporary poets, each with photo & brief note: Andrei Bodiu, Denisa Comănescu, Vasile Gârneţ, Bogdan Ghiu, Claudiu Komartin, Miruna Vlada. Published with ‘Poet in the City’(London).
MOODS & WOMEN & MEN & ONCE AGAIN MOODS An Anthology of Contemporary Romanian Erotic Poetry sel. Ruxandra Cesareanu tr. Margento, Martin Woodside, Adam J. Sorkin, Florin Bican & others intro. Margento. English text only. Editura Tracus Arte (Bucharest) / Calypso Editons (Los Angeles CA) 209pp (intro. 9–33, notes 201–209) 2015 paper only. With work by 48 contemporary poets.
TESTAMENT Antologie De Poezie Română Modernă / An Anthology of Modern Romanian Verse ed. & tr. with pref. & notes Daniel Ioniţă (with Eva Foster, Daniel Reynaud & Rochelle Bews) intro. Alex Ştefănescu. Romanian & English texts. Editura Minerva (Bucharest) 415pp (bil. prefs. 8–53, notes & index 394–415) 2015 paper only (wrs.). Revised & enlarged 2nd edition of 2012 above. With work by 98 mostly C20th poets each with a small photo or portrait.
POEZIE ŞI ŞTIINŢĂ/POETRY AND SCIENCE An Anthology of Contemporary Authors from Romania ed. with intros. Grete Tartler & Peter Forbes tr. eds. & others essay Solomon Marcus. Romanian & English texts. Editura Vremea (Bucharest) 255pp (bil. intros. 11-–52, notes 235–255) 2016 paper only. With work by 34 poets & 32 translators.
ROMANIAN LANGUAGE PROSE
ADAMEŞTEANU, Gabriela (b.1942) WASTED MORNING tr. Patrick Camiller. Northwestern University Press (Evanston IL) 388pp 2011 cloth only. Tr. of ‘Dimineaţa pierdută’ 1984 etc.; novel. THE ENCOUNTER tr. Alistair Ian Blyth. Dalkey Archive Press (Victoria TX) 248pp 2016 paper only. Tr. of ‘Intalnirea’ 2013 etc.; novel. Romanian Literature Series.
BLECHER, Max (1909–1938) ADVENTURES IN IMMEDIATE IRREALITY tr. Michael Henry Heim pref. Andrei Codrescu intro. Herta Müller. New Directions Publishing Co. (NY) 116pp (intros. ix–xxviii) 2015 paper only. Tr. of ‘Întîmplǎri în irealitatea imediatǎ’ 1936; autobiographical prose. New Directions Paperback 1300.
CĂLINESCU, Matei (1934–2009) THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF ZACHARIAS LICHTER tr. Adriana Calinescu & Breon Mitchell intro. Norman Manea. NYRB/New York Review Books (NY) 145pp (intro. vii–xiv) 2018 paper only. Tr. of ‘Viaţa şi opinele lui Zacharias Lichter’ 1969; prose text. NYRB Classics Original Series.
CĂRTĂRESCU, Mircea (b.1956) WHY WE LOVE WOMEN tr. with intro. Alistair Ian Blyth. University of Plymouth Press (Plymouth UK) 136pp (intro. 20–23, note etc. 126–136) 2011 cloth only. Tr. of ‘De ce iubim femeile’ 2004 etc.; collection of 21 short stories. With 16pp colour reproductions of paintings by Suzana Dan. University of Plymouth: 20 Romanian Writers Series. BLINDING tr. Sean Cotter. Archipelago Books (NY) 464pp 2013 paper only. Tr. of ‘Orbitor’ 1996, 2008 etc.; novel.
CESEREANU, Ruxandra (b.1963) ANGELUS tr. Alistair Ian Blyth aft. Marius Conkan. Diálogos Books / Lavender Ink (New Orleans) 236pp (aft. 234–236) 2015 paper only. Tr. of ‘Angelus’ 2010 etc.; novel.
ELIADE, Mircea (1907–1986) DIARY OF A SHORT-SIGHTED ADOLESCENT tr. Christopher Bartholomew (rev. Christopher Moncrieff). Istros Books (London) 191pp (notes 3pp) 2016 paper only. Tr. of ‘Romanul adolescentului miop’ 1986 etc.; novel. Written in mid-1920s. GAUDEAMUS tr. Christopher Bartholomew intro. Bryan Rennie aft. Sorin Alexandrescu. Istros Books (London) 231pp (intro. 7–13, aft. 215–231) 2018 paper only. Tr. of ‘Gaudeamus’ 1989 etc.; novel.Written in late 1920s but not published until 1980s.
FIRAN, Carmen (b.1958) INFERNO tr. Dorin Motz & Julian Semilian. Spuyten Duyvil Books (NY) 64pp 2011 paper only. Tr. of ‘Infernul’; novella. Spuyten Duyvil Novella Series.
FLORIAN, Filip (b.1968) THE DAYS OF THE KING tr. Alistair Ian Blyth. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Boston & NY) 207pp (notes 197–207) 2011 cloth only. Tr. of ‘Zilele regelui’ 2008 etc.; novel. THE BAIUT ALLEY LADS tr. with intro. Alistair Ian Blyth. University of Plymouth Press (Plymouth UK) 176pp (intro. 20–22, notes etc. 173–176) 2010 cloth only. Tr. of ‘Baiuteii’ 2006 etc.; novel. Co-written with his brother Matei Florian (b.1979). With 14pp colour reproductions of paintings by Ioan Atanasiu Delamare. University of Plymouth Press ‘20 RomanianWriters’ Series.
FLORIAN, Matei (b.1979) See above (title co-written with his brother Filip Florian).
LUNGU, Dan (b.1969) I’M AN OLD COMMIE! tr. Alistair Ian Blyth. Dalkey Archive Press (Victoria TX) 174pp 2017 paper only. Tr. of ‘Sînt o babă comunistă’ 2011 etc.; novel. Dalkey’s Romanian Literature Series.
MANEA, Norman (b.1936) COMPULSORY HAPPINESS tr. Linda Coverdale. Yale University Press (NewHaven CT & London) 259pp 2012 paper only. Tr. of 4 novellas fromFrench edition. Margellos World Republic of Letters Book. THE BLACK ENVELOPE tr. Patrick Camiller. Yale University Press (New Haven CT & London) 321pp 2012 paper only (wrs.). Tr. of ‘Plicul Negru’ 1986 etc.; novel. This translation first published Farrar, Straus, Giroux (NY) & Faber (London) in 1996. A Margellos World Republic of Letters Book. THE LAIR tr. Oana Sânziana Marian. Yale University Press (New Haven CT & London) 323pp 2012 cloth only. Tr. of ‘Vizuina’ 2009 etc.; novel. A Margellos World Republic of Letters Book. THE HOOLIGAN’S RETURN A Memoir tr. Angela Jianu. Yale University Press New Haven CT & London) 385pp 2013 paper only. Tr. of ‘Intoarcerea huliganului’; memoir. A Margellos World Republic of Letters Book.
PÂRVULESCU, Ioana (b.1960) LIFE BEGINS ON FRIDAY tr. Alistair Ian Blyth aft. Mircea Cărtărescu. Istros Books (London) 267pp (apps. & aft. 257–267) 2016 paper only. Tr. of ‘Viaţa începe vineri’ 2009 etc.; novel.
PETRESCU, Răzvan (b.1956) SMALL CHANGES IN ATTITUDE tr. with intro. James Christian Brown. University of Plymouth Press (Plymouth UK) 240pp (intro. 20–23, note etc. 232–240) 2011 cloth only. Tr. of 17 stories from various collections. With 16pp colour reproductions of artwork by Daniel Bălănescu. University of Plymouth: 20 Romanian Writers Series.
REBREANU, Liviu (1885–1944) FOREST OF THE HANGED tr. not named. Casemate Publishing (Oxford UK & Havertown PA) 336pp 2017 paper only. Tr. of ‘Pădurea spanzuratilor’ 1922 etc.; war novel. New edition of translation first published in 1967. Casemate Classic War Fiction Series.
SEBASTIAN, Mihail (1907–1945) THE ACCIDENT tr. with aft. Stephen Henighan. Biblioasis ([Canada]) 257pp (aft. 244–257) 2011 paper only (wrs.). Tr. of ‘Accidentul’ 1940 etc.; novel. Biblioasis International Translation Series: 6. FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS tr. Philip Ó Ceallaigh. Penguin Books (London) 231pp 2016 paper only. Tr. of ‘De două mii de ani’ 1934 etc.; novel. Penguin Modern Classics Series. FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS tr. Philip Ó Ceallaigh fore. Mark Mazower. Other Press (NY) 229pp (fore. v–x, note 1p) 2017 paper only (wrs.). Tr. of ‘De două mii de ani’ 1934 etc.; novel. US edition of 2016 above. THE TOWN WITH ACACIA TREES tr. Gabi Reigh. Aurora Metro Books (London) 224pp 2019 paper only. Tr. of ‘Oraşul cu salcâmi’ 1935 etc.; novel. WOMEN tr. Gabi Reigh. Aurora Metro Books (London) 168pp 2020 paper only. Tr. of ‘Femei’ 1933 etc.; novel. Another edition & translation is due late 2020 from Viking Penguin with an introduction by John Banville.
ŞTEFĂNESCU, Cecilia (b.1975) SUN ALLEY tr. Alexandra Coliban & AndreeaHöfer. Istros Books (London) 260pp 2013 paper only. Tr. of ‘Intrarea soarelui’ 2008 etc.; novel.
SUCEAVĂ, Bogdan (b.1969) COMING FROM AN OFF-KEY TIME tr. Alistair Ian Blyth. Northwestern University Press (Evanston IL) 212pp (notes 201–212) 2011 paper only. Tr. of ‘Venea din timpul diez’ 2004 etc.; novel. Writings from an Unbound Europe Series. MIRUNA, A TALE tr. Alistair Ian Blyth aft. author. Twisted Spoon Press (Prague) 141pp (aft. & notes 129–141) 2014 paper only (wrs.). Tr. of ‘Miruna, o poveste’ 2007 etc.; novel. With a frontispiece photo from the author’s archives.
TEODOROVICI, Lucian Dan (b.1975) MATEI BRUNUL tr. Alistair Ian Blyth pref. David Lodge note author. Dalkey Archive Press (Victoria TX) 394pp (pref. vii, note 3pp) 2018 paper only. Tr. of ‘Matei Brunul’ 2011 etc.; novel. Dalkey Archive ‘Romanian Literature Series’.
TSEPENEAG, Dumitru (b.1937) HOTEL EUROPA tr. Patrick Camiller. Dalkey Archive Press (Champaign IL & London) 476pp (note 1p) 2010 paper only. Tr. of ‘Hotel Europa’ 1996 etc.; novel. Dalkey Archive Romanian Literature Series. WAITING Stories tr. Patrick Camiller. Dalkey Archive Press (Champaign IL, Dublin, London) 135pp 2013 paper only. Tr. of ‘Aşteptare’ 1971 etc.; collection of 18 stories. Romanian Literature Series. THE BULGARIAN TRUCK A Building Site Beneath the Open Sky tr. Alistair Ian Blyth. Dalkey Archive Books (Champaign IL, London & Dublin) 224pp 2016 paper only. Tr. of ‘Camionul bulgar’ 2010 etc.; novel. Romanian Literature Series. LA BELLE ROUMAINE tr. Alistair Ian Blyth. Dalkey Archive Press (Victoria TX, McLean IL & Dublin) 188pp (note 1p) 2017 paper only. Tr. of ‘La Belle Roumaine’ 2004 etc.; novel. Dalkey Archive ‘Romanian Literature Series’.
VIȘNIEC, Matéi (b.1956) MR K RELEASED tr. Jozefina Komporaly. Seagull Books (Chicago, London, Calcutta) 280pp 2020 cloth only. Tr. of ‘Domnul K. eliberat’ 2010 etc.; novel.
VOSGANIAN, Varujan (b.1958) THE BOOK OF WHISPERS tr. with intro. & note Alistair Ian Blyth. Yale University Press (New Haven CT & London) 346pp (intro. vii–xi, note etc. 343–346) 2017 cloth only. Tr. of ‘Cartea şoaptelor’ 2009 etc.; novel. A Margellos World Republic of Letters Book.
GERMAN LANGUAGE POETRY
AUSLÄNDER, Rose (1901–1988) WHILE I AM DRAWING BREATH tr. with prefs. Anthony Vivis & Jean Boase-Beier. German & English texts. Arc Publications (Todmorden UK) 123pp (prefs. 11–18, note 122–123) 2014 paper & cloth. Arc Classics Series (Series Editor: Jean Boase-Beier). Bilingual edition of & slightly revised from 1995 above.
CELAN, Paul (1920–1970) FROM THRESHOLD TO THRESHOLD tr. with intro. David Young. German & English texts. Marick Press (Grosse Pointe Farms MN) 109pp (intro. vii–xxii) 2010 paper only. With a cover image by Gisèle Celan-Lestrange. LANGUAGE BEHIND BARS tr. with intro. David Young. German & English texts. Marick Press (Grosse Pointe Farms MN) 103pp (intro. v–xiii) 2012 paper only. Cover image by Gisèle Celan-Lestrange. CORONA Selected Poems of Paul Celan tr. with intros. & notes Susan H. Gillespie. German & English texts. Station Hill Press (Barrytown NY) 254pp (intros. vii–xxiv, notes & index etc. 233–254) 2013 paper only. PAUL CELAN: 70 POEMS tr. Michael Hamburger note Michael Braziller. English text only. Persea Books (NY) 85pp (note p. v) 2013 paper only. New edition of works first published in 1987 & 2002. A Karen & Michael Braziller Book. NO ONE’S ROSE tr. with intro. David Young. German & English texts. Marick Press (Grosse Pointe Farms MN) 161pp (intro. 9–15) 2014 paper only. Cover image by Gisèle Celan-Lestrange. BREATH TURN INTO TIMESTEAD The Collected Later Poetry tr. with intro. & comm. Pierre Joris. German & English texts. Farrar Straus Giroux (NY) 654pp (intro. xxix-lxxix, comm. & biblio. etc. 459-654) 2015 paper & cloth. MEMORY ROSE INTO THRESHOLD SPEECH Collected Earlier Poetry tr. with intro. & comm. Pierre Joris. German & English texts. Farrar Straus Giroux (NY) 608pp 2020 (due November) cloth only.
MÜLLER, Herta (b.1953) FATHER’S ON THE PHONE WITH THE FLIES tr. Thomas Cooper. German & English texts. Seagull Books (Calcutta, London, NY) 163pp 2017 cloth only. German text collaged by poet from cut-outs of varied font sizes & colours & with English translation en face. Seagull German List.
SHMUELI, Ilana (1924–2011) TOWARD BABEL Poems and A Memoir tr. Sandra H. Gillespie. German & English texts. Sheep Meadow Press (Rhinebeck NY) 160pp 2013 paper only.
WICHNER, Ernest (b.1952) CHRYSANTHEMUMS tr. Leonard Schwartz & Rosmarie Waldrop. German, Chinese & English texts. Chinese University of Hong Kong Press (HK) 74pp 2019 paper only. Published with Chinese & English translations for the International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong 2019 Festival.
GERMAN LANGUAGE PROSE
MÜLLER, Herta (b.1953) THE APPOINTMENT tr. Michael Hulse & Philip Boehm. Portobello Books (London) 214pp 2010 paper only. Tr. of ‘Heute wär ich mir lieber nicht begegnet’ 1997 etc.; novel. TRAVELLING ON ONE LEG tr. Valentina Glajar & Andre LeFevere. Northwestern University Press (Evanston IL) 149pp 2010 paper only. THE HUNGER ANGEL tr. Philip Boehm. Portobello Books (London) 290pp 2012 paper & cloth (paper ed. 13). Tr. of ‘Atemschaukel’ 2009; novel. Also published by Metropolitan Books (NY). CRISTINA AND HER DOUBLE Selected Essays tr. Geoffrey Mulligan. Portobello Books (London) 197pp 2013 paper & cloth. Tr. of ‘Cristina und ihre Attrappe’ 2009 etc.; essays. THE PASSPORT tr. Martin Chalmers intro. Paul Bailey. Serpent’s Tail (London) 113pp 2015 paper only. Tr. of ‘Der Mensch ist ein grosser Fasan auf der Welt’ 1986 etc.; novel. Serpent’s Tail Classics (reissue of 1989 translation). THE FOX WAS EVER THE HUNTER tr. Philip Boehm. Portobello Books (London) 237pp 2016. Tr. of ‘Der Fuchs war damals schon der Jäger’ 1992 etc.; novel.
HUGARIAN LANGUAGE POETRY
BALÁZS, Attila F. (b.1954) MISSA BESTIALIS tr. Lucia Gorea. English text only. Libros Libertad (Victoria BC) 120pp 2015 paper only. BLUE / KÉK tr. Elizabeth Csicsery-Rónay. Hungarian & English texts. Libros Libertad (Victoria BC) 98pp 2016 paper only.
BÖSZÖRMÉNYI, Zoltán (b.1951) THE CONSCIENCE OF TREES Selected Poems tr. Paul Sohar. English text only. Ragged Sky Press (Princeton NJ) 125pp (pref. p. 1, note p. 125) 2018 paper only. Titles also given in Hungarian on contents page. With 4 b/w images by Bodond Részegh & a colour cover by the same artist.
FARKAS, Árpád (b.1944) TUNNELS IN THE SNOW tr. Paul Sohar. Iniquity Press / Vendetta Books (Island Heights NJ) / Concord Media Jelen (Arad) 97pp 2018 paper only.
KÁNYÁDI, Sándor (1929–2018) IN CONTEMPORARY TENSE tr. with intro. & note Paul Sohar fore. Helga Lénárt-Cheng note Alan Britt. English text only. Iniquity Press (Island Heights NJ) / Irodelmi Jelen Könyvek (Arad) 342pp (intros. 18–28, aft. etc. 331–342) 2013 cloth only. Each poem has title in Hungarian also.
SZŐCS, Géza (b.1953) LIBERTY, RATS AND SANDPAPER tr. Paul Sohar fore. Alan Britt. English text only. Iniquity Press (Island Height NJ) / Irodalmi Jelen Könyvek.
HUNGARIAN LANGUAGE PROSE
BALÁZS, Attila F. (b.1954) CASANOVA’S METAMORPHOSES tr. Adrian George Sahlean. Ekstasis Editions (Vancouver) 106pp 2012 paper only. Translated from the Romanian edition.
BÁNFFY, Miklós (1873–1950) THE PHOENIX LAND The Memoirs of Count Miklós Bánffy tr. Katalin Bánffy-Jelen & Patrick Thursfield fore. Patrick Leigh Fermor. Arcadia Books (London) 419pp 2011 paper only. Tr. of ‘Emlékeimböl’ & ‘Huszonöt Ev’ 1945 etc.; prose memoirs. THE TRANSYLVANIAN TRILOGY Volume I ‘They Were Counted’ tr. Patrick Thursfield & Katalin Bánffy-Jelen. Alfred A. Knopf / Everyman Editions (London) 624pp 2013 cloth only. Tr. of ‘Megszamlaltattal’19..; novel (1st of trilogy). THE TRANSYLVANIAN TRILOGY Volumes II & III ‘They Were Found Wanting’ & ‘They Were Divided’ tr. Patrick Thursfield & Katalin Bánffy-Jelen. Alfred A. Knopf / Everyman Editions (London) 624pp 2014 cloth only. Tr. of ‘Erdélyi Történet 2 & 3’; novels (2nd & 3rd of trilogy). Many other editions of THE TRANSYLVANIAN TRILOGY were published, by Arcadia in UK & Metropolitan Books in NY & other publishers in separate volumes before 2010 & have remained in print between 2010 & 2020. THE ENCHANTED NIGHT Selected Tales tr. Len Rix. Pushkin Press (London) 256pp 2020 (due October) paper only.
BÖSZÖRMÉNYI, Zoltán (b.1951) THE CLUB AT EDDY’S BAR with tr. Paul Sohar. Phaeton Press (Dublin) 440pp 2014 cloth only. THE REFUGEE tr. Paul Sohar. Iniquity Press / Vendetta Books (Island Heights NJ) 208pp 2019 paper only.
FRENCH LANGUAGE POETRY
FONDANE, Benjamin (1898–1944) CINEPOEMS AND OTHERS ed. with intro. Leonard Schwartz tr. ed., Mitchell Abidor, Nathaniel Rudavsky-Brody, Henry King, Andrew Rubens, Marilyn Hacker & others. French & English texts. New York Review Books / NYRB (NY) 220pp (intro. vii–xiii, aft. etc. 209–220) 2016 paper only. Includes an interview between editor & E. M. Cioran. NYRB Poets Series. ULYSSES Bilingual Edition tr. with intro. Nathaniel Rudavsky-Brody fore. David Rieff. French & English texts. Syracuse University Press (Syracuse NY) 149pp (intros. ix–xxxi, biblio. 147–149) 2017 paper & cloth. Judaic Traditions in Literature, Music & Art Series.
LUCA, Gherasim (1913–1994) INVENTOR OF LOVE & OTHER WRITINGS tr. Julian & Laura Semilian intro. Andrei Codrescu essay Petre Răileanu. English text only. Black Widow Press (Boston MA) 143pp (intro. 9–14, essay 137–143) 2010 paper only. Black Widow Press Translation Series. Prose poems / surrealist texts. SELF-SHADOWING PREY tr. with intro. Mary Ann Caws. French & English texts. Contra Mundum Press (NY) 210pp (intro. o–x) 2012 paper only. Bilingual French & English texts not given en face, but as separate whole sequences.
RADULESCU, Stella Vinitchi b.1946) (Poet also writes in Romanian & English) A CRY IN THE SNOW and Other Poems tr. Luke Hankins. English text only. Seagull Books (Calcutta, London, Chicago) 120pp 2019 cloth only. Seagull French List.
TZARA, Tristan (1896–1963) NOONTIMES WON tr. with intro. & notes Heather Green. French & English texts. Octopus Books (Portland OR & Denver CO) 107pp (intros. 3–6, notes etc. 101–107) 2018 paper only. With a b/w photo of the poet from 1937.
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