NORLA
Norwegian Literature Abroad,
Fiction and Non-Fiction
P.O. Box 1414 Vika
NO-0115 Oslo
Tel: +47 23 08 41 00/02
Fax: +47 23 08 41 01
Visiting address:
Observatoriegaten 1B, 3rd fl.
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Henrik Hovland's picture book 'John Jensen Feels Different' (Johannes Jensen føler seg annerledes), illustrated by Academy Award-winning illustrator Torill Kove, has recently been published in the US. The book is translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett and published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, with a translation grant from NORLA. And the critics love the book!
The New York Times writes " .. an appealing blend of straightforward compassion and sly, deadpan humor that works marvelously well." Read more.
Petterson's novel 'It's Fine by Me' (Det er greit for meg) has received great reviews in The Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Scotsman. The novel is translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett, and published by Harvill Secker with a translation grant from NORLA.
Read more and order a free copy here
Anne Holt's '1222', the eight installment in the Hanne Wilhelmsen series, is on the shortlist for the 2012 Edgar Award for 'Best Novel'. The book is translated from the Norwegian by Marlaine Delargy, and published by Schribner and Simon & Schuster.
Anne Holt is one of five nominees in the category 'Best Novel' and the winner will be announced on April 26th, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. See all nominees here
NORLA is proud to contribute to the A&A Book Trust's ‘World Girl-Child Picture Books Project’ in India, by granting subsidies for the publication of two Norwegian picture books in both Hindi and English. The books are:
Gro Dahle: ‘Snill’, illustrated by Svein Nyhus and translated into both Hindi and English by Arundhati Deosthale with Mira B Laurantzon.
illustrated by Helena Ohlsson and translated into both Hindi and English by Arundhati Deosthale with Mira B Laurantzon.
Read more about the World Girl-Child Picture Books Project here
And more about A&A's important work by creating 'Reading Corners' for children all around India here
“There will be a before and an after MY STRUGGLE. Knausgård will have the same status as Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun.”
(Kristeligt Dagblad, Denmark)
The sixth and final volume of Karl Ove Knausgård’s MY STRUGGLE was hailed as a monumental end to a work of immense importance all over Scandinavia upon its Norwegian publication in November. The first printing disappeared from stock in three days and the book went straight to the top of the bestseller list.
Read more here
The film rights in Helene Uri’s 'Bitches' are sold to the film company 4 ½. The film company is looking very much forward to transfer the lively scenario of this novel into a movie.
Translation rights to the book are sold to Denmark and Sweden, and Norstedts would like to introduce Helene Uri at the Gothenburg Book Fair in 2012, when the focus is on the Nordic Literature.
Helene Uri’s writing is translated into many languages, and her previous novel 'The righteous' has received excellent reviews in Sweden and France.
The prestigious design award iF Design Award was awarded to the book 'Betongoverflater' (Concrete Surfaces), published in collaboration between Gyldendal Academic and byggutengrenser.no. It is both a guide and an inspirational book for architects and concrete workers, designed by Laboremus.
In relation to "The World Through Picture Books Project," which aims to create a list of picture books from around the world, librarians from all over Norway have voted for the ten best Norwegian picture books. NORLA has provided subsidies for the translation of several of these books into seven languages. See the ten titles below
Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold's prize-winning first novel 'The Faster I Walk the Smaller I Am' is recently published in the USA by Dalkey Archive Press with a translation grant from NORLA, and translated from the Norwegian by Kerri Pierce.
Translation rights to the book is so far sold to seven countries, and the US edtition now receives great reviews in several newspapers.
Read the review in The Harvard Crimson here
And the review in the Irish Times here
Nine Norwegian authors and illustrators have been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2012, the largest award for children’s and young adult literature in the world. We would like to congratulate Gro Dahle and Svein Nyhus (nominated as a team), Harald Rosenløw Eeg, Fam Ekman, Stian Hole, Ragnar Hovland, Gry Moursund, Bjørn Sortland and Øyvind Torseter on their nominations. The winner will be announced on March 20, 2012.
For a complete list of nominees, click here.
Fridtjof Nansen was born 150 years ago on October 10, 1861. Many special events will be arranged in Norway and abroad in celebration of the anniversary. NORLA contributes by granting subsidies for the translation of several of Nansen’s books that are being published in foreign languages this year:
Gaute Heivoll is awarded the Hunger Prize - Sultprisen - 2011. The Prize is granted by Gyldendal publishing house to a young, eminent author.
Heivoll's Brage Prize-awarded novel 'Before I Burn' (2010) received excellent reviews and foreign rights to the book are so far sold to 15 countries. Read more
German reviewers like Per Petterson's novel, 'It's Fine by Me' recently published by Hanser Verlag, translated into German by Ina Kronenberger. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung's critic thank Petterson and his translator for giving the readers 'reads that outlast the season', including books like 'Out Stealing Horses' and 'In the Wake'.
See the reviews (in German) in Welt, Kurier, Deutschland Radio and Frankfurter Allgemeine.
More on Per Petterson here
Bjørn Ousland's picture book 'Prince Doggy' was launched last year in Hindi (translated by Arundhati Deosthale and Inger Randi Rognøy) as one of several Norwegian childrens books published by A & A Publishing with translation subsidy from NORLA.
Paula Stevens is awarded the Dutch translation prize The Amy van Marken-Prize for her complete work as a translator of Norwegian literature from Norwegian into Dutch.
The prize is awarded every two years to a translator of Scandinavian languages, for an outstanding translation of a single work or, as this year, for a translator's oevre of exceptionally high quality. See the amazing picture that proves the extent of Paula Stevens' oevre of translation.
(Photo: Pepijn van den Broek)
Loe's 'Muleum' was one of six novels shortlisted for the Grote Jongerenliteratuur Prijs. The 2010 edition of this prize is the first ever, and it is the only Jury Prize in the Netherlands that laurels fiction in the 15+ category. Two prizes of € 5000 are awarded: one for the best work of fiction in Dutch, and one for best translated work of fiction. In the latter category, Erlend Loe shares his prize with the translator Femmigje Andersen Sijtsma. A jury, consisting mainly of professional readers, selected Erlend Loe’s novel out of nearly 80 exhibits.
The two celebrated crime authors participated in a literary discussion at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on 26 November, marking the 25th anniversary of Edinburgh’s Norwegian Christmas tree.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Oslo and the Norwegian Embassy in Kiev have invited a group of Ukrainian publishers and translator to Oslo. The purpose of the visit is to enhance the contact between Norwegian and Ukrainian publishing houses to increase the translation of literature both ways. NORLA covers the travel expenses of the Ukrainian guests. The program runs from 1-2 November at the House of Literature in Oslo. See the full programme here. For further information please contact the Ukrainian Embassy.
Stian Hole's book 'Garmann's Summer' is awarded the German Youth Literature Award 2010 (Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis) for best picture book. The book is translated into German by Ina Kronenberger. 'Garmann's Summer' is so far (being) translated into ten languages and the book has received several major awards both in Norway and abroad. Read more here about the award here and about the book here.
Jon Ewo's novels for young adults are heading the list of the most-lent library books at the St. Petersburg Library. The novel 'XXL' has recently been published in Germany and receives great reviews, one of which describes the book as "A mixture of 'The Catcher in the Rye' and 'Stand by Me', only funnier." Read reviews (in German) here and here, and contact his Norwegian publisher for further information here.
The Arts Council's Prize 2010 is awarded author, translator and playwright Tor Åge Bringsværd. The annual award is given for outstanding achievement in the arts to a prominent Norwegian cultural figure.
The three poets Tone Hødnebø, Marte Huke and Hanne Aga are part of the "Poems on the Underground" in Warsaw, due to translation subsidies from NORLA. More information in English on the poets and translators is found on the project's website, where the poems can be read in both Norwegian and Polish.
Anne Oterholm is awarded the Aschehoug Prize 2010 for her collected works. The Aschehoug Prize consists of NOK 100 000 and the sculpture 'Eternal Life' by renowned Norwegian sculptor Ørnulf Bast. Read more on Anne Oterholm here.
Ingrid Storholmen is awarded the Hunger Prize 2010. The Prize is granted by Gyldendal publishing house to a young, eminent author.
Storholmen's latest book Chernobyl Stories (2009) has received excellent reviews and was nominated for the Brage Award, the Norwegian Critics' Prize and the Youth Critics' Prize. More information on the author here.
Per Petterson's latest novel I Curse the River of Time receives rave reviews both in the U.S. and the UK. Major newspapers like The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, The New York Times and The Washington Post all have starred reviews of the novel.
The International Ibsen Award 2010 is given to the Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse. The award will be presented on 10 September during the Ibsen Festival at the National Theatre in Oslo. Read the jury's statement here
Mary Parr's critically acclaimed first novel "Waffle Heart" is awarded the Prix Sorcières for best children's novel 2010. The book is translated into French by Jean-Baptiste Coursaud, and foreign rights are so far sold to 7 countries. More information about the Prize here.
Jo Nesbø, one of Europe’s leading crime writers, has just published 'The Snowman' to brilliant reviews in the UK press. This is Nesbø’s fifth internationally acclaimed novel featuring Inspector Harry Hole to be translated into English by Don Bartlett. Read more here
Tomas Espedal is awarded The Gyldendal Prize 2009 for his collected works, and in particular his latest novel 'Against Art'.
The book has been awarded the Norwegian Critic's Prize and is nominated for the Nordic Council's Literature Prize. More about the book here
Tom Egeland has been awarded the Golden revolver, the Norwegian prize for best literary detective work in 2009 for his book 'Gospel of Lucifer'. Read more here
Per Petterson's novel 'Out Stealing Horses' is awarded the Rashid Bin Hameed Cultural Award for best translated novel 2009 in the Arab emirate of Ajman. The book is translated by Sukaina Ibrahim and published by Dar Al-Muna, in collaboration with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation.
Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold and Eivind Hofstad Evjemo are awarded the Tarjei Vesaas' First Writer's Award 2009. Skomsvold receives the award for her novel 'The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Am' (Oktober), while Evjemo receives the award for his novel 'Wake Me if I Fall Asleep' (Cappelen Damm). Read more about Skomsvold's book here, and Evjemo's book here.
The American-Scandinavian Foundation has awarded the 30th annual ASF Translation Prize to Tara F. Chace from Seattle for her translation of a collection of short stories by Norwegian author Nicolai Houm, All Children are Made of Fire (Alle barn er laget av ild). More about the prize here.
The International Ibsen Scholarships were initiated by the Norwegian government and will be handed out for the third time in 2010. Scholarship funds amount to NOK 1.000.000,- (approx. Euro 125.000,-/US Dollars 150.000,-) will be awarded to Ibsen-related projects world wide. The application deadline is April 15th 2010, see more info and application form here
The first three volumes of Karl Ove Knausgård's six-novel project My Struggle have been chosen as Book of the Year by the readers of the renowned Norwegian magazine Morgenbladet. This is the second prize for this ambitious project.
Anne B. Ragde’s acclaimed novel Berlin Poplars was published in France last autumn and has received excellent reviews by French critics.
Translation is all around us; it’s something we just don’t usually think about. For three whole days focus will be placed firmly on translation in all its forms. Norway’s House of Literature will be filled from cellar to garret with translation, translators and translations.
Gunnar Staalesen's fourth crime novel has recently been published in the UK, and British critics and readers like what they find in The Consorts of Death.
Per Petterson's critically acclaimed and prize winning novel Out Stealing Horses is ranked as no. 68 of the 100 best books the last decade by the prestigous British newspaper The Times, and is called "a superb Scandinavian noir". The book is so far sold to 45 languages.
Petterson receives the prize for the novel I Curse the River of Time.
Stian Hole picture book Garmann's Street is awarded the 2009 childrens' literature prize by the Nordic Association of School Librarians. The book is so far sold to six countries.
Maria Parr's début novel, Waffle Hearts (Vaffelhjarte, 2005) is nominated for the French Prix Tam Tam. The book is sold to six countries so far and the French translation is by Jean Baptiste Coursaud.
The prize is given to young talented European writers and aims to “put the spotlight on the creativity and diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature, to promote more circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works”. Tiller is one of 12 prize winners.
The Independent's reviewer praises the author's
"superb knack of bringing characters to life with a few broad strokes, the prose flows deceptively easily, with a true master's witty choice of words." Read the review in full here.
Kjartan Fløgstad’s novel Grand Manila was recently published in France and the reviews were wonderful and enthusiastic. French critics are beside themselves with joy over Fløgstad’s smooth transitions between the local and the global, the individual and the international.
says The Independent's Boyd Tonkin on Norwegian literature in Britain, and NORLA. Read more
Kjell Askildsen is awarded the Swedish Academy's Nordic Prize 2009.
Gabriele Haefs and Jean-Baptiste Coursaud received The NBU (Norwegian Writers for Children) prize on October 25. They have both been working persistently promoting Norwegian children's literature in Germany and France respectively.
Due to reduced flight activity in Northern Europe NORLA was regrettably unable to attend the London Book Fair in London, April 19 - 21. Information about NORLA was available at the Norwegian publishers' association's stand No. W 435. For more information about the fair, click here.