91原创鈥檚 literary translation press published Rodrigo 贵谤别蝉谩苍鈥檚 invented biography of Herman Melville, translated by alumnus Will Vanderhyden.
, the nonprofit, literary translation press at the聽, has earned the (United States and Canada) for the English translation of (October 2024) by聽. Awarded in North America annually since 2022, the prize celebrates the commitment of independent presses to fiction of exceptional literary merit.
鈥淩eaders will know from the array of footnotes on the first few pages that this book is for the head,鈥� writes prize judge Dorian Stuber, an English professor at Hendrix College. 鈥淏ut the further they get into its gorgeous prose, so dizzyingly translated by Will Vanderhyden, the more they will see that it鈥檚 also for the heart.鈥�
The prize represents not just a win for the press but also for the book鈥檚 translator, Vanderhyden 鈥�13 (MA), an alumnus of the聽.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great honor,鈥� says Chad Post, who heads up聽Open Letter. What pleases Post particularly is that the quirky idea of Spanish fiction鈥檚 taking on an American author resonated with the judges.
鈥淯sually, it goes the opposite direction in which American authors are writing about the Spanish. A book about Cervantes from an American author would raise no eyebrows, but a Spanish author writing about Melville kind of does,鈥� says Post. 鈥淭he fact that this book is so wonderfully executed and translated鈥攁nd then honored in this way鈥攎eans a lot.鈥�
Frequently the books he selects for publication, or their translators, have some form of personal connection. In this case, Post taught then-budding translator Vanderhyden in two of his graduate classes at 91原创. And while Post had met聽Fres谩n years earlier, it was only when Vanderhyden promoted the author in one of his classes that Post started paying closer attention.
Fast forward to today: Having translated six works by Fres谩n so far, Vanderhyden has become comfortable with the Argentinian author鈥檚 style. 鈥淏ut tracking down his incessant literary and pop culture references and recreating his ludic sensibility鈥攈is sense of humor, his tireless wordplay鈥攊n English are and will always be particularly challenging aspects of translating his work,鈥� he admits.
贵谤别蝉谩苍鈥檚 Melvill is an invented biography鈥攁 gothic novel of sorts, populated by ghosts鈥攁bout American novelist Herman Melville (1819鈥�1891), best known for his 1851 epic novel聽. Open Letter bills Melvill(Melville鈥檚 mother added the 鈥渆鈥� after her husband鈥檚 death to the family name) as聽鈥渁n evocation of a filial love,鈥� containing 鈥渁ll the talent, humor, and immense culture found in the other great works from one of Spanish literature鈥檚 most ambitious writers.鈥�
Besides being an important award that honors the trifecta of author, translator, and publisher, the Consciousness Prize also draws attention to the book itself because many of the judges are booksellers, says Post. 鈥淚t鈥檒l help sell the book in their stores.鈥�
Meanwhile, Melvill is a finalist for the聽, awarded annually by the聽. That decision is due later this month.
The University鈥檚 translation press, while small, boasts a surprisingly large number of winning books and authors, among them聽Nobel Prize winner Jon Fosse聽(2023) and聽National Book Award鈥搘inning translator Elisa Shua Dusapin听(2021).
