The latest issue of the University of California at San Diego’s literature in translation magazine Alchemy includes Slovak actor/singer/writer Július Satinský’s Dostoevsky’s Letter translated by Magdalena Mullek. If you haven’t already been tempted to read it then a look at the story’s byline should more than convince you:
“A letter from Fyodor Mikhailovich, of Great Russia, to Július Voitekhovich, of Great Slovakia, in which the Great Russian poses some fundamental questions”
Not to mention the letter’s opening lines:
“Dear Július Voitekhovich,
If you’re thinking about heading to the Other World, I must warn you about the grave injustice being perpetrated here. There is NO gambling!”
Usedom Prize
Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk has been awarded the Usedom Prize for Literature. The €5,000 prize is given as part of the Usedom Days of Literature running from March 28 to April 1 in association with the Usedom Music Festival.
Usedom (Uznam in Polish) is an island split between Germany and Poland, which is famous for its beachfront resorts (at least for people who don’t mind a little Baltic Sea hypothermia). Literary visitors in the past include Theodor Fontane, Maxim Gorky and Thomas Mann. This is the prize’s second year. Last year’s winner was Czech writer Radka Denemarková and the translator of her novel Money from Hitler (Peníze od Hitlera) into German Eva Profousová. Tokarczuk was a participant at last year’s festival as well.
Photo – 1890 postcard from the Polish town of Świnoujście (Swinemünde in German)
literalab 
Have you read White NIghts? It’s my favourite Dosetovsky short story.
I haven’t – at least not that I remember. I’ll have to find a copy. Thanks.