Publishing translated fiction and reading Argentine writing

A lot of the publishers of translated fiction have been weighing in recently on the state of affairs. Now publisher Stefan Tobler takes the occasion of his And Other Stories third anniversary to add his own assessment of the challenges of bringing out legitimately interesting, unique books in the English-speaking world, with its closed-minded philistinism and pathetic reading tastes (he actually doesn’t say any of those things about the English-speaking world, but I just wanted to add them – since they’re true).

It’s timely as B O D Y will very shortly be publishing an excerpt from And Other Stories latest release, Argentine writer Iosi Havilio’s Paradises (which is great, by the way). In the editorial he also mentions how Havilio was the one who lauded Under This Terrible Sun by fellow Argentine Carlos Busqued, an excerpt of which was also recently published in B O D Y as well as a review.

So, in conclusion, it’s really hard to publish fiction in translation but if you like great Argentine writing you should read B O D Y.

Photo – a drawing by Borges from the “Viejo habito argentino” manuscript, from Otras inquisiciones.