Culture.pl offers a listing of new Polish books being published in 2018, including novels from writers such as Olga Tokarczuk, Dorota Masłowska and Jerzy Pilch as well as a two-volume biography of the great Zbigniew Herbert among many others offerings.
Tokarczuk has a few books translated into English, most recently the novel Flights, translated by Jennifer Crofts. Her upcoming book, titled Opowiadania Bizarne (Bizzarish Tales) is a book of short stories that critics say “will surprise both Tokarczuk’s devotees and adversaries.”
Dorota Masłowska’s upcoming work, on the other hand, is being kept obscure until its May release. Her debut, titled Snow White and Russian Red or White and Red in Benjamin Paloff’s English translation, was a huge sensation in Poland.
For English-language readers Jerzy Pilch is known for his witty, harsh, sarcastic writing such as is found in the misadventures of the alcoholic writer Jerzy in The Mighty Angel, so his upcoming novel being a science-fiction novel sounds intriguing – though they write it’s a “a post-apocalyptic, if not dystopian, world.” so I suppose there’s ample room for harshness, sarcasm and alcoholism too among the spaceships and cyborgs.
And for those who read Andrzej Franaszek’s Milosz: A Biography, translated by Aleksandra Parker, his biography of Zbigniew Herbert, published in conjunction with the Year of Zbigniew Herbert, will be very welcome. And I have a suggestion to add: if they decide to make an international biopic they should cast Welsh actor Iwan Rheon to play Herbert (see photo above).
See the full article at culture.pl for the rest of the upcoming books of 2018
Ödön von Horváth
In the Times Literary Supplement, James Hopkin writes about the quintessential Central European writer Ödön von Horváth, his early resistance to fascism and his relevance to our times. The essay also contrasts him to a writer like Brecht and states his vital importance to playwrights and filmmakers like Fassbinder.
Sozopol Fiction Seminars 2018
The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation have announced their open call to apply for this year’s Sozopol Fiction Seminars taking place June 7-11, 2018 in the Black Sea coastal town of Sozopol. Five English-language fiction writers will be invited to attend together with five Bulgarian writers. Room, board and 50% of international travel costs are paid for. The application deadline is March 28.
See all info about the application here
PS – The weather in Sozopol in June is idyllic. Do not be alarmed by the snow in the group photo on the website. It is a trick meant to scare off bad and easily impressionable writers!
Photo – Zbigniew Herbert
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