Our memories select, eliminate, exaggerate, minimize, glorify, denigrate. They create their own versions of events and serve up their own reality. Disparate, but cohesive. Imperfect yet sincere.
—Négar Djavadi, Disoriental
notes on life and literature
Our memories select, eliminate, exaggerate, minimize, glorify, denigrate. They create their own versions of events and serve up their own reality. Disparate, but cohesive. Imperfect yet sincere.
—Négar Djavadi, Disoriental
Tomorrow the 69th National Book Awards ceremony will be held, featuring the presentation of lifetime achievement awards to Isabel Allende and Doron Weber, as well as the announcement of the winners of each NBA category (Young People’s Literature, Translated Literature, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Fiction). Information on how to livestream the event can be found here.
Weekly updates and mini reviews of two NBA-nominated novels by women in translation: Yōko Tawada’s The Emissary and Négar Djavadi’s Disoriental.
Ahead of November 14th, I’ll be making my way through the shortlists for the NBA in Fiction and Translated Literature, beginning with Rebecca Makkai’s The Great Believers.