Iranian novel to vie for Best Translated Book Award

TEHRAN,April 13(MNA) -- The English version of the novel “The Colonel” by Iranian author Mahmud Dolatabadi is among the finalists of the 2013 Best Translated Book Award, a literary event held by the University of Rochester in the U.S. “The Colonel” by Mahmud Dolatabadi has been translated from the Persian by Tom Patterdale and the Melville House released the book in the U.S. The book, which has not been published in Iran yet, is a powerful novel onthe life of colonel who remembers his memories of families and friends in his solitude. The book concerns issues like nation, history and family. The fiction and poetry shortlists for the 2013 Best Translated Book Awards (BTBA) were revealed simultaneously on Three Percent, an online resource for International Literature at the University of Rochester on April 10. The 2013 shortlist includes ten works from eight different countries, ranging from Russia to Argentina to Djibouti. “The Planets” by Sergio Chejfec, translated from Spanish by Heather Cleary; “Prehistoric Times” by Eric Chevillard, translated from French by Alyson Waters; and “Maidenhair” by Mikhail Shishkin, translated from Russian by Marian Schwartz are the among the finalists. The winning title will be announced on May 3 at the PEN World Voices/CLMP Fest taking place at the Washington News in New York. Launched by the weblog Three Percent in 2007, the Best Translated Book Awards aim to bring attention to the finest original works of international fiction and poetry published in the U.S. during the previous year.