Oxford-Weidenfeld shortlist

The shortlist for the Oxford-Weidenfeld prize has been announced: this is for book-length literary translations into English from any living European language. The shortlist has been selected by Oxford academics Rebecca Beasley, Ann Jefferson and Freya Johnston, joined by guest judge Marina Warner who is speaking here with Matthew Reynolds on Sunday 27 May with Matthew Reynolds.

• John Ashbery for Illuminations by Arthur Rimbaud (Carcanet)
• Margaret Jull Costa for Seven Houses in France by Bernardo Atxaga (Harvill Secker)
• Howard Curtis for How I Lost the War by Filippo Bologna (Pushkin)
• Rosalind Harvey for Down the Rabbit Hole by Juan Pablo Villalobos (And Other Stories)
• Judith Landry for New Finnish Grammar by Diego Marani (Dedalus)
• Martin McLaughlin for Into the War by Italo Calvino (Penguin)

The judges said: This year’s entry was both very strong and very numerous, with 102 books being submitted by 44 publishers. Twentieth-century history was a prominent theme, an emphasis which has carried through into our shortlist. Genre fiction, especially crime, was well represented in the entry this year; but there was hardly any drama. Finally, we wish to record our appreciation of the many interesting prefaces and introductions which helped orient our reading of the translations.
The winner will be announced on 7th June at St Anne’s College Oxford. All are welcome to attend this celebration, at which the shortlisted translators will read from their work and Marina Warner will present the prize. The event begins at 6.30pm.