This week, our editors bring you the latest news from Bulgaria, Palestine, and the Philippines! From a major award win to exciting literary festivals, read on to find out more!
Andriana Hamas, Editor-at-Large, reporting from Bulgaria
On Wednesday, May 24, most Bulgarians woke up later than usual. After all, the country was commemorating its Alphabet, Enlightenment, and Culture Day, and the festivities would not begin before noon. The night owls, however, had already started celebrating much earlier as media outlets from all over the globe notified them that, at a ceremony in Central London, writer Georgi Gospodinov and translator Angela Rodel had been awarded the 2023 International Booker Prize for the novel Time Shelter (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2022) whose primary focus is the “weaponization of nostalgia.” The duo, whom Asymptote has previously highlighted, gave a heartfelt speech about the stories that keep us alive and resist evil.
Later the same day, Gospodinov posted on his official Facebook page: “Blessed holiday! Blessed miracle of language! I was lucky enough to say these words in Bulgarian last night at the Booker Prize ceremony in the heart of London! On the eve of the most beautiful holiday! I wrote this book with the thirty letters of the Cyrillic alphabet. I am grateful to everyone who believed in it! To my readers with whom we have been together for years. It was and still is a long road. To the writers before me from whom I have learned! To the Bulgarian writers for all they have suffered and written. I am grateful for the joy I saw in Bulgaria after the announcement of the award last night. Joy because of a book is pure joy. Thank you! It is possible! May it open the door to Bulgarian culture and give us courage.”
Courage, if I may add, to remain sensitive to life’s delicate intricacies. Courage to be mindful of the past in our eternal battle for the future. Courage to translate even the “unspoken speeches for all unreceived awards.”
And the rest is history.
Carol Khoury, Editor-at-Large, reporting from Palestine
Held over several days this past week, PalFest 2023, the Palestine Festival of Literature, was a remarkable event that brought together literature enthusiasts, writers, and artists from all walks of life to celebrate the power of storytelling and the resilience of the Palestinian people. This year’s focus was the relationship between Palestine and the Global South. The program combined literary discussions, poetry readings, workshops, and cultural events, creating an atmosphere of intellectual stimulation and creative exploration.
One of the standout features of the festival was the impressive line-up of renowned Palestinian and international writers who graced the stage, including Toufic Haddad, Yara Hawari, Vera Tamari, and Eve Ewing, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Mirza Waheed. Their thought-provoking discussions on a wide range of topics, including identity, displacement, and resistance, captivated the audience and offered deep insight into the complexities of Palestinian literature. The diverse perspectives and voices represented at the festival showcased the richness and diversity of Palestinian literary talent, making it a truly enriching experience for attendees.
The festival’s commitment to promoting emerging Palestinian voices was evident through its inclusion of young writers and poets. For instance, the Poetry Marathon (watch here) gave the floor to young poets from Gaza, including Batoul Abu Aqlein, Mariam al-Khatib, and Rawan Hussein, among others, to read some of their poems live. PalFest provided a nurturing platform for these rising talents to share their work and engage with established authors, fostering a sense of mentorship and community. The supportive environment created by the festival allowed these emerging voices to shine, and their contributions added a fresh and dynamic energy to the overall program.
Moreover, PalFest 2023 went beyond the traditional boundaries of literature by incorporating visual arts, music, and theatre into its line-up of events. Collaborative performances and installations brought together the literary and visual worlds, creating a vibrant and immersive environment for attendees.
Overall, PalFest 2023 was a resounding success, blending literary excellence, cultural diversity, and artistic innovation. PalFest’s impact will extend far beyond its duration, as it left attendees with a renewed appreciation for the power of storytelling and a deeper understanding of the Palestinian experience.
Wish you were there? You can watch videos of the best of this year’s and past years’ Fests here.
Alton Melvar M Dapanas, Editor-at-Large, reporting from the Philippines
May 13 marked the first onsite award ceremony of the Philippines’ 40th National Book Awards (NBA) since the lockdowns in early 2020. Held at the Manila Metropolitan Theatre, two of the five finalists for the nobela—novel in Filipino—category are Asymptote contributors—Mesándel Virtusio Arguelles (Asinkrono: Isang Nobela, De La Salle University Publishing House) and Allan Derain (Aswanglaut, Ateneo de Manila University Press), who bagged the prize.
In the Translated Books category, Mga Himutok sa Palikuran at Iba Pang Kuwento (Savage Mind)—Amado Anthony G Mendoza III’s translation into Filipino of Booker-nominated writer-screenwriter Eka Kurniawan’s Indonesian-language short story collection Corat-Coret di Toilet (Aksara Indonesia, 2000)—emerged as the winner. Other finalists in this category were Eros S Atalia’s mystery novel Three Nights, Three Days (19th Avenida Publishing House) translated by David T Ong, and Avenge Me! (DLSU Publishing House)—Soledad S Reyes’s translation of dramatist Precioso Palma’s Ipaghiganti Mo Ako! (1914), a politico-historical novel set at the beginning of the 1899-1902 Philippine-American War. The roster also includes the Filipino editions of Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo’s short story collection Catch a Falling Star (trans. Chuckberry J Pascual, Lampara Books); and The Bamboo Stalk (Anvil Publishing), Jen Recato-Daño’s translation of the award-winning Kuwaiti journalist Saud Alsanousi’s novel لبامبو (published in 2012 in Arabic and translated into English by Jonathan Wright for Bloomsbury Qatar in 2015), which tells the story of a young man born from a migrant Filipino woman and a Kuwaiti man, and his navigations of race, identity, and legacy.
Among my personal favourites from this year’s finalists are Tingle (Anvil Publishing), the country’s first anthology of lesbian and women-loving women writers, edited by Jhoanna Lynn B Cruz; the poetry collection College Boy (ADMU Press) by Mookie Katigbak Lacuesta; and Conchitina Cruz’s incisive monograph on the essay as a genre within both English and Filipino-language Philippine literature, Partial Views (DLSU Publishing House). 2023 is also a special year for Ilocano-language writing, spotlighted by fictionists Prescillano N Bermudez, Dionisio S Bulong, and Efren A Inocencio; poets Roy V Aragon and Daniel L Nesperos; translator Ariel Sotelo Tabág; and publisher Saniata Publications.
Late April saw the 6th Iloilo Mega Book Fair (IMBF), organised by Kasingkasing Press, Hubon Manunulat, and Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Arts. Themed ‘Pagtib-ong sa Rehiyon’ (Celebrating the Regions), participating publishers include Far Eastern University Publications, University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, Kahel Press, Vibal and its imprint Chikiting Books, and Bookshare—a disability-centred e-book library. Genevieve Asenjo, winner of the NBA’s Gerardo P Cabochan Prize for Best Book of Short Fiction in Filipino for Ang Itim na Orkidyas ng Isla Boracay: Mga Kuwento (The Black Orchid of Boracay Island: Stories), graced the event as co-convenor of the Bantugan sa Panulatan Kinaray-a, a literary contest now in its fourth year of championing Kinaray-a literature. In a local radio interview, Bantugan’s lead organiser Jose Edson Tondares expressed an optimistic view on what lies ahead for Kinaray-a writings during the launch of their anthology of binalaybay (poetry in Kinaray-a), 17 Halin sa Iraya.
Also presented at the IMBF were The Lives of a Filipino/a High School Student (UST Publishing House, 2022), a personal essay anthology co-edited by Rolando B Tolentino, Joselito De Los Reyes, and Asymptote contributor Ferdinand Jarin; Ang Gamay nga Prinsipe, Stephen A Matti’s translation into Hiligaynon of Saint-Exupery’s Le Petit Prince; the maiden issue of Iloilo Art Review which features Asymptote contributor Eric Abalajon; and Land and Life: The Tumandok People of Panay and their Struggle. Held at ‘the city that reads,’ the IMBF was well-attended by writers, artists, readers, students, teachers—and even drag queens.
Our website is supported by our users. We stand to earn a commission when you click through the affiliate links on our website.
*****
Read more on the Asymptote blog: