Czech Books Prizes and surprises - Magnesia Litera 2009
In less than three weeks time the results of the biggest literature prize in the Czech Republic, the Magnesia Litera, will be announced and excitement has been rising since the announcement of the nominated books last month. The prize is unusual in that it has nine different categories including, apart from fiction and poetry, books for young readers, non-fiction and best translation. As well as winners in each category an overall "best book" is also chosen. Given the vast number of books under consideration, judging the competition is a mammoth task. I visited Viktor Janiš, an editor and a translator of such writers as Iain Banks, Margaret Atwood and Louis de Bernieres, to talk about his involvement in finding the best work of translation and being one of the thirty-five judges who get to choose the overall winner. My first question was to ask him how much reading was demanded of a Magnesia judge.
Sándor Márai - 'Diaries'
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