2011 marks the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Czeslaw Milosz. Born in Szetejnia, in the heart of the Lithuanian wilderness, he was driven away by the tragic events of the 20th century, living consecutively in Warsaw, Krakow, Paris, and the United States, to return to Poland at the turn of the millennium.

He was not only a poet, prose writer, a translator and an essayist read all over the world, but also an extraordinarily insightful observer and witness to the epoch.

Our hope is that the hundred-year anniversary of Czeslaw Milosz’s birth will be a chance to reacquaint ourselves with his work, which has long prompted creative reflection on the condition of the contemporary world.

The Milosz Year program is made up of new book publications, conferences, discussions, and exhibitions devoted to the poet, organized in Poland and abroad – from Krasnojarska through Vilnius, Krasnogruda, Krakow, and Paris, to New York and San Francisco. Its culminating point will be the second edition of the taking place in Krakow (May 9th-15th 2011).

One of the most interesting initiatives being launched this year is the

The MILOSZ 365 Translation Seminar is aimed at all translators of Polish literature interested in Czeslaw Milosz and planning to translate his works.

The translation seminar will feature two four-hour work sessions, during which the participants will work on the translation of selected works by Milosz under the guidance of experienced translators, as well as Polish experts and authorities on the poet’s works. The plan is to create a few multilingual groups focused on particular works by Milosz, whether poetry or prose. The names of the seminar leaders, suggestions for works and recommended prior reading materials will be provided to those interested in participating, with enough notice to facilitate preparation. Apart from the workshops, there will also be a discussion panel with Czeslaw Milosz’s translators concerning the presence of his works in various cultures and literatures.

This seminar will take place from May 13th-16th in Krakow, and the Book Institute is offering to pay travel and accommodation costs for twenty participating translators. Applications are due by December 31st, 2010, and you can find all the necessary info at the bottom of

Overall, the site looks pretty cool, and it’ll be interesting to see how this website develops and expands over the course of 2011.

Huelle is a big name in Polish literature, and although a number of his books have been translated into English, it seems that he’s much more popular in the UK than the U.S. Which is unfortunate—this novel sounds pretty interesting:

The story of The Last Supper is set in Gdansk and centres on a single day in the near future, when twelve men have been invited by their mutual friend, an artist, to model at a photographic session for a modern version of The Last Supper. The histories of the twelve men are revealed through their thoughts on the day: their wayward behaviour is a reflection of the role of the Church in Polish society today. The reunion is disturbed as a wave of terrorist bombs paralyses the city, creating upheaval and a sense of unease.

Antonia Lloyd-Jones is one of the best Polish to English translators working today, and has translated other Pawel Huelle titles (including Castorp), along wiht works by Olga Tokarczuk, Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz, Ryszard Kapuscinski, and Wojciech Tochman.

The Found in Translation prize was established last year by the Polish Book Institute, Polish Cultural Institutes in London and New York, and W.A.B. Publishers. Its goal is to honor the best translation from Polish into English published within the past year by giving the translator PLN 10,000 (ca $3,000) and a three-month scholarship.

On the heels of the ACE debacle, and the NEA’s increase, here’s an announcement from the :

Found in Translation Award

The Polish Book Institute, Polish Cultural Institute in London, Polish Cultural Institute in New York and W.A.B. Publishing House in Warsaw announce the FOUND IN TRANSLATION Award.

The FOUND IN TRANSLATION Award is to be given annually to the translator or translators of the best translation of a work of Polish literature into English that was published as a book in the preceding calendar year.

The Award consists of a three-month residency in Krakow, with lodging, a stipend in the amount of 2,000 PLN monthly, an airline ticket to and from Krakow funded by the Polish Book Institute, and a financial award of 10,000 PLN funded by the W.A.B. Publishing House.

The Award is given by a Selection Committee consisting of representatives of the Polish Book Institute, Polish Cultural Institute in London, and Polish Cultural Institute in New York. The Director of the Polish Book Institute is to be President of the Selection Committee.

The name of the laureate is to be announced during the award ceremony, which will be organized each year in the laureate’s country of origin, preferably during the International Book Fair in that country.

Candidates for the Award can be nominated by private persons as well institutions in Poland and abroad.

Nominations are to be sent to the Polish Book Institute, 31-011 Kraków ul. Szczepańska 1, Poland, e-mail biuro@instytutksiazki.pl with the subject-heading FOUND IN TRANSLATION.

The nomination is to include the book title, name of the author, name of the translator, publisher, and a statement of the reasons for the nomination. The deadline for sending nominations is January 31 of each year, by midnight.

It’s years off the future, but I’m already planning on recommending Bill Johnston for his translation of Jerzy Pilch’s The Mighty Angel that we’ll be bringing out next year . . .