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Georgi Gospodinov [Bulgaria] Biography on the Berlin International Literature Festival website |
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Are there any exciting trends, movement, or schools in contemporary Bulgarian fiction? Who do you feel are the overlooked contemporary authors in Bulgaria who should be more widely read and translated? I would say there is a "will for novel" - doubled by a hidden longing for the missing big novel (and Nobel). Maybe because poetry and short fiction were always stronger in Bulgarian literature. There is a visible boom of novels, often by people who have never written such things before. And commemmorating the recent past is now becoming the important topic. Yordan Radichkov and Vera Mutafchieva – both passed away recently - are the two big names, worthy of better presentation in the English-speaking world. Who are the contemporary European writers from other countries that are writing compelling fiction? Dubravka Ugrešić, Mircea Cărtărescu, Olga Tokarczuk, Yuri Andruchowytsch, Stéphane Audeguy . . . Are there enough publishing outlets in Bulgaria for contemporary fiction? Is there a market for literary fiction in Bulgaria? Yes, there are enough. As for the market, it is somewhat slower and demanding efforts. But generally, the good book finds its readers. Do you want your work to be translated? Why or why not? Why not. Given a choice, would you prefer a faithful, literal translation of your work or an interpretive re-imagining of it? Why? I guess the faithful one but not literal – faithful to the language with its rhythm, ironies, silences. |
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