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April 2010

PEN World Voices

The PEN World Voices Festival launches its sixth annual celebration of global literature at the end of this month, and we're kicking off the party with a sampler of new writing from a selection of the participants.  From an orphan’s rage to a widower’s serenity, in bleak housing projects and luminous seaside resorts, writers explore topics local and universal. See how Alina Bronsky, Assaf Gavron, Valter Hugo Mãe, Quim Monzó, Sofi Oksanen, Atiq Rahimi, Andrzej Stasiuk, and Jean-Philippe Toussaint create their own worlds in strikingly varied voices. And don’t miss WWB’s panel discussion featuring Quim Monzó, Peter Schneider, and Jean-Philippe Toussaint discussing the essay on Saturday, May 1, from 5:30 to 6:30, at Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue.

Words without Borders gratefully acknowledges Amazon.com for its grant in support of the publication of the April 2010 PEN World Voices issue.

from “Purge”
By Sofi Oksanen
She was just going to make a tour of a country that she’d never seen before
Translated from Finnish by Lola Rogers
from “Dukla”
By Andrzej Stasiuk
July hung over the village like a sheet of blue metal.
Translated from Polish by Bill Johnston
from “Almost Dead”
By Assaf Gavron
I climbed aboard the Little No. 5 as I did every morning on my way to work.
Translated from Hebrew by Assaf Gavron & James Lever
from “Broken Glass Park”
By Alina Bronsky
I hate men. Anna says good men do exist. Nice, friendly men who cook and help clean up and who earn money.
Translated from German by Tim Mohr
Prague
By Jean-Philippe Toussaint
Let’s not talk about Prague.
Translated from French by John Lambert
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