Derek Mong and Anne Fisher Win the 2018 Cliff Becker Translation Prize - January 14, 2018

Annie and I are thrilled to announce that we’ve won the 2018 Cliff Becker Translation Prize from the American Literary Translator’s Association. On October 7, 2017, we read from what is now our forthcoming book at the annual ALTA conference in Minneapolis. Here is judges’ citation for The Joyous Science: Selected Poems of Maxim Amelin:

“Mong and Fisher have succeeded in finding a distinctive voice in English for Amelin, a poet steeped in the philosophical traditions and poetic culture of Russia.  There is poetry in Mong and Fisher’s translation, wrought in judicious and playful word choice, internal rhyme, and with a sensitive ear for song, sense, and soulfulness.  There are even places where these translations equal or, perhaps, surpass the original in their crispness and linguistic innovation, making this collection not only a remarkable accomplishment of poetic translation but truly a pleasure to read.”

The judges for the 2018 Becker Prize were Diana Thow,  Anthony Anemone, and Joanna Trzeciak Huss. The book will be published by White Pine Press in fall 2018 and launched at ALTA’s annual conference, ALTA41, which will be held in Bloomington, IN from October 31 – November 3, 2018.

After nearly a decade of work, Annie and I will soon see this project to an end. Thanks to ALTA, White Pine Press, and (of course) our poet: Maxim Amelin.