The Three Percent
Literature in translation—including the first fiction ever published in English from Madagascar and Tibet
A measly three percent of books published in the United States are works in translation—so this week, we’re shining a spotlight on two books from dramatically different places. Naivo’s Beyond the Rice Fields is the first Malagasy novel ever translated into English; he and his translator, Allison Charette, talk with us about love stories and origin stories. And Tenzin Dickie, editor of Old Demons, New Deities—the first English anthology of Tibetan fiction—joins us on the show to talk about life in exile, the rain in Dharamsala, and the best momos in Queens (Little Tibet, in Jackson Heights, in case you’re wondering).
Go beyond the episode:
- Read an excerpt from Beyond the Rice Fields by Naivo, translated by Allison Charette
- Watch the book trailer for Old Demons, New Deities, narrated by editor Tenzin Dickie
- Check out the University of Rochester’s Three Percent project, which frequently reviews new books in translation
- Read new stories in translation (including bilingual versions!) on Words Without Borders the online magazine for international literature
- Cross a prizewinner off your reading list with the Man Booker International Prize
- Listen to our interview with the founders of Restless Books, Joshua Ellison and Ilan Stavans
Tune in every two weeks to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek.
Subscribe: iTunes • Feedburner • Stitcher • Google Play • Acast
Download the audio here (right click to “save link as …”)
Have suggestions for projects you’d like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes!
Our theme music was composed by Nathan Prillaman.
