2023-10-12 11:19:37
On October 5, the literary world received the news that the Norwegian writer Jon Fosse was the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature 2023. The joy that this prestigious recognition should have brought to its publishers has been marred by a dispute that broke out shortly following in Spain over the rights to the author’s work in the Spanish language.
On the one hand, the independent publisher Of Attemptswhich has been betting on Fosse’s works for years, even before his name was recognized internationally, issued a statement clarifying that, despite the claims of Penguin Random Housethe giant of the publishing industry, are the ones who own the active rights to several of the Nobel works that they are preparing to distribute in Latin America, and they have not received any communication from the multinational.
“For me, Jon Fosse is more Beckett than Ibsen,” says Daniel Veronese
The publisher has published several Fosse titles, including Trilogy and the four volumes of the acclaimed Septology. Additionally, they co-edited Morning and followingnoontogether with Nórdica Libros.
Penguin Random House, which surprisingly announced hours following the Nobel Prize that it had acquired the rights to the complete works of Jon Fosse in Spanish, has not expressed itself on the matter. According to them, in the coming months they have planned the publication of several works, including those that had not yet been translated into Spanish.
A prize for the distant and cold Fiord
The multinational’s statement generated confusion and concern in De Conatus, which quickly came out to defend its position. Silvia Bardeláseditor of the label, highlighted in a recent interview that this Nobel prize It is a recognition not only for Jon Fosse but also for the independent publishers who have supported lesser-known authors.
In addition, he pointed out that large publishing groups, such as Penguin Random House, still have a long way to go to translate and edit the works of Fosse.
JL
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