NORLA, Norwegian literature abroad, provides funding for the translation of Norwegian titles to be published abroad. The total amount of translation subsidies awarded in 2016 has once again beaten all previous records and among other developments, we can see a clear expansion within the English language market.
NORLA received last year all of 518 applications for translation subsidies, the largest number of applications in our history. Out of these applications, NORLA’s committees of experts awarded subsidies for 499 publications of Norwegian books in translation into 46 different languages.

NORLA’s Director Margit Walsø comments on the figures as follows:
«Norwegian authors are more attractive in the world market than ever before and are reaching readers in every part of the world. We now have a unique opportunity to capitalize on the Frankfurt Book Fair’s global scope of impact, in that Norway has been named Guest of Honour for 2019. NORLA is looking forward to the collaboration with translators, the culture sector and the book trade at home and abroad.»

During 2016 NORLA received a record-breaking 438 Norwegian books that have been published in a total of 47 languages made possible by translation subsidies from NORLA (and within the Nordic countries: from the Nordic Council of Ministers).
This surpasses even last year’s all-time high!

Of the 438 books, 349 were fiction titles and 89 non-fiction titles. And there were 127 books for children/young adults.

See all Norwegian books published abroad in 2016 through funding in the list below.

NORLA’s Translator of the Month in February is Dana Caspi, who has translated no less than 35 Norwegian books into Hebrew. For her translation of Dag Solstad’s Novel 11, Book 18 (original title: Ellevte roman, bok atten) she recently received the Ramat Gan Municipality Literature Award, and in 2013, Dana also received the NORLA Translator’s Award.

If you read Norwegian you will find our interview and become better acquainted with Dana here.

See many of Dana’s translations of Norwegian titles available in the National Library of Norway database.

NORLA congratulates Dag Johan Haugerud on his receiving the 2016 P2-listeners’ Novel Prize for the novel Easy Atonal Pieces for Children (Enkle atonale stykker for barn).

The P2-listeners’ Novel Prize is awarded every year by the Norwegian radio channel NRK P2. The nominated books are chosen by a professional jury, which then narrow the nominations down to a shortlist of six books. From there on in a listener’s jury consisting of six people will discuss the books in a series of radio shows, before announcing the winner.

Read more about Easy Atonal Pieces for Children here.

See previous prize winners here (in Norwegian only).

NORLA’s Translator of the Month in January is Munib Delalić, whose most recent translation from Norwegian into Croatian is Per Petterson’s novel To Siberia (original title: Til Sibir).
Munib was born in Bosnia-Hercegovina, but he haas lived in Norway since 1993. He is himself a writer, and also translates into Bosnian and Croatian.
He has translated an impressive number of books from Norwegian – no less than 48.

If you read Norwegian you can become better acquainted with Munib here.

See many of Munib’s translations of Norwegian titles available in the National Library of Norway database.

We would also thank our good friends and contacts for a pleasant collaboration in the past year.

Read our director Margit Walsø’s Seasons Greetings here

NORLA’s offices will be closed for the Christmas holidays as of Friday 23 December. We will open our doors again on Monday 2 January, 2017.

2016 has been a very good year for Norwegian literature abroad.

NORLA, Norwegian Literature Abroad, is starting to implement the project team for the Norwegian Guest of Honour-presentation in 2019.

The first group of participants chosen for NORLA’s development programme for new literary talents – “New Voices” – has been decided. The four names are:
Simen Ekern, Sigbjørn Mostue, Roskva Koritzinsky and Nils Henrik Smith.

NORLA’s Translator of the Month in December is the brit Don Bartlett, who earlier this autumn was awarded the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit in rank of Knight, class I for his formidable efforts as a translator of Norwegian literature. Several of the authors whose books Don have translated, often point out that Don’s contribution in many cases has been one of “co-writing” and rendering the book, rather than translating it.

We offer our warmest congratulations to Don on his receiving the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit!

If you read Norwegian you will find our interview and become better acquainted with Don here.

See Don’s translations of Norwegian titles available in the National Library of Norway database.

We also recommend an excellent interview in LA Review of Books.

At NORLA, we offer our warmest congratulations to Vigdis Hjorth, winner of the 2016 Norwegian Booksellers’ Prize for her critically acclaimed novel Wills and Testaments (original title: Arv og miljø)!

Read more about the novel here.