Deadline: Ongoing
Asymptote, an international journal of literature that has previously published new work by authors such as J.M. Coetzee, Lydia Davis, and Haruki Murakami, from over one hundred countries and languages.
At Asymptote we aim to expose our readers to the multitude of perspectives and experiences that exist outside the anglophone and particularly in languages that are not frequently translated. I want to bring more Georgian, North Caucus, Eastern European, and Central Asian voices into the journal and as the Communication Coordinator for so many academic programs in the region, you seem like the perfect point of contact. I’m interested in a whole range of subjects, especially essays and even journalism that speak to conversations about literature, politics, and culture in the region today that outside readers wouldn’t be aware of.
In 2015, Asymptote received the London Book Fair’s International Literary Translation Initiative Award and became a founding member of The Guardian’s Books Network with “Translation Tuesdays,” a weekly showcase of new literary translations that can be read by the newspaper’s 5 million followers. While none of us are paid here, this has not deterred the best writers, translators, and artists from joining our cause.
What’s the antidote to a world of trade wars and closed borders? Quite possibly our Spring issue #TheGift, OUT NOW, celebrating the generosity of translators and the free circulation of ideas, plus a spotlight on Korean lit headlined by Lee Chang-dong and Jeong Ho-seung. Highlights include new translations of Chekhov and Pushkin, our first work from Guyana, Lesotho, and Paraguay, interviews with Robin Moger and Anton Hur, plus two more Q&As with institutional advocates—this time from Denmark and Finland. In addition to our regular categories, we invite submissions of original English-language work to our recurring Feature themed on outsiders.
Stay in the loop of our news via Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, our newsletter, and in our daily blog. Sign up to our Book Club to join our global reading community and unlock exclusive monthly Zoom Q&As with the author and/or translator of each book club selection. Finally, if Asymptote has been a gift to you, we hope you’ll consider becoming a sustaining or masthead member in exchange for incredible perks.