Dalkey Archive Press publishes first books after relocation to UHV
Dalkey Archive Press is kicking off the fall semester with a new home, six new books from four countries and plans to offer its Applied Literary Translation program at the University of Houston-Victoria.
Dalkey Archive Press board members voted to move operations this summer from Champaign, Ill., to Victoria. The internationally renowned nonprofit literary publisher will release six books on Tuesday. Dalkey publisher John O’Brien said another six books will be published in October, including “Collected Stories” by John Barth, one of America’s most important fiction writers of the past 50 years.
“Dalkey Archive Press is a welcome addition to the university, and it’s satisfying to have this initial batch of books released,” said Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of the UHV School of Arts & Sciences. “We already have identified several areas in which students in our graduate publishing and creative writing programs can assist the press to get hands-on experience.”
Books published by Dalkey will have an acknowledgement thanking UHV for its support. The acknowledgement also will mention the new Applied Literary Translation certificate, which will start this spring.
This program provides emerging translators with the opportunity to work closely with editorial staff to produce book-length translations published by Dalkey Archive Press. The Dalkey translator program is already in existence, but with the move to UHV, those enrolled will soon also earn a certificate from Dalkey in applied literary translation. Upon completion of the certificate, students will already have 12 credit hours completed toward a UHV Master of Fine Arts in creative writing or a Master of Science in publishing.
“The program has been an overwhelming success, clearly demonstrating the need emerging translators have for such advanced practical training,” O’Brien said. “The program also has proven that non-native English speakers are able to produce outstanding translations in English when working closely with an experienced English-speaking editor. The addition of a certificate and pathway to a master’s degree will offer further value to enrollees.”
The Applied Literary Translation program is open to emerging translators of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. Jake Snyder, Dalkey Archive Press associate director, said it’s a great opportunity for people interested in becoming translators or for those already translating but who have not yet published a book-length translation.
Snyder said students, in addition to the expansive training in translation, will gain experience with book acquisitions, copy editing, marketing, book production, contracts and grant writing.
“It’s going to be ‘Publishing 101’ for translators, and it’s a chance to work with an editor and get feedback about translations,” he said.
Nov. 1 is the deadline to register for the spring semester. Completion of the program is expected to take between 12 and 18 months, beginning with a semester of intensive one-on-one training, followed by more independent work on a final translation project.
Dalkey Archive Press has published more than 750 fiction and poetry books during the past three decades. The press publishes about 50 books a year with an emphasis on translations from more than 40 countries.
The press also soon will start an internship program for graduate students in UHV’s publishing and creative writing programs. Student interns living in the Crossroads will help out at the Dalkey office. Those students taking online courses can complete an internship by assisting with assignments remotely, Snyder said.
The books Dalkey is publishing this month are:
- “Newspaper” by Edouard Levé
- “21 Days of a Neurasthenic” by Octave Mirbeau
- “Morning and Evening” by Jon Fosse
- “An Angel Walks Through the Stage and Other Essays” by Jon Fosse
- “Selected Poems” by Milan Jesih
- “sometimes i lie and sometimes i don’t” by Nadja Spiegel
Snyder anticipates significant interest in the “Collected Stories” of John Barth. All four of his short-story books, including “Lost in the Funhouse,” have been collected into one volume. Barth is known for his experimental fiction and novels that parody traditional narrative forms.
“We’re hoping this is an opportunity to reassess John Barth’s place in American literature,” Snyder said.
More information about the books can be found on the Dalkey website at www.dalkeyarchive.com. For more information about the UHV/Dalkey translator program, visit www.uhv.edu/asa/pdf/Call_for_Applications_ALT.pdf.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
