Montserrat Roig's spectacular translation boom around the world

BarcelonaUntil now Mercè Rodoreda She has been the most international author among all the contemporary classics of Catalan literature: more than 225 translations can be read in around forty languages. Historically, Salvador Espriu's work has also crossed many borders, and during the last decade, books such as Uncertain glory, by Joan Sales, and The gray notebook, by Josep Pla, have landed in countries such as the United States, China, France and Germany. There is a phenomenon that, until now, has been growing almost secretly: the extraordinary boom in translations of Montserrat Roig (1946-1991). From 2021 to 2027, 25 translations will have been published in a dozen languages.

"We are in the middle of revival of her work, and that happens, first of all, because she is an author of undeniable quality, but also because we are at a time when committed, incisive and forceful works like hers are highly relevant and want to be read in other countries," says Pere Almeda, director of the Institut Ramon Llull. In 2021 Smoke of Stamp published in the United Kingdom Tiago Miller's translation ofThe song of youth –the first of a work by Roig in English–, we had to go back to 2005 to find another translation by the writer, the year in which it appearedr Catalans in Nazi camps in French.

Since then, the international dissemination of Montserrat Roig's work has grown year after year: two translations were published in 2023; seven in 2024, and nine are expected to appear this year. "What's happening is spectacular," adds Izaskun Arretxe, director of the literature department at the Institut Ramon Llull. "How did you come across Montserrat Roig? On the one hand, because she is an author who, in recent years, has been re-established in the Catalan market through the excellent work of Edicions 62. As for Lynch, she has been able to convey that she is a writer of absolute contemporaneity." In addition to the work that Llull has done "both at book fairs and through multiple grants"—both in the translation and promotion of the works—we must add the work of the translators: "They are essential mediators between Catalan culture and that of their country. Roig is fortunate that some of his translators have actively participated in promoting the works." He cites Julia Sanches, Marc Audi, and Amaranta Sbardella, translators into English, French, and Italian, respectively.

Enthusiasm in Italy for "a brave woman"

Amaranta Sbardella has translated Cherry season for Mondadori Libri and is also working for this publisher on Ramona, goodbye: "When the novel came out, I put together a tour," she recalls. "Some universities invited me to give classes on certain topics—for example, the Capuchinada or the Tancada de Montserrat—and I combined this historical perspective with presentations in bookstores. I was able to travel, spreading the words and thoughts of Montserrat, Montserrat, Montserrat. Turin: in the latter city, Roig was present, thanks to my interventions, at three events in ten days, all of them well-attended and with people asking questions and wanting to know more and more. I didn't expect such great enthusiasm for a brave woman like Roig.

The novel also had a great impact on the Italian press, recalls Giulia Mignani, the editor at Mondadori who bought the translation rights to the three novels. "There were very good reviews in all the newspapers, and young, well-known authors, like Giulia Caminito, praised it," she says. In Italy, Roig can be related to recoveries of recent works by writers such as Goliarda Sapienza and Alba de Cespedes. Her books can focus on: women, political elements, the weight of history, the feminist perspective and the approach to Barcelona." Mignani, who has also published the translation ofI gave you eyes and you looked into the darkness, ofIrene Solà, will continue to search for Catalan authors to add to the Mondadori catalogue. "Italy is a country where Spanish and Catalan authors have been of interest for years," he adds.

The translation ofCherry seasonPublished by La Croisée in 2024, it received enthusiastic reviews in newspapers such as Le MondeThere, literary critic Ariane Singer described it as "a vibrant feminist novel and a classic of Catalan literature hitherto unpublished in French." "Our heritage is very important: we must highlight the classics to show that we are part of a long and fruitful tradition," Pere Almeda emphasizes. "This also helps translations of contemporary authors." Catalan literature has been increasingly traveling around the world for years: If in 2015 156 works were translated, a figure that was a record at the time, a decade later is about to reach 200. "Last year, 197 grants were awarded for the translation of original literary and thought works from Catalan and Occitan into other languages, 32% more than in 2023 – as in 2023 –. We are finalizing a specific plan to support the classics, but we are working with budgets that have been carried over for two years. Our budget is around 17 million euros, and we should grow to 20. If we reach this figure, we will be at pre-2008 crisis levels for the first time."

A work with echoes of Ginzburg and Didion

In the Netherlands, the prestigious Cossee will launch at the end of May Ramona, goodbye, translated by Adri Boon, and will continue with Cherry season this fall and The Violet Hour Spring of next year. "Coinciding with the Book Fair, I escaped for a moment to go to my favorite bookstore, Daunt, and there my attention was caught by the cover of a novel that showed a woman screaming behind a fence: superimposed on the image were large yellow letters vintage that announced the title, The time of the cherries – recalls Martin van der Heide from Cossee – Although I knew nothing about the author until then, I bought the novel, and when I read it on the train back to Amsterdam, it seemed to me that it had, in addition to a profound yet entertaining look at Barcelona, ​​​​a story full of lively, brilliant, sensitive and complex characters. In its style I saw echoes of Joan Didion, Jane Gardner and Natalia Ginzburg, in addition to the obvious link with Mercè Rodoreda". Until then, Roig's work had only been translated into Dutch The melodious voice, Van der Heide recalls, and it was as far back as 1990.

The trilogy consisting of Ramona, goodbye, Cherry season and The Violet Hour. And between 2026 and 2027, the essential and canonical collection Modern Library, currently owned by Random House, will publish Montserrat Roig's three books in the United States. Interest in the Barcelona-born writer has reached Brazil, where Companhia das Letras will publish Cherry season, and in South Korea, where they will launch The melodious voice Next year. "We need to carefully analyze the virtuous circle that has emerged with Roig and try to repeat it with other authors," says Izaskun Arretxe. "The classics are being vindicated in many parts of the world right now, and we have many of them in Catalan literature, and they are of great value."