International Dublin Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 22 (2017) Winner
José Eduardo Agualusa
ジョゼ・エドゥアルド・アグアルーザ
José Eduardo Agualusa
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1960-12-13 （Nova Lisboa (Huambo), Overseas Province of Angola）
- Nationality
- Angolan
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Residence History
- Huambo (birthplace) → Lisbon (studies/residence) → Berlin (residence/writing) → Amsterdam (writer residency) → Island of Mozambique (current residence, library project)
Career
- Occupations
- writer, columnist, journalist, playwright
- Active Years
- 1989-
- Influenced By
- Eça de Queiroz, Lusophone and African oral histories and historiography
- Influenced
- Contemporary and later Lusophone African writers, The Lusophone-to-English translation and literary community (notably via collaboration with translator Daniel Hahn)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Lisbon (Agronomy and Silviculture) | — | Agronomy and Silviculture | — | — | Portugal |
University of Lisbon (Agronomy and Silviculture)
Agronomy and Silviculture
Country:
Portugal
Studied agronomy and silviculture in Lisbon; details of degree and graduation year not specified.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Independent Foreign Fiction Prize | The Book of Chameleons (original: O Vendedor de Passados) | — | The Independent (UK) | 受賞 |
| 2017 | International Dublin Literary Award | A General Theory of Oblivion (original: Teoria Geral do Esquecimento) | — | International Dublin Literary Award committee | 受賞（訳者ダニエル・ハーンと共に受賞、作家の取り分 €75,000） |
| 1997 | RTP Great Literary Prize | Nação Crioula (Creole) | — | Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) | 受賞 |
| 2016 | Man Booker International Prize (shortlist) | A General Theory of Oblivion | — | The Man Booker Prizes | ショートリスト（候補） |
Independent Foreign Fiction Prize
2007
Work:
The Book of Chameleons (original: O Vendedor de Passados)
Organization:
The Independent (UK)
Result:
受賞
International Dublin Literary Award
2017
Work:
A General Theory of Oblivion (original: Teoria Geral do Esquecimento)
Organization:
International Dublin Literary Award committee
Result:
受賞（訳者ダニエル・ハーンと共に受賞、作家の取り分 €75,000）
RTP Great Literary Prize
1997
Work:
Nação Crioula (Creole)
Organization:
Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP)
Result:
受賞
Man Booker International Prize (shortlist)
2016
Work:
A General Theory of Oblivion
Organization:
The Man Booker Prizes
Result:
ショートリスト（候補）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
A General Theory of Oblivion
2012 Novel (historical/social fiction)The novel follows Ludo, a woman in Luanda who barricades herself in her apartment on the eve of independence and remains isolated for decades. Through her story the novel reflects on Angola's modern history, memory, and community.
memoryhistory vs. individual experienceisolationindependence and social change
Translations
- English (trans. Daniel Hahn)
The Book of Chameleons
2004 Short stories / novellaA collection that explores invented pasts and the trade in memory, mixing humor and poignancy to examine intersections of personal and collective history, notable for shifts in narration and perspective.
altered memoryidentityretellings of history
Translations
- English (trans. Daniel Hahn)
Nação Crioula (Creole)
1997 NovelThrough the secret love between a fictional Portuguese adventurer and a former slave who becomes wealthy, the novel traces societal change in Angola from the colonial period into the modern era.
colonialism and racesocial mobilitylove and power
Rainy Season
1996 Biographical novelA biographical novel based on the life of Angolan poet and historian Lidia do Carmo Ferreira, portraying political turmoil and the mystery of her disappearance.
personal history and politicsuncertainty of memory
Translations
- English (trans. Daniel Hahn, 2009)
Bibliography
- A Conjura (1989)
- Estação das Chuvas (1996) / Rainy Season
- Nação Crioula (1997) / Creole
- O Vendedor de Passados (2004) / The Book of Chameleons
- Teoria Geral do Esquecimento (2012) / A General Theory of Oblivion
- Numerous other short story collections, essays and plays
Adaptations
- Stage play 'Aquela Mulher' performed in Brazil (2008–2009)
Translations of Works
- Translated into over 25 languages, notably into English (many translations by Daniel Hahn)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- blending history and fictionfantastical/oneiric imagerypolyphonic narratives
- Recurring Motifs
- memory and oblivioncolonial legacyintersection of personal and collective history
Legacy
Agualusa is among the key contemporary Angolan writers who brought Lusophone African literature to international attention. His blending of history and imagination, wide translation into many languages, and major international awards have raised the profile of Lusophone literature.
In Popular Culture
- Excerpts of his work have been included in anthologies and contemporary African literature collections internationally.
Quotes
-
(Ana Mafalda Leite) Agualusa's work often provides a link between history and fiction, illustrating how literary imagination can take precedence over historical account.
Source: Ana Mafalda Leite, The Postcolonial Literature of Lusophone Africa (1996) (1996)
Trivia
- One of the first African writers to win the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize (2007).
- Co-founded the Brazilian publisher Língua Geral.
- Resides on the Island of Mozambique and has worked to establish a public library there.