Novelist Doris Lessing won the 2007 Nobel Prize for literature last
night, sending Chinese publishing houses scrambling for the rights
to her works.
In making its selection, the Swedish Academy described Lessing,
born in Persia, raised in Rhodesia and now living in London, as
"the epicist of the female experience, who with skepticism, fire
and visionary power has subjected a divided civilization to
scrutiny."
But her works are not well known among Chinese readers. Domestic
publishing houses did not expect her to win and failed to line up
translation rights in advance.
Only a few books among her vast body of work have been
translated into Chinese. They include her first book, The Grass
Is Singing, a couple of her most famous works - The Golden
Notebook and Love, Again, and a collection of short
stories.
Covers of The Grass Is
Singing, English and Chinese versions, written by Doris
Lessing, was first published in 1950. The Chinese version was
translated and published by Yilin Press in 1999.
Covers of The Golden
Notebook, English and Chinese versions, written by Doris
Lessing, was first published in 1962. The Chinese version was
translated and published by Yilin Press in 2003.
Covers of Love,
Again, English and Chinese versions, written by Doris Lessing,
was first published in 1995. The Chinese version was translated and
published by Shanghai Translation Publishing House in
2001.
Publishing houses in Shanghai are now trying to get the
translation rights to some of her other works, even though they
don't hold high sales expectations.
"Books by Nobel Prize winners are undeniably classics, but they
only attract a small group of readers who really love foreign
literature," Wu Hong, vice general editor of the Shanghai
Translation Publishing House, told Shanghai Daily.
"Their works are published more because of their significance
and the beauty of the words rather than for commercial gain."
Wu's firm published Lessing's Love, Again in 2001 and
will check its contract expiration day to see whether a reprint is
possible.
As for past winners, the Shanghai Translation Publishing House
obtained the rights to two books by Elfriede Jelinek, who won the
Nobel Price for literature in 2004, and three books by Imre
Kertesz, who won the prize in 2002.
Although My Name Is Red, written by 2006 Nobel Prize
winner Orhan Pamuk, sold 290,00 copies, a record for a translated
Nobel Prize winner's book, Wu considered that to be an
exception.
"If we get the rights to Lessing's books, the first edition will
probably be 10,000 to 20,000 copies, based on past sales
experience," Wu said.
Related Story:
British female writer Doris Lessing wins Nobel
Prize in literature
(Shanghai Daily October 12, 2007)
