Lin King, a graduate of Columbia University, has made waves by being named a Finalist for the prestigious 2024 National Book Award for her remarkable translation of Yáng Shuang-zi’s Taiwan Travelogue. This recognition places her within the elite company of literary talents, as her translation stands out among five finalists competing for the prize in the Translated Literature category.
Taiwan Travelogue, originally crafted in Mandarin Chinese, intricately weaves the story of two women during the backdrop of 1930s Taiwan, exploring their unlikely bond as they navigate life under Japanese rule. King's translation managed to resonate with the judging panel, launching it from the longlist of ten titles, announced earlier this month, to this esteemed finalist status.
The National Book Awards, established back in 1950, are celebrated for highlighting the best American literature each year. This year’s awards cover five categories, marking the 75th ceremony and culminating with the announcement of winners on November 20. Alongside King, the finalists will vie for additional honors, including monetary rewards and the iconic bronze medal awarded to laureates.
King also has the honor of participating in the National Book Awards Finalist Reading event, scheduled for November 19 at NYU Skirball, where she will present excerpts from her translation. This lively gathering is not just limited to physical attendees, as it will be available for livestream viewing, allowing book lovers everywhere to engage with this literary celebration.
King’s achievement is part of a broader trend as Columbia University’s School of the Arts celebrates several alumni recognized for their literary contributions. Among them is Rachel Kushner, another Columbia alum who landed on the longlist for her newest novel Creation Lake, which also draws attention for its captivating narrative surrounding an American secret agent enmeshed with French subversives.
Kushner's previous accolades, including two previous finalist spots for the National Book Awards, add to her literary credibility and showcase her sustained presence within the American literary scene where she continues to push boundaries. The nation awaits whether Kushner, too, will convert this longlisting to finalist honors and potentially take home the gold.
Meanwhile, the longlist also highlighted Gregory Pardlo for his poetry collection Spectral Evidence, which delves deep not only through the lenses of race but also the intersection of beauty and suffering experienced by Black Americans. His inclusion signifies the diverse range of voices and styles recognized by the National Book Awards committee, showcasing the richness of contemporary literature.
Likewise, Yvette Siegert joins the pool of talent with her translation work on Fernando Vallejo’s The Abyss, which offers readers poignant insights through autobiographical narratives interspersed with themes of familial love amid loss. This poignant retelling, native to the Spanish language, echoes the importance of translation work in bringing global stories to wider audiences.
The anticipation surrounding the award ceremonies tends to spark interest not only for who will win but for the literary dialogues initiated by the competing works. The National Book Awards represent not just a celebration of literature but also of cultural dialogues and the relevance of narratives today. Each finalist epitomizes mastery of language, creativity, and the ability to interlace personal experiences with wider historical contexts.
From the reception of these nominations to the eventual crowning of winners, the coming weeks are bound to be filled with conversations revolving around literature’s power to inform, inspire, and provoke thought—where each author, translator, and every translated work contributes to the rich mosaic of global storytelling.
Readers and literary enthusiasts alike have much to look forward to as the literary community gathers to honor these creators whose works will undoubtedly echo for years to come, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers.
