UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — Kurt Beals, a German studies professor and humanities fellow in literary translation at the University of Richmond, is on the shortlist for the James Tait Black Prize for his translation of Jenny Erpenbeck’s essay collection Things that Disappear: Reflections and Memories. Founded in 1919, the James Tait Black Prizes are the oldest literary awards in the UK, awarded annually to the best work of fiction and biography in English. Historic prize winners have included authors such as Cormac McCarthy, Muriel Spark, Zadie Smith, and Peter Ackroyd. Beals is on the shortlist with nine other international writers. “It’s a true honor to have my translation on the shortlist,” said Beals.

Source: International New York Times April 06, 2026 16:19 UTC