Check out PEN intern Rachel Morganstern-Clarren’s translation of Brazilian poet Flavio de Araujo at Asymptote Journal.
Rachel, an MFA candidate in poetry at Columbia, also recently won the Academy of American Poets prize at Columbia for her original poem Lenox Avenue.
Congratulations, Rachel!
Reading Books Shortens Prisoners’ Sentences In Brazilian Prison
Inmates in four federal prisons holding some of Brazil’s most notorious criminals will be able to read up to 12 works of literature, philosophy, science or classics to trim a maximum 48 days off their sentence each year, the government announced.
Prisoners will have up to four weeks to read each book and write an essay which must “make correct use of paragraphs, be free of corrections, use margins and legible joined-up writing,” said the notice published on Monday in the official gazette.
(via Reading Books Shortens Prisoners’ Sentences In Brazilian Prison)
Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, UN Messenger of Peace. Photo/Paul Macleod
22 December 2010 – Brazilian author Paulo Coelho has enchanted readers with his best-selling books such as The Alchemist” and “The Pilgrimage.” The winner of numerous awards for his works, which have been translated into more than 65 languages, Mr. Coelho uses his global appeal to help underprivileged men and women in Brazil and around the world. For this, the Rio de Janeiro native was designated as a UN Messenger of Peace in September 2007. He also works with UNESCO as a Special Counselor for Intercultural Dialogues and Spiritual Convergences, and is part of the UN’s “Network of Men Leaders” tasked with helping to end violence against women. The UN News Centre spoke to Mr. Coelho about building bridges between people and cultures, and his work with the UN.
The following post was written by PEN World Voices correspondent Marina Araujo.
I’m a Brazilian fascinated with American poetry and literature, and thrilled with PEN Festival, the literary crowd in New York and the political engagement of the Center. I’ll be posting here comments in English, but also in Portuguese, so that the Brazilian public can get a better idea of PEN’s work. More than ever, Brazil and the United States must build solid bridges to connect their shared experiences in the realms of politics and literature. Our blooming literary scene will surely benefit from that, and we have the urgency to refine our political reflection regarding our own past of censorship and torture. Today, our ethical debate involves the discussion of memory and justice for those involved in the military dictatorship in Brazil. To build a dialogue in this environment that celebrates diversity is the ideal path to greater democratic experiences.
Salman Rushdie abriu os trabalhos do PEN World Voices na segunda-feira . O festival celebra a literatura internacional e coloca em debate os tópicos de tortura, liberdade de expressão e infrações aos direitos humanos em várias partes do mundo. Apropriadamente toma como sede Nova York. Os atentados de 11 de setembro que mudaram a configuração política mundial têm aqui um impacto ainda mais profundo; foram pouco absorvidos e confusamente intelectualizados pelos moradores, com suas próprias tragédias pessoais.
