2015 Read Russia Prize Winner Announced

Jun 04, 2015

Vladimir Sharov’s Before and During (Dedalus Books), translated by Oliver Ready, has won the annual Read Russia Prize, which honors a translation of Russian literature into English published in 2014. The prize carries a cash award shared by translator and publisher.

"Translation should not strive for perfection, but for excellence," said the jury in its citation. "Perfection is impossible, whereas excellence is only nearly impossible. And excellence is what Oliver Ready achieves in his rendering of Before and During by Vladimir Sharov. He captures the clear voice and confused mentality of the narrator who is able to love both Christ and Lenin, who prays for the sinner Ivan the Terrible and who tries to unravel the legacy of the Bolsheviks."

For the full press release, click here.