Ukrainian political scientist Halyna Herasym has won the Translated Book Award from the Peterson Literary Fund for her translation of “On Freedom,” written by US historian Timothy Snyder and released by Crown Publishing.
“I was named the award winner, but the entire publishing house’s effort made it possible. Without their flawless layout, patience, helpful advice, and gentle encouragement Snyder wouldn’t exist in Ukrainian. I especially want to thank the editors for their often unseen work, which makes our job as translators much easier. If you’d like to congratulate us all, please consider donating to support Khartia,” Herasym wrote on her Facebook page.
The Ukrainian translation of “On Freedom” was published in 2024 by Choven Publishing House.
“A brilliant exploration of freedom — what it is, how it’s been misunderstood, and why it’s our only chance for survival — by the acclaimed Yale historian and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller On Tyranny,” reads the book’s annotation on many prominent websites, including Goodreads.
The award ceremony will take place on Nov. 29 in Toronto, Canada. Timothy Snyder expects to attend the ceremony.
The Peterson Literary Fund Translated Book Award is presented biennially. The award recognizes the best recently published books in translation, both nonfiction and fiction. The award is given to books translated either into or from Ukrainian.
The Award aspires to honor excellence in the collaboration of translators, editors, and publishers, and to encourage support for quality literature relevant to the global Ukrainian community and representative of the diverse Ukrainian experience.
Each Translated Book Award provides $10,000 CAD, shared equally between the author and the translator. In the case of anthologies with multiple contributors, the author’s portion will go to the editor(s).
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Copy editing: Terra Friedman King