This year’s Soduma Prize was awarded to Amanda Aizpuriete, Silvija Brice and Arvis Viguls – Book Review

This year, Dzintars Sodums’ 99th birthday celebration has awarded three prizes for innovation in Latvian literature – poet Amanda Aizpuriete, translator and writer Silvija Brice and poet and translator Arvis Vigula, informs “Anete Konste”, a representative of “Latvian Literature”.

For Silvija Brice’s book “Baigās piezīmes”, published by “Zvaigzne ABC”, the Soduma Prize jury notes a sovereign text that cannot be placed in the frames of any genre and is written in a surprisingly precise and rich Latvian language. Silvia Brice is the first author to receive the Soduma Prize for the second time – this time not as a translator, but as a writer.

The prize was also awarded to the poetess Amanda Aizpuriete for the poetry book “Before Leaving”, published by the publishing house “Neputns”. The innovation of this work is revealed in the pearl of lyricism, in which the author polishes more than a century of words and poetry (Aspazija, Austra Skujiņa, Velga Krile, Vizma Belševica) in the 21st century. The book restores the unbroken line of Latvian poetry, the common picture.

This year, the third Soduma Prize is awarded to poet and translator Arvis Viguls for the translation of Richard Brotigan’s book “Trout Cope in America”, published by Orbīta, which was created in Latvian for the first time. Arvis Viguls reproduces an American text that only looks as simple as its subtle nuances, well-hidden humor and bitter smile.

Among the books submitted for the Sodum Prize, the jury – Arturs Hansons, Roalds Dobrovenskis, Dace Jansone and Nora Ikstena – notes several other works that are worthy of attention and praise: Leonid Dobičina’s “Enpils” Zvirzdiņa, created by Inga Ābele.

This year the award will be presented on Dzintars Sodums’ birthday on May 13 at 15.00 on the Ikšķile stage, observing the restrictions of the pandemic set in the country and in the presence of the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Latvia Nauris Puntulis. The prize fund awarded by the city of Ikšķile is 4267 eur.

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