Peirene Press

This Book and I Could Be Friends would like to announce the upcoming arrival of two books from Peirene Press. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to work with a brand-new independent publishing house and just thought I'd give you all a brief introduction.

Peirene Press was founded in 2008 by Meike Ziervogel, a German writer and journalist who has been living in London for the past two decades. (Read her blog here.) According to the website,

Peirene Press takes its name from a Greek nymph who turned into a water spring. The poets of Corinth discovered the Peirene source and, for centuries, they drank this water to receive inspiration.The idea of metamorphosis fits the art of translation beautifully. To turn a foreign book into an enjoyable English read involves careful attention to detail.

Although there are other small publishers dedicated to translated fiction (see sidebar), Peirene focuses exclusively on books of less than 200 pages. It's a really neat twist that makes perfect sense. Have a cozy night in? Instead of TV or a movie (unless True Blood is on!), why not nourish your mind with a short book? While plot is always important, Peirene also looks for language, structure, and rhythm to provide a well-rounded international reading experience.

Their first release, Véronique Olmi's Beside the Sea (translated from French by Adriana Hunter), debuted in February 2010 and will be followed by Maria Barbal's Stones in a Landslide (Catalan) in June and Friedrich Christian Delius's Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman (German) in September. All three books can be ordered through Amazon. Love the stylish covers!

I have always felt that it is especially important to support translated fiction in today's increasingly interconnected world. I also think it's great to see women succeed in business and publishing and wish Meike Ziervogel the best of luck. I can't wait to receive the books and look forward to reviewing them!

A special thanks to Iris on Books for introducing me to this publisher.