Asymptote Podcast Asymptote Podcast

The third Asymptote Podcast episode for 2024 explores a chapter in the life of Vladimir Nabokov during his time in the United States (where he became a citizen in 1945). With his spouse, Vera, and son, Dimitri, he travelled across the America West at the dawn of the mid-nineteenth century. It’s estimated that Nabokov chalked up some 150,000 miles of travel by train and automobile, to Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and other destinations in the Western United States. His curiosity for the West was supported by his interest in butterflies. The Russian American writer, known for his novels including Lolita and Pale Fire, was also a dedicated scientist of butterflies (a lepidopterist). Dr. Corrine Scheiner, the Maytag Professor of Comparative Literature at Colorado College, joins Podcast Editor Vincent Hostak in conversation about Nabokov’s twin passions: literature and lepidoptera. She explores how his scientific and aesthetic concerns converged in many of his writings. Dr. Scheiner also discusses, in depth, Nabokov’s work as a translator and his approach to self-translation. The episode was recorded in several locations within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where Nabokov researched and began writing Lolita. She shares readings that are often peppered with his acerbic wit regarding his experience with critics and the art of translation. Of course, the discussion would not be complete without insight from a contemporary lepidopterist.  From the conservatory within the Butterfly Pavilion, Shiran Hershcovich provides a unique perspective on the families of butterflies Nabokov likely encountered on his “hunts.”  Listen to the podcast now.

In the second podcast episode centering on contributors to Asymptote’s landmark 50th issue, Danish-Norwegian author Kristin Vego joins Podcast Editor Vincent Hostak in conversation. Her story, "All Things Lovely," as translated by Jennifer Russell, represents her debut in the English language. Vego’s story also arrives at a moment when Norwegian literature is receiving global attention with last year‘s Nobel Prize in Literature going to Jon Fosse. Kristin Vego speaks of the “ghost of childhood” inhabiting a story of a young girl leaning into adulthood during a summer holiday within a Nordic landscape. Russell’s translation of Kristin Vego’s story sits alongside new work from 35 countries and 21 languages in the Winter 2024 issue, dedicated to the theme of coexistence. Listen to the podcast now.

Esteemed translator David Unger joins our new Podcast Editor Vincent Hostak for a conversation with readings of the poetry of Jaime Barrios Carillo. Born in Guatemala City in 1954 and living in Stockholm since 1981, Carrillo is known principally as a writer and columnist. His Two Poems from the Spanish Language volume Ángeles sin dios (Angels Without God; Ediciones Fenix), make their English language debut in the milestone 50th issue of  Asymptote, himself well acquainted with the social and political landscapes of Guatemala, provides rare insight into Carillo’s vision and style, influenced by the tradition of what Chilean Nicanor Parra called the Anti-poem. David Unger’s translations of Carrillo’s Two Poems sit alongside new work from 35 countries and 21 languages in the Winter 2024 issue dedicated to the theme of coexistence christened "Me | You | Us." Listen to the podcast now.

It’s Steve Lehman’s final episode as our podcast editor, and we’re going out with a bang: a timely interview with the Ethiopian writer and translator Bethlehem Attfield. In this episode, Bethlehem talks with Steve about co-translating Mulugeta Alebachew’s short story “Heaven Without Prickly Pears” for our Summer 2021 issue. She also discusses the lack of representation of African vernacular languages in English translation, and her mission to change that by advocating for Ethiopian literature on the world stage. The episode wraps up with an excerpt of the short story, read first in the original Amharic by the author, followed by Bethlehem with her English cotranslation. Listen to the podcast now!

Summer has arrived (in the northern hemisphere, anyway), and today we’re heading to Iceland! In this episode, Icelandic writer Kári Tulinius chats with podcast editor Steve Lehman about growing up in Iceland, the advantages of a tight-knit literary community, and how writing poetry is part of what it means to be human. Then, Kári reads one of his poems published in our just-released Summer issue, “Upon seeing Snæfellsjökull Glacier from an idling bus,” in both the original Icelandic and in Larissa Kyzer’s English translation. Listen to the podcast now!

Today on the show, the award-winning author and translator Padma Viswanathan joins podcast editor Steve Lehman to talk about her love for Brazilian literature, the connection between writing and translating, and how translation helps her form an even closer relationship to Portuguese. Afterwards, stick around to hear an excerpt from the short story “The Woman Who Didn’t Know How to Die,” written by Adelice Souza and translated by Padma Viswanathan, in both Portuguese and English. You can read the full story, and many other great works in translation, at asymptotejournal.com.