Author of book published by Nebraska Press wins Nobel Prize

On Oct. 8, Sweden announced the Nobel Prize in Literature, surprising most people by naming Romanian-born author Herta Muller the winner. Her book, “Nadirs,” was published by the University of Nebraska Press in 1999 following its translation from German to English by Sieglinde Lug, former professor at the University of Denver.

Only last year, French author J.M.G. Le Clezio won the Nobel Prize after publishing two books with the press, a collection of short stories titled “The Round and Other Cold Hard Facts” and a novel named “Onitsha,” said Cara Pesek, publicity manager for the University Press.

“We publish a lot of literature in translation,” Pesek said, “We have translations of high literary merit, and it proves we’re meeting that goal.”

Lug said she previously translated another German book called “Why is there Salt in the Sea?” for the UNP in 1988. It was met with wide acclaim, so the editor asked Lug to propose another project for the European Women Writers Series.

“I did some research in Germany and came up with Herta Muller’s ‘Niederungen’ or ‘Nadirs’ in English,” Lug said.

At the time, Muller was unknown except in some intellectual and literary circles. This was still the case when she was named the winner of the Nobel Prize.

“It was not easy to do this book,” Lug said. “It took me at least a year to translate and revise it.”

Muller’s book explores the themes of a totalitarian dictatorship in the Banat region of Romania from a young girl’s point of view. She discusses poverty and violence and the dreams of the young girl with simple and straight-forward, yet poetic language.

Pesek said the best way to explain the book is how Lug described it: “telling a story of a very difficult life, of a violent place in very beautiful language.”

Despite the book’s complexity and the difficulty of its translation, Lug said she was happy to work on the project.

“It was a very gratifying project for me, and I think she truly deserves this prize, both for the content and her language,” Lug said.

“Nadirs” was first written in a censored form in Romania and then smuggled to Germany to be published in the uncensored version that is seen today.

Lug didn’t meet Muller until she was nearly finished with the translation. “I had all my questions already clarified, often through my aunt who recognized some of the references to things of an earlier generation” she said.

Pesek expressed surprise that Muller won the Nobel Prize.

“I think it’s always a surprise when an award this huge is won, and especially since one of our authors won last year,” Pesek said.

Lug expressed similar sentiments.

“There are so many writers who are more well-known internationally,” she said. “But the Nobel committee has often come up with surprises like that.”

nicolestaton@dailynebraskan.com