Twisted Spoon Press

29/11/2024

From Stephan Delbos: "The long-awaited English translation of Czech Surrealist poet Vítězslav Nezval’s seminal work of poetic prose, A Prague Flaneur is fascinating and revealing: of Nezval, Prague, interwar politics, poetry, urbane bohemianism and romance. The writing (and translation) here is often beautiful and constantly inspiring, as Nezval’s meandering sentences encapsulate his life and life in his adopted city."

Four recent volumes of poetry, prose, and letters, reviewed by our editors:

https://www.bodyliterature.com/2024/11/29/books-in-brief-4/

29/09/2024

Gerhard Rühm, whose collection Cake & Prostheses we published in Alex Booth's great translation, will be making a rare appearance in Prague to present his latest book (hopefully something Alex might be able to translate as well) at the Rakouské kulturní fórum v Praze (Austrian Cultural Forum) on Monday, October 7, at 6 p.m. It will be primarily in German, maybe some Czech translation, but should certainly be worth attending.
More info here:
https://www.rkfpraha.cz/veda/gerhard-ruhm-die-gefaltete-uhr-100-zahlendichtungen-2024-10-07/

17/09/2024

" 'Flaneur' is a complex and not always easy book to read; yet perseverance brings great rewards if you sink yourself into the prose and just let it wash over you. The writing is often lyrical, obviously that of a poet, and the atmospheric prose does transport you into the past of the city."

Nice to hear Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings' thoughts on Vítězslav Nezval's "A Prague Flaneur." To be honest, we were not sure how his sometimes over the top Stalin praise would land, but most seem astute enough to understand the context without giving Nezval a pass on his views, nor should he be given a pass.

https://kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2024/09/17/i-shall-never-consent-to-contribute-to-a-universal-dejection-twistspoonpress-apragueflaneur/

As I’ve mentioned several times on the Ramblings, a favourite indie publisher is Twisted Spoon, an outfit based in Prague. I’ve reviewed a number of their books here, most recently the …

15/09/2024

"At its heart, THE UNFINISHED LIFE OF PHOEBE HICKS is a quirky love letter to the city of Providence."

Jess Jensen Mitchell reviews Agnieszka Taborska's book of collage-fiction with art by Selena Kimball in Ursula Phillips's new translation from the Polish: https://www.full-stop.net/2024/09/13/reviews/jessjensenmitchell/the-unfinished-life-of-phoebe-hicks-agnieszka-taborska/.

13/09/2024

"Reading the list of aphorisms in one sitting feels a touch overwhelming: each maxim is a finely-cut gem of philosophy that deserves its own moment of contemplation."

11/09/2024

The latest issue of The Berliner Magazine has a review of The Unfinished Life of Phoebe Hicks by Mathilde Montpetit, who says this:
"This book – atmospherically interspersed with collages by Selena Kimball – stays with you long after the seance is over."

Full review here:

A review of The Unfinished Life of Phoebe Hicks in the September 2024 issue of The Berliner

07/09/2024

Yes.

Physical copies are currently in the mail but we will make a PDF version available for download in the next couple of days...

04/09/2024

Happy 90th to Jan Švankmajer. Known best for his films and objects, his book illustrations are no less a marvel.
For example, Baradla Cave : https://www.twistedspoon.com/baradla-cave.html

Dnes slaví své 90. narozeniny významný český filmový režisér, scenárista, výtvarník a surrealista Jan Švankmajer, který svým dílem ovlivnil nejen českou, ale i světovou kinematografii.

Jan Švankmajer se podílel na několika kultovních snímcích, jako jsou Adéla ještě nevečeřela, Tajemství hradu v Karpatech, Deváté srdce, Upír z Feratu či Něco z Alenky.

Jeho unikátní styl a imaginaci obdivují i světoví filmaři jako Tim Burton nebo Terry Gilliam.

Přejeme všechno nejlepší!

11/08/2024

125 years ago today, the birth of Jindřich Štyrský. Died too young, but left his mark.

Jindřich Štyrský, a Czech painter, photographer, graphic artist, publisher, writer, poet, and stage designer for the Liberated Theatre, was a man of boundless talent.

08/08/2024

With the recent passing of Annie Le Brun, Kenneth Cox of the Leeds Surrealist Group (Phosphor - a surrealist luminescence) has translated her new preface to a recent reprint of Qui vive. A necessary corrective and reminder amid all the anniversary clamor and attendant productions, many thanks to Kenneth for doing this and making it available.

To mark Annie Le Brun’s death on 29th July 2024, I have translated the introduction that she wrote for the new, augmented edition of Qui vive: Considérations actuelles sur l’inactualité du surréali…

31/07/2024

17/07/2024

Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings unequivocally recommends Agnieszka Taborska's The Unfinished Life of Phoebe Hicks (tr. by Ursula Phillips):

"As I read through this wonderful book, I realised that Phoebe Hicks had to be a construct, created quite brilliantly by her author and blended with history."

https://kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2024/07/17/the-absence-of-order-between-the-worlds-twistspoonpress/

29/06/2024

Thanks to the Polish Book Institute for supporting the translation.

Ukazał się angielski przekład książki „Niedokończonego życia Phoebe Hicks” Agnieszki Taborskiej. Wydanie tłumaczenia pióra Ursuli Phillips wsparliśmy w ramach Programu Translatorskiego ©POLAND.

Przekład wydała niezależna oficyna Twisted Spoon Press która ma siedzibę w Pradze, ale zajmuje się przybliżaniem zachodnim czytelnikom literatury z krajów Europy Środkowej i Wschodniej.