“With this de-centred storytelling, Selyem succeeds in creating a blank page for thinking about political trauma, history, and landscape, in what feels like a wholly new chapter in Eastern European literature” – The Calvert Journal
Zsuzsa Selyem is a novelist and works as Associate Professor of 20th century Hungarian literature and comparative contemporary literature at Babes-Bolyai University Cluj, Romania. She studied mathematics, Hungarian and English literature at the Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj and earned her PhD in Aesthetics at ELTE, Budapest, Hungary. In the last few years she has studied literature from the point of view of Ecocriticism and Animal Studies. Her short story “Confectionery 1952” was published in the volume BEST EUROPEAN FICTION 2017 at Dalkey Archive Press, USA and “Danube 1954” was nominated for Pushcart Prize XLII by World Literature Today. Her novel entitled It’s Raining in Moscow, translated by Erika Mihálycsa and Peter Sherwood was among the 75 notable translations of 2020 according to World Literature Today.
Publications in English
- It’s Raining in Moscow. (novel) Translated by Erika Mihálycsa and Peter Sherwood. Contra Mundum Press, New York, 2020.
- The Moon through the Hard Water. America Doesn’t Like Me. Translated by Erika Mihálycsa. World Literature Today 2019 October
- Danube 1954. Translated by Erika Mihálycsa. World Literature Today 2016 November
- Hunt 1947. Translated by Erika Mihálycsa. http://themissingslate.com/2016/06/24/hunt-1947/
- Sparrows sold for a penny. Some Jewish-Christian Concepts on emancipatory political subject. LEFTEAST, December 2, 2016.
- Being an Object, Being a Person. Indirect interpersonality in Imre Kertész’ oeuvre. Philobiblon 2016/1
- How Long and When: Open Time Interval and Dignified Living Creatures in The Turin Horse. ACTA UNIV. SAPIENTIAE, FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES, 10 (2015)
- The Fibonacci Novel. Laszlo Krasznahorkai’s Hommage to Mario Merz in Seiobo There Below. Philobiblon 2014/1.
- Home? Where? Translated by Paul Crowson. Haza-Heimat-Home Festival, 2012. http://www.muut.hu/?p=1110
- 9 Kilos. A story after Psalm 119. Translated by David Robert Evans [excerpt] http://www.hlo.hu/object.99debe75-f73e-44cb-ae39-52908b1e4eb8.ivy European First Novel Festival 2007 – anthology edited by Eva Karadi. Visit Printing House, Budapest.
- Redefining Places Where People Were Supposed to Live. The Squat Story. (essay) http://www.galerie-k-s.de/iex/english/un_terri/uno1.htm#
books in Hungarian
- Az első világvége, amit együtt töltöttünk [The First Apocalypse We Spent Together. Short stories] Budapest: Jelenkor Publishing, 2020.
- Moszkvában esik [It’s Raining in Moscow. novel] Budapest: Jelenkor Publishing, 2016.
- Fiktív állatok. A rezisztencia irodalmi formáiról. [Fictitious Animals. On the literary forms of resistance] Cluj: University Press, Bolyai Society. 2014.
- Mire vársz. Short stories. Miercurea Ciuc: Bookart. 2009.
- Erdei politika. Political essays. Cluj: Koinónia. 2009.
- Fehérek közt. Budapest: Vigilia. 2007.
- 9 kiló. Történet a 119. zsoltárra[novel] Cuj: Koinónia. 2006.
- Szembe szét. Humor és szentség összefüggése Esterházy Péter prózájában. [Homeylies. The Relationship between Humour and Sanctity in Péter Esterházy’s Prose] Cluj: Koinónia. 2004.
- Valami helyet.[A Place] Essays and Studies. Budapest: József Attila Kör – Kijárat. 2001.
German
- Regen in Moskau. Aus dem Ungarischen von Eva Zador. Nischen Verlag, Wien, 2018.
- 9 kilo (Geschichte zu Psalm 119). Aus dem Ungarischen von Agnes Relle und Werner D. Stichnoth, Merz & Solitude, Stuttgart, 2006.
- Monte Carlo. Aus dem Ungarischen von Agnes Simon. In: Jean-Baptiste Joly (Hg.):Was machen sie dort am Schloss?Akademie Schloss Solitude, Merz&Solitude, 2006. 202-207.
- Der Roman, in dem “die Neunte Symphonie zurückgenommen worden sei” Über die Funktion der Rücknahme in den RomanenLiquidation von Imre Kertész bzw. Doktor Faustus von Thomas Mann. Weimarer Beiträge. Zeitschrift für Literaturwissenschaft, Ästhetik und Kulturwissenschaften. 1/2006. pp. 63-81.
- Broken. Aus dem Ungarischen von Kinga Hajdú. In: Siegender Dachs: Wem gehört Siebenbürgen? Koinónia Verlag, Klausenburg, 2006
- Das Grose Essen, Grand Hotel, Roter Riese etc. Aus dem Ungarischen von Agnes Relle und Werner D. Stichnoth. Freitag, 23. Februar 2007.http://www.freitag.de/pdf-archiv/Freitag-2007-08.pdf
Romanian
- La Moscova plouă. Traducere de Judit E. Ferencz. Editura ICR, Bucureşti, 2017.
- Spectacolul cianurii. Aspectele etice ale comunicării sociale despre mina de aur din Roşia Montană în post-democraţie. Revista Vatra, Octombrie 2014.
French
- 9 kg. Récit sur le 119e psaume. Traduit par Emőke Simon, révision par Gerard Gâcon. Lyon: Jacques André Editeur, 2011.
- Être objet, être sujet. Les enjeux de la personnalité chez Imre Kertész. Traduit du hongrois par Clara Royer. Lignes, 2017/2
awards and fellowships
2021 – Baumgarten Memorial Prize
2016 – Déry Tibor Prize
2015 – Writer in residence, Landys & Gyr Stiftung, Zug, Switzerland
2008 – Nívó Award for essay awarded by the literary magazine LÁTÓ
2006 – The representative of Hungary at the European First Novel Festival, Budapest
2005 – Writer-in-residence, Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart, Germany
2004 – Schöpflin Aladár Fellowship for Minority Hungarian Critics
2002-2003 – Ernst Mach Research Fellowship, University of Vienna
1998 – Móricz Zsigmond Fellowship for Young Hungarian Writers
conversation
“What a charming dude is our neighbour”: Zsuzsa Selyem in conversation with Erika Mihálycsa
photo: Péter Máté/Jelenkor Publishing