1 of 1 The writer Stênio Gardel from Ceará is winner of the National Book Awards in the USA Photo: Reproduction The writer Stênio Gardel from Ceará is winner of the National Book Awards in the USA Photo: Reproduction
The writer Stênio Gardel, born in the city of Limoeiro do Norte in the interior of Ceará, won the translation category at the National Book Awards, one of the most traditional literary prizes in the United States. The winners were announced on Wednesday evening (15) at a ceremony in New York in the presence of presenter Oprah Winfrey.
In his victory speech, Stênio Gardel thanked his mother Irene for the award. “She’s no longer with us, but she always believed in me and without her I wouldn’t be here. “She was the best mother and I miss her so much.” (Read the full speech below.)
Stênio won with his debut novel “A Palavra Que Remain”, published by Companhia das Letras in 2021 and translated by Bruna Dantas Lobato with the English title “The Words That Remain”. The work was published in the United States by New Vessel Press.
The book competed for the trophy with nine other works originally written in Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Korean and Spanish. The $10,000 prize will be divided equally between the author and the translator.
“The Remaining Words” tells the story of Raimundo, a 70yearold man who learns to read in order to find out what is in a letter that has haunted him all his life, written by Cícero, a boy he loved secretly. The letter brings back intense memories of his first love, his illiterate childhood in an impoverished area of Brazil and the life he built for himself after his departure.
Check out the winners in the other categories:
- Fiction: “Blackouts” by Justin Torres;
- Nonfiction: “The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Destruction of U.S. History,” by Ned Blackhawk;
- Young adult literature: “A First Time for Everything” by Dan Santat;
- Poetry: “From unincorporated territory [åmot]” (“From the incorporated area (åmot)”), by Craig Santos Perez.
Word of thanks speech:
What is happening now?
Many thanks to the National Book Foundation and the jury. I dedicate this award to my mother Irene. She is no longer with us, but she always believed in me and without her I wouldn’t be here. She was the best mother and I miss her so much
I would like to thank my brother Jardel, all my family and friends. Socorro Acioli, Vanessa Ferrari, Julia Bussios, Fernando Rinaldi, Stephanie Roque and all from Companhia das Letras, a Brazilian publishing house. And also Lúcia Riff, Julia Wähmann and everyone from the Riff agency.
Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to Bruna, who captures the heart and breath of the book and writes it in her own beautiful words. And to Michael Wise at News Vessel Press for all his dedication and work and for giving my book such a beautiful home.
Having grown up as a gay boy in the hinterland of northeastern Brazil, it was impossible for me to even dream of such an honor, but to be here tonight as a gay man and receive this honor for the book about another gay man’s journey to acceptance I myself want to tell anyone who has ever felt wrong that your heart and desires are real and that you, like everyone else, are worthy of living a full life and achieving impossible dreams.
Thanks. Good night.
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