"Basque Literary History" is a Basque Success!

Posted by Daniel Montero on

On March 13, 2013 Joseba Zulaika helped present the Center for Basque Studies newest publication, Basque Literary History, in Donostia – San Sebastian in the Basque County. Zulaika was joined by collection editor Mari Jose Olaziregi and several of the book’s contributors. Basque Literary History, the fruit of more than six years of research and writing by many of the Basque Country’s most highly regarded experts in literature, is the first collection about Basque literary history to be published in English. Mari Jose Olaziregi – professor of literature at the University of the Basque Country and Director of the Promotion and Dissemination of Euskera at the Etxepare Basque Institute – spoke about Basque Literary History at the presentation. She highlighted that the book is a collective work rather than a work put together by a team. She added that the anthology provides a vision of the evolution that Basque literature has undergone as well as giving an overview of Basque literature and sociohistorical conditions that have marked Basque society and literature. Nearly a dozen academics worked on various chapters of the work including: Jesús María Lasagabaster, Igone Etxebarria, Joxerra Garzia, Aurelia Arkotxa, Beñat Oyharçabal, Jean Haritschelhar, Lourdes Otaegi, Patri Urkizu, Xabier Altzibar, Xabier Etxaniz, José Manuel López y Estibalitz Ezkerra. The book was translated into English by Amaia Gabantxo. 

Joseba Zulaika also spoke to the press about the Center’s commitment to Basque culture and stressed the importance of publishing works in English for the dissemination of Basque themes, saying that “otherwise it is impossible to have a presence in an international context, nor can you be present in the English-speaking world.”


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