Angela Rodel Explained

Angela Rodel (Bulgarian: Анджела Родел) is an American-born Bulgarian-to-English literary translator and the executive director of the Bulgarian Fulbright Commission. In 2023, Rodel won the International Booker Prize for her translation of Georgi Gospodinov's novel Time Shelter.^{[1] [2]}

Rodel was born in Milwaukee.^[3] She graduated from Burnsville High School in 1992. She has a B.A. in lingustics from Yale University and an M.A. in linguistics and ethnomusicology from UCLA. She joined a Slavic chorus at Yale^[4] and first came to Bulgaria in 1996 to study its language and music at Sofia University.

Rodel has been living in Sofia, Bulgaria since 2004 with her Bulgarian husband and daughter. She was awarded Bulgarian citizenship in 2014.^{[5] [6]}

Selected translations

• 18% Gray by Zachary Karabashliev (2013)
• The Physics of Sorrow by Georgi Gospodinov (2015)
  • PEN Translation Prize nominee
  • National Translation Award nominee
  • Best Translated Book Award nominee
• The Wolf Hunt by Ivailo Petrov (2017)
• Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov (2022)
  • International Booker Prize winner
• The Case of Cem by Vera Mutafchieva (2024)^[6]

Notes and References

1. News: Blair . Elizabeth . 23 May 2023 . Georgi Gospodinov and Angela Rodel win International Booker Prize for 'Time Shelter' . NPR.
2. News: Shaffi . Sarah . 2023-05-23 . International Booker prize announces first ever Bulgarian winner . 2024-05-16 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
3. Web site: See who’s on the 2023 International Booker Prize shortlist Southbank Centre . 2024-05-16 . www.southbankcentre.co.uk . en.
4. Web site: Hewitt. Chris . Burnsville native who dreams in Bulgarian wins share of International Booker Prize . 2024-05-16 . StarTribune.
5. Web site: Коя е Анджела Родел - американка по гражданство и българка по душа - По света и у нас - БНТ Новини . 2024-05-16 . bntnews.bg . bg.
6. Web site: Angela Rodel: The American Who Wins Prizes for Bulgaria . 2024-05-16 . www.bta.bg . en.