Scego
2019 Longlist

Adua

Translated from the Italian by Jamie Richards
artwork-image

ABOUT
THE BOOK

Adua, an immigrant from Somalia to Italy, has lived in Rome for nearly forty years. She came seeking freedom from a strict father and an oppressive regime, but her dreams of becoming a film star ended in shame. Now that the civil war in Somalia is over, her homeland beckons. Yet Adua has a husband who needs her, a young man, also an immigrant, who braved a dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. When her father, who worked as an interpreter for Mussolini’s fascist regime, dies, Adua inherits the family home. She must decide whether to make the journey back to reclaim her material inheritance, but also how to take charge of her own story and build a future.

 

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Igiaba
Scego

Igiaba Scego is an Italian novelist and journalist. She was born in Rome in 1974 to Somali parents who took refuge in Italy following a coup d’état in their native country, where her father served as foreign minister.

Igiaba Scego is an Italian novelist and journalist. She was born in Rome in 1974 to Somali parents who took refuge in Italy following a coup d’état in their native country, where her father served as foreign minister.

ABOUT
THE TRANSLATOR Jamie
Richards

Jamie Richards is a full-time literary translator from Italian, with occasional forays into Spanish, Greek, and German. Born and raised in suburban Los Angeles, she earned her BA in English from Scripps College, with a semester’s study at Temple University, Rome, and went on to complete an MFA in literary translation at the University of Iowa and a PhD in comparative literature from the University of Oregon.

Jamie Richards is a full-time literary translator from Italian, with occasional forays into Spanish, Greek, and German. Born and raised in suburban Los Angeles, she earned her BA in English from Scripps College, with a semester’s study at Temple University, Rome, and went on to complete an MFA in literary translation at the University of Iowa and a PhD in comparative literature from the University of Oregon.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Date published
01/01/2015
Country
Italy
Original Language
Italian
Author
Publisher
New Vessel Press
Translator
Jamie Richards
Translation
Translated from the Italian by Jamie Richards

RELATED FEATURES

News November 19 2024

2025 Dublin Literary Award Judges Announced

Meet our judging panel for 2025 Dublin Literary Award
Video November 1 2024

2024 Dublin Literary Award Ceremony

2024 Dublin Literary Award Ceremony with broadcaster Rick O'Shea. Livestreamed from the International Literature Festival Dublin in Merrion Square Park on Thursday 23rd May 2024.
Audio June 11 2024

All About Books Podcast Features the 2024 Dublin Literary Award

Dublin City FM podcaster Katy Conneely spotlights the award.
Video June 5 2024

2024 Winners Mircea Cărtărescu & Sean Cotter in conversation

with Journalist Alex Clarke at the International Literature Festival Dublin.

STAY CONNECTED

Stay in touch and sign up to our newsletter to receive all the latest news and updates on the Dublin Literary Award.