AWP had the opportunity to talk with Chad W. Post, publisher at Open Letter, which publishes translated works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by writers from all over the world, from Serbia, Peru, Israel, China, Denmark, and elsewhere.

Would you describe the press? Open Letter is part of the University of Rochester—connected to the university’s programs in literary translation—and publishes ten works in translation every year, mostly fiction. But we also have an ongoing poetry series and publish at least one collection every year. In terms of our aesthetic, we seek out books that are unusual, that are lasting, that can help expand the possibilities for fiction among English readers and writers. I think that translations give writers and readers a new way to think about how a story can be told.

And what happens to someone who reads all the new books Open Letter publishes in a year? Their brain will explode with joy! Actually, what I hope they’ll find is a wide range of experiences. For instance, this past year included an experimental game-novel (Navidad & Matanza), a sentimental, yet humorous novel (The Last Days of My Mother), a massive anthology of twentieth-century Spanish-language literature (A Thousand Forests in One Acorn), and a story of BFFs and Greek politics (Why I Killed My Best Friend), among others. Since our inception, we’ve offered a subscription series to readers interested in receiving our full collection (only $100 for 10 books!), so I actually do think about what it’s like reading all of these books in a row, one a month.

What are you trying to do for readers? Entertain and illuminate. I believe that reading is one of the most engaging and important artistic mediums. Things can expand, new connections can be made, and, most importantly, reading causes you to slow down and think.

How does Open Letter select new books for publication? Our editorial director Kaija Straumanis reads all submissions—which are legion—and makes recommendations to me and to the rest of the editorial committee (which includes Joanna Scott and Jennifer Grotz—two amazing authors). We look for books that get us excited, that we are passionate about. If no one is passionate about a book, then we won’t publish it. In terms of the poetry series, Jennifer Grotz reads fully translated collections and then selects a book a year. We are a nonprofit, so we do need grants and donations—and the support of the University of Rochester—to keep going. On average, sales of literature in translation aren’t generally large enough to keep a press afloat. Some books do sell very well, but for every Per Petterson there are 5,000 Patrick Modianos—authors whose books are read by a dedicated few until they win the Nobel Prize.

Any good new books on the way? Always! I could name a dozen, but I’ll stick with these three projects: Thanks to a grant from the Danish Arts Council, over the next five years we’re going to publish works from five contemporary Danish female writers, starting with Naja Marie Aidt’s first novel (Rock, Paper, Scissors); we’re doing at least two works by Antoine Volodine (Post Exoticism in Ten Lessons, Lesson Eleven and Bardo or No Bardo), a French writer whose oeuvre—which includes multiple pseudonyms, an invented literary movement, the collapse of capitalism, and spiders—is one of the most ambitious writing projects I’ve ever heard of; and next fall we’re doing Andrés Neuman’s new book, The Things We Don’t Do, which reminds me a lot of Julio Cortázar’s story collections.

Visit http://www.openletterbooks.org to view their ever-increasing catalog, submit new works of translation, or subscribe. And check out Three Percent, Open Letter’s companion website for book reviews, translation news, and the Three Percent Podcast: http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent.