PEN/Ralph Manheim Award for Translation

_Note: This award will be conferred next in the 2027 Literary Awards cycle._

PEN America

PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others.

PEN America Literary Awards

Founded in 1963, the PEN America Literary Awards honor the most outstanding voices in literature across diverse genres, including fiction, poetry, science writing, essays, sports writing, biography, children’s literature, and drama. With the help of our partners, PEN America confers over 20 distinct awards, fellowships, and grants each year, awarding over $370,000 to writers and translators annually.

The PEN America Literary Awards program celebrates literary excellence, encourages global discourse, champions important voices, and brings new books to life through our publication awards. From exciting new voices to underrecognized masters of their craft, PEN America honors challenging, thought-provoking, genre-defying writers.

PEN/Ralph Manheim Award for Translation

The PEN/Ralph Manheim Award for Translation is given every three years to a translator whose career has demonstrated a commitment to excellence through the body of their work. Nominations are solicited from PEN America Members and the winner is selected by a sub-committee of the PEN America Translation Committee.

The award was initiated by funds donated by the late Bernard Malamud and by Gay Talese, and has received additional support from the family and friends of Ralph Manheim, the prolific and widely acclaimed English translator. The award will be conferred with a $1,000 cash purse.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

• Nominations for this award are solicited from Professional Members of PEN America. Each year’s judging panel takes these nominations into consideration, and all nominations may be supplemented by nominations from the judges themselves. The winner is selected by a sub-committee of the PEN America Translation Committee.

Ineligibility

• Self-published books are ineligible.
• Authors may not submit their own books.
• Writers who are also current PEN America staff or interns, trustees, or chairs of Member committees are not eligible for any of the Awards and/or Grants offered by the Literary Awards Program. Additionally, all current members of the Literary Awards Committee are ineligible.