Not-So-Simple Simon

We note with admiration and applause that our young friend Simon Wickham-Smith, the intrepid British linguist who translated Danzan Ravjaa's poetry in a volume entitled Perfect Qualities, has just been awarded a grant from the prestigious PEN American Center's Translation Fund. This grant supports his rendering into English, and summer publication, of The Battle for Our Land Has Begun, a volume of the poetry and political writings of Ochirbatyn Dashbalbar, a political activist and popular literary figure up to his mysterious death in 1999.

Other than Lisa Fink, Simon is one of the few Western scholars striving to bring Mongolia's rich poetic traditions to the attention and appreciation of the English-speaking literary world. Broaden your horizons here.