Maria Stepanova wins national ‘NOS’ Prize for much-lauded novel

The preeminent contemporary Russian poet Maria Stepanova won the 2019 “NOS” prize in a February 4 ceremony for her latest novel, whose title has been translated as In Memory of Memory or Post-Memory. Stepanova also received the “Big Book” prize, one of the two most-discussed mainstream literary prizes in Russia, in December 2018. Post-Memory will reportedly be published in Sasha Dugdale’s English translation by Fitzcarraldo Editions in the United Kingdom and New Directions in the United States.

The NOS reader’s choice award went to iPhuck 10, the latest release from postmodernist cult favorite Viktor Pelevin. Film director Natalia Meshchaninova’s debut book, a memoir entitled Stories, entered a so-called superfinal round along with Stepanova’s novel after receiving the top vote count from the ceremony’s attendees.

Stepanova’s award immediately precedes an American tour due to begin tomorrow evening. Her appearances will include an awards ceremony in New York and participation in a national conference of Slavic studies scholars in New Orleans.

The NOS award, which was established in 2009, is funded by the Mikhail Prokhorov Foundation. This year’s award ceremony was livestreamed on the Foundation’s YouTube channel, and a full list of finalists for the prize is available from translator Lisa Hayden.