Vondel Prize
The Vondel Prize is a literary translation prize for full-length works from the Dutch into English. The prize was established in 1996 by the Foundation for the Production and Translation of Dutch literature, and is named after the 17th-century Dutch writer Joost van den Vondel.
The award is currently presented biennially. It is administered by The Society of Authors in the UK, in collaboration with the Dutch Foundation for Literature. The prize recognizes the best book-length translation from Dutch or Flemish into English, and generally carries a value of £5,000. The prize is considered one of the most prestigious translation awards dedicated to Dutch literature in the English-speaking world.
Winners
2024
- Winner: Kristen Gehrman for a translation of The History of My Sexuality by Tobi Lakmaker
- Runner-up: David McKay for a translation of We Slaves of Suriname by Anton de Kom
- Emma Rault for a translation of We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets
- Michele Hutchison for a translation of My Heavenly Favourite by Lucas Rijneveld
- Sam Garrett for a translation of Falling is like Flying by Manon Uphoff
2021
- Winner: David Doherty for a translation of Summer Brother by Jaap Robben
- Runner-up: David McKay for a translation of Adrift in the Middle Kingdom by J. Slauerhoff
- David Colmer for a translation of Will by Jeroen Olyslaegers
- Jane Hedley-Prole for a translation of The Republic by Joost de Vries
- Laura Watkinson for a translation of Lampie by Annet Schaap
2019
- Winner: Michele Hutchison for a translation of Stage Four by Sander Kollaard
- Runner-up: David Doherty for a translation of Monte Carlo by Peter Terrin
- Antoinette Fawcett for a translation of Bird Cottage by Eva Meijer
- Nancy Forest-Flier for a translation of The Story of Shit by Midas Dekkers
2017
- Winner: David McKay for his translation of War and Turpentine by Stefan Hertmans
- Commended: David Doherty for his translations of The Dutch Maiden by Marente de Moor and You Have Me To Love by Jaap Robben
2015
- Winners: Donald Gardner for his translation of In Those Days by Remco Campert and Laura Watkinson for her translation of The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt
- Commended: Sam Garrett for his translation of Tirza by Arnon Grunberg
2013
- Winner: David Colmer for The Misfortunates by Dimitri Verhulst
- Commended: Ina Rilke for The Black Lake by Hella S. Haasse
- Commended: Johanna W. Prins and Johanna H. Prins for Mother Number Zero by Marjolijn Hof
2011
- Winner: Paul Vincent for My Little War by Louis Paul Boon
- Runner-up: David Colmer for The Portrait by Willem Jan Otten
2009
- Winner: Sam Garrett for Ararat: In Search of the Mythical Mountain by Frank Westerman
- Runner Up: Francis Jones for What It Is: Selected Poems by Esther Jansma
2007
- Winner: Susan Massotty for My Father’s Notebook by Kader Abdolah
- Runner-up: Sherry Marx-Macdonald for Daalder’s Chocolates by Philibert Schogt
2005
- Winner: Diane Webb for Colors Demonic & Divine: Shades of Meaning in the Middle Ages & After by Herman Pleij
2003
- Winner: Sam Garrett for The Rider by Tim Krabbe
- Runner up: Susan Massotty for All Souls’ Day by Cees Nooteboom
2001
- Winner: Hester Velmans for A Heart of Stone by Renate Dorrestein
- Highly commended: Paul Vincent for Metaphors of Memory by Douwe Draaisma
- Highly commended: Stacey Knecht for Desire by Hugo Claus
- Highly commended: Sherry Marx-Macdonald for Darwin’s Dreampond by Tijs Goldschmidt
1999
- Winner: Ina Rilke for Roads to Santiago by Cees Noteboom and The Virtuoso by Margriet de Moor
- Highly commended: Sam Garrett for The Gates of Damascus by Lieve Joris and Mali Blues by Lieve Joris
1996
- Winner: Stacey Knecht for The Great Longing by Marcel Möring
- Highly commended: Noel Clark for Lucifer by Joost van den Vondel