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Miriam McIlfatrick, lecturer of English Language and Irish Literature at the School of Humanities, has guest-edited the October issue of the online literature journal Words without Borders. The issue, which is now live, features English translations of contemporary Estonian writing (extracts from novels, short stories and poetry). Miriam has also written an introduction in which she outlines the origins and development of Estonian literature.

WWB is an online magazine (founded in 2003) that promotes cultural understanding through the translation, publication, and promotion of contemporary international literature. They aim to open doors for readers of English around the world to the multiplicity of viewpoints, richness of experience, and literary perspective on world events offered by writers in other languages. They seek to connect international writers to the general public, to students and educators, and to print and other media and to serve as a primary online location for a global literary conversation.

Miriam met the WWB editorial director, Susan Harris, at the London Book Fair in April 2014, when she approached the Estonian Literature Information Centre (ELIC) stall with the idea of creating an issue on Estonia. As guest editor, Miriam was invited to select the texts - the WWB selection guidelines were that the texts should be contemporary and previously unpublished in English, and to write an introduction.

Miriam also led a translation seminar in Tallinn in March 20 (hosted by ELIC and attended by Susan Harris) where with a team of translators (from England, USA, Australia, Ireland) produced draft translations, which they then edited individually.

The journal is free and available for everyone to read! You can access it and read Miriam's introduction to the Estonian issue .