Ampersand Blog and News

And Other Stories’ top picks for Off the Shelf Festival

Once again Off the Shelf hits Sheffield with its Festival of Words, and you’re in for a treat! It’s a […]

Slightly Foxed by #FerranteFever – by Helen Stanton

If you have spent any time in the Twittersphere recently, you will be aware of the #Ferrantefever phenomenon. Elena Ferrante’s […]

Competition Winners’ Fanfare!  We’re thrilled to announce the winners of And Other Stories’ most recent translation sample competition, which ran […]

Elvira Dones has landed!  London, get excited: the author of Sworn Virgin is officially in you.  The tour started yesterday, […]

Clarissa Botsford on translating Elvira Dones

Elvira Dones (born in Durrës, Albania, 1960) is a novelist, screenwriter and documentary film-maker currently based in the US. After […]

Sexy cover shots of Elvira Dones’ Sworn Virgin, from Polish, Italian, and our very own English translation by the wonderful […]

Sworn Virgin by Elvira Dones tr Clarissa Botsford – Part 5

She wakes at one in the afternoon and stays in bed a little longer. Then she gets up and looks […]

Sworn Virgin by Elvira Dones tr Clarissa Botsford – Part 4

‘You need to take off these men’s clothes.’  ‘There’s no hurry.’ ‘The sooner you get rid of them the better.’ […]

Sworn Virgin by Elvira Dones tr Clarissa Botsford – Part 3

‘Forgive me, Uncle Gjergj,’ Hana had implored. ‘I beg you.’ Without lifting his head, he had only grunted, like a […]