Anna Punsoda i Ricart

Anna Punsoda i Ricart (born in 1985) is a Catalan journalist, novelist, essayist, translator and politician.

She is the author of several books and is the translator of seven German-language works published in Catalan.

In 2024, she was a founding member of the new pro-independence political party Alhora, and was presented as a candidate for the party at the elections of the same year.

Early life and literary career Punsoda was born in Els Plans de Sió, on the plain of Segarra in central Catalonia, before moving to Lleida where she grew up. She received a degree in Journalism from Ramon Llull University and Philosophy from the University of Barcelona (UB). As part of a Master's degree in Contemporary Thought and Classical Tradition at UB, she produced a thesis on the social and political thought of Joan Maragall, eventually resulting in a published anthology of Maragall's texts. She later moved to Germany, living in the cities of Dresden, Leibzig and Hamburg, where she worked as a translator. Ara, Nació Digital, El Núvol, La Mira as well as appearing on radio stations Catalunya Ràdio and RAC1.

Her 2018 debut novel, Els llits dels altres, won the Roc Boronat prize for that year. The novel was translated into English by Mara Faye Lethem and published in 2022. La luxúria (2020) was an extended essay on lust, while La terra dura (2023) explored her relationship to the rural Catalan environment of her youth. Els llits dels altres (Amsterdam Llibres, 2018). English translation: Other People's Beds (Mara Faye Lethem, trans.) (Fum D'Estampa Press, 2022) La terra dura. Retorn al cor de Catalunya (Hard Earth: Return to the Heart of Catalonia) (Pòrtic Edicions, 2023).

Translations

Stefanie Kremser, Der Tag, an dem ich fliegen lernte, Kiepenheuer und Witsch Verlag 2014. Translated into Catalan as El dia que vaig aprendre a volar by Anna Punsoda. Edicions de 1984 (2016) Rainer Maria Rilke, Briefe an einen jungen Dichter. Translated into Catalan as Cartes a un jove poeta by Anna Punsoda. Edicions de la ela geminada (2018) Raimon Panikkar, Meinen Wir denselben Gott?. Translated into Catalan as ¿Parlem del mateix Déu?: Un diàleg by Anna Punsoda. Fragmenta Editorial (2018) Franz Kafka, Kleine Erzählungen. Translated into Catalan as Petites faules. Selection, translation and prologue by Anna Punsoda. Comanegra (2019) Charlotte Beradt, Das Dritte Reich des Traums. Translated into Catalan as El Tercer Reich dels somnis. Translation of the book and second epilogue by Anna Punsoda. Ara Llibres (2020) Franz Kafka, In der Strafkolonie. Translated into Catalan as A la colònia penitenciària. Translation and afterword by Anna Punsoda. Edicions de la Ela Geminada (2020) Lou Andreas-Salomé. Die Erotik. Translated into Catalan as L'erotisme. Translation and prologue by Anna Punsoda. Edicions de la Ela Geminada (2022)