Montserrat Abelló i Soler

Montserrat Abelló i Soler (1 February 1918 – 9 September 2014) was a Catalan poet and translator. During the Spanish Civil War, she lived in exile in France, England and Chile.

Translations

English to Catalan A graduate in English philology, Abelló i Soler has produced a number of notable translations into Catalan of English writers and poets including: Sylvia Plath Dylan Thomas E.M. Forster Iris Murdoch Mohsen Emadi

Catalan to English Abelló i Soler has also produced translations from Catalan to English of writers including: Salvador Espriu Mercè Rodoreda Maria Àngels Anglada Maria Mercè Marçal Olga Xirinacs Díaz

Written works Abelló i Soler has also written a number of books of poetry: Vida diària ("Daily life") (1963) Vida diària: Paraules no dites ("Daily Life: Words not said") (1981) El blat del temps ("The Wheat of Time") (1986) Foc a les mans ("Fire in Hand") (1990) L’arrel de l’aigua ("The Root of Water") (1995) Son màscares que m’emprovo ("Masks of Sleep that I Try") (1995) Dins l’esfera del temps ("In the Sphere of Time") (1998) which won the Gold Critica Serra prize in 1999. Asseguda escrivint ("Seated Writing") (2004) Memoria de tu i de mi ("Memories of You and Me") (2006)

In 2002, her poetry was compiled in Al cor de les paraules: obra poètica 1963-2002 ("In the Heart of Words: Poetic Works 1963-2002"), which in 2003 won several Catalan literary prizes.

She has also contributed to anthologies of writing and poetry:

Cares a la finestra: 20 dones poetes de parla anglesa del segle XX ("Faces in the Window: 20 English Women Poets of the 20th century") (1993) Cartografies del desig: Quinze escriptores i el seu món ("Cartography of Desire: Fifteen writers and their world") (1998) Memoria de l’aigua: Onze escriptores i el seu món ("Memories of Water: Eleven writers and their world") (1999) Paisatge emergent ("Emergent Landscape") (1999).

Awards "Creu de Sant Jordi" (the Cross of Saint George) for her work as a translator (1998). "Premi d'Honor de les Lletres Catalanes" (Catalan Letters Lifetime Achievement Award) (2008).