David Colmer (

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

, 1960) is an Australian writer and translator, mainly of Dutch-language literature. He translates novels, poetry and children’s literature and is the current English translator of Gerbrand Bakker,

Dimitri Verhulst Dimitri Verhulst (born 2 October 1972) is a Belgian writer and poet. He is best known for his novels ''Problemski Hotel'' and ''The Misfortunates''. Biography Verhulst was an unwanted child in a violent home and spent his later childhood in a f ...

, Annie M.G. Schmidt, and Nachoem M. Wijnberg. Colmer's poetry translations include selections of the work of

Hugo Claus Hugo Maurice Julien Claus (; 5 April 1929 – 19 March 2008) was a leading Belgian literature, Belgian author who published under his own name as well as various pseudonyms. Claus' literary contributions spanned the genres of drama, the novel, a ...

, Anna Enquist,

Cees Nooteboom Cees Nooteboom (; born 31 July 1933) is a Dutch novelist, poet and journalist. After the attention received by his novel ''Rituelen'' (''Rituals'', 1980), which received the Pegasus Prize, it was the first of his novels to be translated into an ...

, Ramsey Nasr and

Paul van Ostaijen Paul van Ostaijen (22 February 1896 – 18 March 1928) was a Belgian Dutch-language poet and writer. Nickname Van Ostaijen was born in Antwerp to Dutch father and Flemish mother. His nickname was ''Mister 1830'', derived from his habit of walk ...

Awards and nominations

* 2021 James Brockway Prize for his translations of Dutch-language poetry * 2014 Shortlisted for the

PEN Award for Poetry in Translation The PEN Award for Poetry in Translation is given by PEN America (formerly PEN American Center) to honor a poetry translation published in the preceding year. The award should not be confused with the PEN Translation Prize. The award is one of many ...

for ''Even Now'', selected poems of

* 2014 Shortlisted for the

International Dublin Literary Award The International Dublin Literary Award ( ga, Duais Liteartha Idirnáisiúnta Bhaile Átha Chliath), established as the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 1996, is presented each year for a novel written or translated into English. ...

, with Gerbrand Bakker, for The Detour * 2013 Vondel Prize for

’s ''The Misfortunates'' * 2013

Independent Foreign Fiction Prize The ''Independent'' Foreign Fiction Prize (1990–2015) was a British literary award. It was inaugurated by British newspaper ''The Independent'' to honour contemporary fiction in translation in the United Kingdom. The award was first launched i ...

, with Gerbrand Bakker, for The Detour * 2012 The Dutch Foundation for Literature’s Translation Prize for translations from Dutch * 2011 Shortlisted for the

Popescu Prize The Popescu Prize is a biennial poetry award established in 1983.Popescu Prize
, official w ...

for ''Heavenly Life'', selected poems of Ramsey Nasr * 2010

, with Gerbrand Bakker, for The Twin * 2010 Shortlisted, with Gerbrand Bakker, for the

Best Translated Book Award The Best Translated Book Award is an American literary award that recognizes the previous year's best original translation into English, one book of poetry and one of fiction. It was inaugurated in 2008 and is conferred by Three Percent, the onlin ...

for The Twin * 2009 NSW Premier's Translation Prize and the PEN Trophy (biennial prize for a body of work) * 2009 Shortlisted for the

Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize is an annual literary prize for any book-length translation into English from any other living European language. The first prize was awarded in 1999. The prize is funded by and named in honour of Lord Weidenfe ...

for The Twin * 2007-2011 David Reid Poetry Translation Prize (four times) David Reid Poetry Translation Prize: Afsluitdijk
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Selection of translated titles

* Gerbrand Bakker: The Detour (2012); The Twin (2008) *

: ''Even Now'' (2013, selected poems) *

Adriaan van Dis Adriaan van Dis (Bergen aan Zee, 16 December 1946) is a Dutch author. He debuted in 1983 with the novella ''Nathan Sid''. In 1995 his book ''Indische Duinen'' (''My Father's War''), which in its narrative is a follow up to his debut novella, wa ...

: ''Repatriated'' (2008, novel) * Anna Enquist: ''The Fire was Here'' (2003, selected poems) * Gummbah: ''Meanwhile, Between Two Eternities of Darkness'' (2013, a selection of the cartoons, revised and updated edition) *

Willem Frederik Hermans Willem Frederik Hermans (1 September 1921 – 27 April 1995) was a Dutch author of poetry, novels, short stories, plays, as well as book-length studies, essays, and literary criticism. His most famous works are ''The House of Refuge'' (novella, ...

: ''An Untouched House'' (2018, ''Het behouden huis'') *

: ''A Guardian Angel Recalls'' (2021, ''Herinneringen van een engelbewaarder'') *

: ''Self-portrait of an Other'' (2011, prose poems) * Ramsey Nasr: ''Heavenly Life'' (2010, selected poems) *

Martinus Nijhoff Martinus Nijhoff (20 April 1894, in The Hague – 26 January 1953, in The Hague) was a Dutch poet and essayist. He studied literature in Amsterdam and law in Utrecht. His debut was made in 1916 with his volume ''De wandelaar'' ("The wanderer"). F ...

: ''Awater'' (2010) * Willem Jan Otten: ''The Portrait'' (2009, novel) * Annie M.G. Schmidt: Jip and Janneke (2008); ''A Pond Full of Ink'' (2011, a selection of her children’s poems); ''Tow-Truck Pluck'' (2011, Pluk van de Petteflet) *

: ''Occupied City'' (2016, ''Bezette stad'') *

: ''Problemski Hotel'' (2005, novel), (2009, novel); ''The Misfortunates'' (2012, novel) *

Menno Wigman Menno is a Dutch language given name of Old Frisian origin. It was made popular by the influential Frisian religious reformer Menno Simons (West Frisian language, West Frisian: ''Minne Simens''), and the name was spread by his followers, the Mennon ...

: ''Window-cleaner Sees Paintings'' (2016, selected poems) * Nachoem M. Wijnberg: ''Advance Payment'' (2013, selected poems)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colmer, David 1960 births Living people Australian translators Dutch–English translators