Tal Nitzán is an award winning Israeli poet, writer, editor and a major translator of Hispanic literature. Author of seven poetry books, two novels, a short story collection and six children's book, and editor of three poetry anthologies. She has resided in Buenos Aires, Bogotá and New York. Currently lives in Tel Aviv.
Her poems have been translated to more than 20 languages, and appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. Thirteen collections of her work were published in Lithuanian (2009), in Italian (2010, 2013), in French (2011, 2016), in Spanish (2012, 2013, 2020), in Portuguese (2013), in English (2014) and in German (2015).
Robert Pinsky: "Tal Nitzán's poetry thrills me with its double nature, at once passionate and sardonic. It's a pleasure to read a book of translations that have formal grace in English. It's the formal grace that enables a dual voice, compassionate and harsh, capable of being topical and inward, heartfelt and ironic."
Nitzán has edited the ground-breaking anthology 'With an Iron pen': Hebrew Protest Poetry 1984-2004 (2005), (English version published by SUNY Press, USA, 2009; French version by Al-Manar, 2013).
Poetry books in Translation
"Penki langai į sodą" (Lithuania, 2009), various translators.
"Architettura d'interni" (Franco Puzzo Editore, Italia, 2010), translation: Jack Arbib.
"Soirée ordinaire" (Al Manar, France, 2011), various translators.
"Dans l'esquif étroit" (with artist Guy Paul Chauder, Al Manar, France, 2011).
"Vago" (Pen Press, Argentina-USA, 2012), translation: Gerardo Lewin.
"Animale Notturno" (Il Laboratorio, Italia, 2013), translation: Jack Arbib.
"El tercer niño" (Pen Press, Argentina-USA, 2013), various translators.
"With an Iron Pen" (Anthology of Hebrew Protest Poetry, English version by Rachel Tzvia Back, SUNY Press, USA, 2009).
"D'un burin de fer"(Anthologie de poésie israélienne engagée, traduction de Isabelle Dotan, Al Manar, France, 2013).
"O ponto da ternura" (Lumme Editore, Brasil, 2013), translation: Moacir Amancio.
"At the End of Sleep" (Restless books, 2014, e-book).
"To the inner Court" (with artist Tsibi Geva, Even Hoshen Books 2015).
"Zu Deiner Frage" (Verlagshaus Berlin, 2015, Illustrations: Jul Gordon), translation: Gundula Schiffer.
"Deux fois le même nuage" (Al Manar, France, 2016), with artist Albert Woda, various translators.
"La misma nube dos veces" (Buenos Aires Poetry, 2020), translation: Gerardo Lewin, Florinda F. Goldberg, Tal Nitzán.
Poetry books in Hebrew
“Doméstica”, 2002.
“An Ordinary Evening”, 2006.
“Café Soleil Bleu”, 2007.
“The First to Forget”, 2009.
“Look at the same Cloud twice”, 2012.
"To the inner Court" (bi-lingual Hebrew-English, with artist Tsibi Geva, 2015).
“Atlantis”, 2019.
“With an Iron Pen”, an anthology of Hebrew protest poetry (1984-2004), 2005 (editor).
Prose books in Hebrew
“Each and every Child” (a novel), 2015.
“The last Passenger” (a novel), 2020.
“How to overcome Sadness in three Steps” (short stories), 2021.
Prizes
The Harry Hershon Literature Prize of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The Rosario Castellanos Prize.
Creation Prize for translators by the ministry of culture, 1995 and 2005.
Women Writers’ Prize, 1998.
Prize for beginning poets by the ministry of culture, 2001.
Prize for debut poetry book – “Doméstica” – by the ministry of culture, 2002.
An honorary medal from the president of Chile, Ricardo Lagos Escobar, for the translation of Pablo Neruda’s poetry, at the occasion of the poet’s centenary, 2004.
ACUM (artists & writers rights society) Prize for poetry submitted anonimously, 2007.
Publisher's Association annual Poetry Award for “An Ordinary Evening”, 2008.
The Prime Minister's Prize for Writers, 2010.
The Tchernichovsky Prize for exemplary translation, 2012.
The Hebrew University Dolitzky Prize for Poetry, for "Look at the same Cloud twice", 2013.
The Bar-Ilan University Akaviahu Prize for Poetry, for "Atlantis", 2020
Academic Degrees
B.A in Hispanic studies and Art History, cum laude – Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Master’s in General and Compared Literature, cum laude – Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Photos: Iris Nesher, Gadi Dagon, Amit Zinman, Itzik Canetti.
במציאות טל הרבה הרבה יותר יפה מהתמונה שבאתר.