Ilya Kaminsky
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Ilya Kaminsky (born April 18, 1977) is a poet, critic, translator and professor. He is best known for his poetry collections ''Dancing in Odesa'' and ''Deaf Republic'', which have earned him several awards. In 2019, the
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named Kaminsky among "12 Artists who changed the world".


Life

Kaminsky was born in
Odesa Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...
,
Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, abbreviated as the Ukrainian SSR, UkrSSR, and also known as Soviet Ukraine or just Ukraine, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1991. ...
,
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
(now
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
) on April 18, 1977, to a Jewish family. He became hard of hearing at the age of four due to mumps. He began to write poetry as a teenager in Odesa. His family was granted asylum to live in the United States in 1993 due to antisemitism in Ukraine, and settled in
Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality in New York, with a populati ...
. He started to write poems in English in 1994. Kaminsky is the author of critically acclaimed collections of poetry, ''Dancing in Odesa'' (2004) and ''Deaf Republic'' (2019). Both books were written in English, Kaminsky's second language. Over the years, Kaminsky has also become known for his passionate advocacy of translation of international literature in the United States. A long time poetry editor at'' Words Without Borders,'' and ''Poetry International'', he has also edited several anthologies of poetry from around the world, including ''Ecco Anthology of International Poetry'' (HarperCollins), which is widely used in classrooms all over the country. He has also founded and edited ''Poets in the World,'' a book series which is dedicated to publishing compilations of poetry from around the globe, including places such as Iraq, China, Eastern Europe, South America, and elsewhere. He has also edited and translated several collections of poetry from Ukraine. Kaminsky has worked as a law clerk for San Francisco Legal Aid and the National Immigration Law Center. More recently, he worked pro-bono as the Court Appointed Special Advocate for Orphaned Children in Southern California. Currently, he is a professor at Princeton and lives in New Jersey.


Critical reception

Writing for ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'', Kevin Young calls ''Deaf Republic'' "a contemporary epic. Evident throughout is a profound imagination, matched only by the poet's ability to create a republic of conscience that is ultimately ours, too" In ''The New York Times'', Parul Sehgal says: "I was stunned by Ilya Kaminsky's ''Deaf Republic'', lyric poems presented as a play in two acts, set in a country in crisis, inspired both by Odesa, where Kaminsky grew up, and America, where he now lives. It's a book about censorship, political apathy, torture — "the nakedness / of the whole nation" — but also about tomato sandwiches, the birth of a daughter and the sudden, almost shocking joys of longtime married life." In ''The Guardian'', Fiona Benson says: "I fell hard for Ilya Kaminsky's ''Deaf Republic''. Part folklore, fable, war story and love poem, it imagines an occupied town falling deaf in response to the shooting of a child. Often devastating, always humane, this is a book of the century, let alone this year." ''
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'' calls ''Deaf Republic'' "a contemporary masterpiece. This book is proof that in 2019 great poetry can enjoy tremendous popularity." About Kaminsky's first book, ''Dancing in Odesa'', Robert Pinsky writes: "Passionate, daring to laugh and weep, direct yet unexpected, Ilya Kaminsky's poetry has a glorious tilt and scope."


Honors and awards

* 2023
American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Academy) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and other ...
* 2023 Kulturhuset Stadsteaterns Internationella Litteraturpris, Sweden, finalist, for "Dansa i Odessa" (translated by Lars Gustaf Andersson) * 2022 Prix Alain Bosquet, France, for ''République sourde'' (translated by Sabine Huynh) * 2022 Premio Laudomia Bonanni, Italy * 2021 Honored by the
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's Great Immigrant Award. * 2020 ''Los Angeles Times'' Book Prize for '' Deaf Republic: Poems'' * 2020 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, given to works that make important contributions to understanding racism and appreciation of rich diversity of human culture. *2019
Academy of American Poets The Academy of American Poets is a national, member-supported organization that promotes poets and the art of poetry. The nonprofit organization was incorporated in the state of New York in 1934. It fosters the readership of poetry through outrea ...
fellowship * 2019
National Book Award The National Book Awards (NBA) are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. ...
finalist for ''Deaf Republic '' * 2019
National Book Critics Circle Award The National Book Critics Circle Awards are a set of annual American literary awards by the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) to promote "the finest books and reviews published in English".BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
as one of "12 artists who changed the world in 2019" * 2019 '' The New York Times '' Notable Book of the Year for ''Deaf Republic '' * 2019 National Jewish Book Award * 2019 T. S. Eliot Prize finalist * 2019 Forward Prize for Poetry, finalist * 2018
Guggenheim Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are Grant (money), grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon Guggenheim, Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon indiv ...
* 2013
Neustadt International Prize for Literature The Neustadt International Prize for Literature is a biennial award for literature sponsored by the University of Oklahoma and its international literary publication, ''World Literature Today''. It is considered one of the more prestigious int ...
finalist * 2008 Lannan Literary Fellowship * 2005 Whiting Award * 2005 American Academy of Arts and Letters Metcalf Award * 2001 Ruth Lilly Poetry Fellowship Best Book of the Year ''Deaf Republic'' was listed as ''The New York Times'' Notable Book and was called Best Book of the Year by numerous publications, including
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Work

Kaminsky is best known for his poetry collections, ''Dancing in Odesa'' (2004) and ''Deaf Republic'' (2019). He is also known for his work in literary translation, his anthologies of international poetry and his literary essays.


Writings

* ''Musica Humana'' (poetry, Chapiteau Press, 2002) * ''Dancing in Odesa'' (poetry, Tupelo Press in USA and
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in UK, 2004) * ''Sonya's Fairytale'' (poetry, Bonnefant Press, Holland, 2010) * ''It is the Soul that is Erotic'' (lyric essay, Orison Press, 2017) * ''A Soul's Noise'' (lyric essay, Five Hundred Places Press, 2017) * ''Deaf Republic'' (poetry, Graywolf in USA and
Faber Faber may refer to: People * Faber (surname) Companies * Faber & Faber, publishing house in the United Kingdom * Faber-Castell, German manufacturer of writing instruments * Faber Music, British sheet music publisher * Eberhard Faber, German ...
in UK, 2019) * ''I See a Silence'' (a place-based poetry and installation at the former nuclear testing site, Artangel, UK National Trust, Suffolk, United Kingdom, 2021)


In translation

* Sagir Cumhuriyet, translated into Turkish (Harfa, Turkey, 2020) * Kurtide vabariik, translated into Estonian ( Loomingu Raamatukogu, Estonia, 2020) * Dansað í Ódesa, translated into Icelandic (Dimma Publishers, Iceland, 2017) * Tanzen in Odesa, translated into German (Klak Publishing House, Berlin, 2017) * Танцувајќи во Одеcа, translated into Macedonian (Blesok Publishers, Macedonia, 2014) * Bailando en Odesa, translated into Spanish (Valparaiso Ediciones, Mexico, 2014) * Bailando en Odesa, translated into Spanish (Tupelo Press, USA, 2018) * Musika Narodov Vetra, translated into Russian (Ailuros Publishing, 2013) * Selected Poems and Essays, translated into Chinese (book, Shangai Literature and Art Publishing House, 2013) * Bailando en Odesa, translated into Spanish, Libros del Aire, Madrid, 2012 * Dovenrepubliek, translated into Dutch (Azul Press, Amsterdam, Holland, 2011) * Odesa'Da Dans, by Ilya Kaminsky, translated into Turkish, Cervi Siir, Istanbul, 2010 * On Dance a Odesa, by Ilya Kaminsky, (a book, Editions D'Art Le Sabord, Quebec, 2010) * ''Бродячие музыканты'' translated into Russian (Moscow, Yunost, 2007) * Dansand in Odesa, tr. into Romanian by Chris Tanasescu, (book, Editura Vinea, Bucharest, 2007) * Рэспубліка глухіх, tr. into Belarusian by Julia Cimafiejeva and Valzhyna Mort (Skaryna Press, London, 2023)


Translations

* "Traveling Musicians: Poems of Polina Barskova" (Yunost Publishers, 2007) * "This Lamentable City: Poems of Polina Barskova" (Tupelo Press, 2010) * "If I Were Born in Prague: Poems of Guy Jean" (Argos Press, 2011) * "Mourning Ploughs Winter: Poems of Guy Jean" (Marick Press, 2012) * "Dark Elderberry Branch: Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva" (Alice James Books, 2012) * "A Small Suitcase of Russian Poetry: An Anthology of Translations" (Henry Miller Museum, Ping-Pong Free Press, 2016) * "The Country Where Everyone's Name Is Fear: Poems of Boris and Luidmila Khersonsky" (Lost Horse Press, 2022) Anthologies editor * "Ecco Anthology of International Poetry" (HarperCollins, 2010) * "Homage to Paul Celan" (Marick Press, 2012) * "A God in the House" (Tupelo Press, 2012) * "Gossip and Metaphysics: Russian Modernist Poems and Prose" (Tupelo Press, 2014) * "In Shape of a Human Body I am Visiting This Earth: Poems from Far and Wide" (McSweeneys, 2017) * "In the Hour of War: Poetry from Ukraine" (Arrowsmith Press, 2023) Book series edited ''Poets in the World'', a Book Series Edited by Ilya Kaminsky * Pinholes in the Night: Essential Poems from Latin America, editors Raul Zúrita and Forrest Gander (Copper Canyon Press) * Seven New Generation African Poets, editors Kwame Dawes and Chris Abani (Slapering Hol Press) * Fifteen Iraqi Poets, editor Dunya Mikhail (New Directions) * Another English: Anglophone Poems from Around the World, editors Catherine Barnett and Tiphanie Yanique (Tupelo Press) * Elsewhere, editor Eliot Weinberger (Open Letter Books) * Bones Will Crow: An Anthology of Burmese Poetry, editor Ko Ko Thett and James Byrne (Northern Illinois University Press) * Landays: Poetry of Afgan Women, editor Eliza Griswold, Special Issue of Poetry magazine * New Cathay: Contemporary Chinese Poetry, editor Ming Di (Tupelo Press) * Something Indecent: Poems Recommended by Eastern European Poets, editor Valzhyna Mort (Red Hen Press) * The Star by My Head: Poets from Sweden, editors Malena Mörling and Jonas Ellerström (Milkweed Editions) * Open the Door: How to Excite Young People about Poetry, editors Dorothea Lasky, Dominic Luxford and Jesse Nathan * The Strangest of Theatres: Poets Writing Across Borders, editors Jared Hawkley, Brian Turner and Susan Rich (McSweeneys)


Non-fiction

In 2018, Kaminsky published in ''
The New York Times Magazine ''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors. The magazi ...
'' a widely discussed lyric essay about deafness and his return to Odesa, Ukraine, after many years away. He also writes essays on various subjects such as borders, creative life in the age of surveillance, and poetics of Paul Celan, for publications such as ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'', ''
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'', and ''
Poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...
''.


Selected poems and essays

Poems
Poems
from ''Deaf Republic'' in ''The New Yorker''
A Selection of Kaminsky's Poems
at ''Poetry'' website * A Selection of Kaminsky's Poems at The Academy of American Poets website * A Selection of Kaminsky's Poems at '' The Massachusetts Review'' website * ''Musica Humana'' at Poetry International Rotterdam website * ''Elegy for Joseph Brodsky'' at Poetry International Rotterdam website * ''We Lived Happily During the War '' at
Poetry Magazine ''Poetry'' (founded as ''Poetry: A Magazine of Verse'') has been published in Chicago since 1912. It is one of the leading monthly poetry journals in the English-speaking world. Founded by poet and arts columnist Harriet Monroe, who built it int ...
website * ''Author's Prayer'' at ''Poetry'' website Essays *
Searching for a Lost Odesa -- and a Deaf Childhood
' in ''The New York Times Magazine''
''Of Strangeness that Wakes Us: On Mother Tongues, Fatherlands, and Paul Celan''
in ''Poetry''


Notes


References


External links

*
Profile at The Whiting Foundation

Tupelo Press > Author Page > Ilya Kaminsky
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaminsky, Ilya 1977 births Ukrainian emigrants to the United States American male poets Odesa Jews Georgia Tech faculty Georgetown University alumni University of California College of the Law, San Francisco alumni Deaf poets Living people Ukrainian male poets Chapbook writers Russian male poets American deaf people 21st-century American poets Writers from Odesa 21st-century American male writers American writers with disabilities Jewish poets