SMOKE wins 2026 California Translation Award

One of three nominees in prose, it was announced as the prize winner on 9/19/26. The committee said: "Cluster's compelling translation gracefully navigates the novel's rich linguistic tapestry, which combines dreamlike lyrical evocations with detailed geographies, historical figures, cultural references, and embedded fragmentary texts. With remarkable clarity that avoids simplification, Cluster honors Aleman's use of multilingual dialogue, especially the indigenous Guarani language, ultimately deserving the same accolades as the character Biro, 'a magician, a hypnotist.' "