Bethlehem Attfield is currently a PhD student at Birmingham University researching the translation of vernacular African literature. She translated a short Amharic story written by Adam Reta now available on Kindle, "Requiem for Potatoes." She also produced it as an audio musical story available on most audiobook stores. She contributes translated stories to Asymptote and hosts a YouTube podcast, Journey to Ethiopia with a Story. Her first novel in translation, The Lost Spell, will be released by Henningham Family in 2022. Her goal is to promote the translation of Amharic literature and advocate for its rightful place in world literature.
Bethlehem Attfield
Articles by Bethlehem Attfield:
Excerpt from Heaven without Prickly Pears
in Issue 99 | Where You Stay (Jan 2022)The strong Woyna Dega wind picks up an assortment of scents and delicately spreads them around Geneté. The smell of burned banana leaves used to bake bread, wafts from the armpits of damsels, frankincense, ripe yellow plum, herbs tucked behind maidens’ ears, and the honey extracted from their lips: we breathe in this combined aroma…and if you stick out your tongue, you sure can get a taste of Geneté.