Asymptote aims to unlock the literary treasures of the world. It gathers the best contemporary writing from around the globe and celebrates the practice of translation. Although primarily working to make these texts available in English (a language that, like it or not, bridges cultures like no other), Asymptote also publishes translations into many other languages, thereby trying its best to disrupt the hegemony of the English language and share the experiences of peoples marginalized in a world of Dan Browns and Jonathan Franzens. It was founded in 2011 by Lee Yew Leong, who continues as Editor-in-Chief, helming a team of 80+ staffers from around the world. To date, the magazine has published literature from 93 countries and 65 languages, including hitherto unpublished work by writers and translators such as J.M. Coetzee, David Mitchell, Haruki Murakami, and Lydia Davis.
Though Asymptote is an online journal and enjoys all the benefits this implies (freely accessible anywhere, no page limits, and boundless audio-visual possibilities), we also try to reach out into the “real world”—organizing events and partnering with bookstores, magazines, and newspapers around the world. Our mission, then, is to bring international literature to local communities and local texts to international audiences, spreading remarkable works that might otherwise remain inaccessible and unknown.
Learn More: http://www.asymptotejournal.com/