Jacqueline Risset

Born in Besançon, France in 1936, Jacqueline Risset has published many books of poetry as well as literary essays. She was one of the editors of Tel Quel, and is well-known for her translations of Dante’s Commedia (1985-90, fifth edition 2006). Her most recent book is Traduction et mémoire poétique. Dante, Scève, Rimbaud, Proust, which won the Award of the Académie Française in 2007. She teaches French literature and is President of Centro di Studi Italo-francesi at the Università degli Studi di Roma III. Sleep’s Powers was originally published in French under the title Puissances du Sommeil by Éditions du Seuil in September 1997.