Quick Facts
Biography
Adam Cullen (born 1986) is an American poet and translator of Estonian prose, poetry, theater, and children's literature into English. He is based in Estonia.
Life and career
Cullen was born in 1986 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he was also raised.
In the autumn of 2006, while studying Russian as an exchange student in St Petersburg, Russia, he traveled to Estonia and fell in love with the country and its language. He then began learning Estonian, which took him close to a year to reach full conversational fluency, and a little over that to begin translating simpler texts.
In 2007, after finishing his undergraduate degree, he moved to Estonia, settling in Tallinn. There, he casually started translating newspaper stories, and then a chance meeting with representatives from the Estonian Literature Center at a holiday party in 2010 led him into the world of literary translation. Since then, he's translated works by several Estonian writers, including Mihkel Mutt (The Inner Immigrant), Tõnu Õnnepalu, Kai Aareleid (Burning Cities), Mehis Heinsaar (The Butterfly Man and Other Stories), Rein Raud (The Reconstruction and The Brother), Jürgen Rooste, Veronika Kivisilla, and Asko Künnap.
In 2017, he published his first poetry collection, Lichen (Tallinn: Nao Kirk publishing) in both Estonian and English.
Several of his translations have been nominated for the Cultural Endowment of Estonia's annual Prize for Literary Translation. His translation of Tõnu Õnnepalu's Radio was nominated for the 2014 Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Prize for Literary Translation from Estonian into a Foreign Language.
Cullen is a member of the Estonian Writers' Union and on the board of the Union's Translators' Section.
Originally from Minnesota, he has been living in Estonia since 2006.
Affiliations and memberships
- Estonian Writers' Union member since 2014
- Board member of the EWU Translators' Section 2015–2018
- Estonian Literary Magazine editorial board member since 2018
Awards
- Nominee for the 2017 Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Award for Translated Literature (The Reconstruction, Rein Raud; The Inner Immigrant, Mihkel Mutt)
- Nominee for the 2015 Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Award for Translated Literature (The Cavemen Chronicle, Mihkel Mutt)
- Nominee for the 2014 Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Award for Translated Literature (Radio, Tõnu Õnnepalu)
Prose translations
- Oscar and the Things, Andrus Kivirähk. The Emma Press 2021
- Ellie's Voice: or Trööömmmpffff, Piret Raud. Restless Books 2020
- Gogol's Disco, Paavo Matsin. Dalkey Archive Press 2020
- Exercises, Tõnu Õnnepalu. Dalkey Archive Press 2020
- The Gothamites, Eno Raud. Archipelago Books 2019
- Baltic Belles (anthology of Estonian female authors; translations of Betti Alver, Elisabeth Aspe, Helga Nõu, Lilli Promet, Elin Toona). Dedalus Books 2019
- Burning Cities, Kai Aareleid. Peter Owen Publishers 2018. Long-listed for the 2020 International Dublin Literary Award.
- The Butterfly Man and Other Stories, Mehis Heinsaar. Momentum Books 2018
- New Baltic Poetry; Helena Läks, Veronika Kivisilla, Kai Aareleid (edited by Jayde Will). Parthian 2018
- Deep in the Forest. 100 Estonian Fairy Tales, Risto Järv. Varrak 2018/2020
- The Inner Immigrant, Mihkel Mutt. Dalkey Archive Press 2017
- The Reconstruction, Rein Raud. Dalkey Archive Press 2017
- Picture and Word: Crazy Tartu 2013–2015, several Estonian poets. Kultuurikorraldus 2017
- The Brother, Rein Raud. Open Letter Books 2016
- The Cavemen Chronicle, Mihkel Mutt. Dalkey Archive Press 2015
- Apothecary Melchior and the Mystery of St. Olaf's Church, Indrek Hargla. Peter Owen Publishers 2015
- The Brink of Infinity: Estonian Poets in St. Nicholas' Church, several Estonian poets. HeadRead 2015
- Names, Words, Witch's Symbols. 4 X (4 + 4) X 4 = Young Estonian Poetry, several Estonian poets. Estonian Literary Center 2015
- Six Estonian Poets; Elo Viiding, Jürgen Rooste. Arc Publications 2015
- Radio, Tõnu Õnnepalu. Dalkey Archive Press 2014
- Best European Fiction, excerpt from Radio, Tõnu Õnnepalu. Dalkey Archive Press 2013
Literary magazines
- Estonian Literary Magazine. Estonian Institute 2016–… (biannual)
- Calliope. Issue No. 2: Tallinn. Novella by Jan Kaus, poetry by Asko Künnap. 2018
- “Special feature on Estonian literature”, Words Without Borders. Editor's article, prose by Urmas Vadi, poetry by Sveta Grigorjeva. 2018
- Eleven Eleven Issue 23. Prose by Maarja Kangro. 2017
- “Writing from the edge: Estonian literature”, Words Without Borders. Prose by Jan Kaus. 2015
Drama
- Rites of Passage, Piret Jaaks. Estonian Theater Agency 2020
- Something Real, Martin Algus. Estonian Theater Agency 2019
- Sirens, Piret Jaaks. Estonian Theater Agency 2018
- Klarissa's Letters, Tiit Palu. Raadioteater 2018
- The Minotaur, Rein Raud. Dainius Liševičius 2018
- The Sea; August Gailit, Piret Pääsuke. Raadioteater 2017
- One in the Pocket, Piret Saul-Gorodilov. Estonian Theater Agency 2017
- Sailing to Freedom, Tiit Aleksejev. 2016
- Magick Mend…; Mari-Liis Lill, Paavo Piik. Estonian Theater Agency 2015
- Ius Ultimus Noctus, Toomas Suumann. Estonian Theater Agency 2014
- Success, Mart Aas. Estonian Theater Agency 2014
- go neo und romantix, Kadri Noormets. Lugemik 2013
- Sulfur Magnolias, Martin Algus. Estonian Theater Agency 2013
- aaron : june, Hans Nordberg. Estonian Theater Agency 2013
- To See Pink Elephants, Piret Jaaks. Estonian Theater Agency 2012
- Am I Alive Now, Siim Nurklik. Estonian Theater Agency 2012
- In the Cellar, Peeter Sauter. Estonian Theater Agency 2012
- Blue Wagon, Andrus Kivirähk. Estonian Theater Agency 2012
- Speaking Stones, Silvia Soro. Estonian Theater Agency 2011
Original poetry
- Kolm sõlme (with co-authors Veronika Kivisilla and Øyvind Rangøy). Seitse Sõlme 2020
- Väikses linnas. Tuum 2018
- Samblik / Lichen. Näo Kirik 2017
Non-literary works
- Cherishing Estonia, President Kersti Kaljulaid. Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia 2019