Published in February 2026, my newest edited anthology—A Compass on the Navigable Sea: 100 Years of World Literature—commemorates World Literature Today’s centennial in 2026–2027 and features more than 130 essays, book reviews, interviews, poems, and stories that have appeared in the magazine since 1927.

In the New York Times Sunday Book Review section on April 19, Arthur Sze noted that the book is on his nightstand along with works by Gerard Manley Hopkins, Carol Moldaw, Forrest Gander, Emily Wilson, and Kevin Young.

“What a vibrant, refreshing anthology this is, full of surprising, distinctive writing from every continent, which has been true for every issue of World Literature Today for decades.”—Idra Novey

With a foreword by Pico Iyer, the book is published by Restless Books, “an independent, nonprofit publisher devoted to championing essential voices from around the world whose stories speak to us across linguistic and cultural borders.” Restless describes the book as “a bold anthology that reimagines what international writing can be. From Nobel laureates to dissident authors, iconic mainstays to extraordinary newcomers, this collection brings together powerful poetry, visionary lectures, and urgent reflections to comprise a literary beacon for a rapidly changing world.”

“Transcending the limits of genre, geography, and time period, this superb anthology of world literature deserves a place in every library collection that supports literature and international studies.”—Library Journal

In late March 2026, I took part in launch events at Princeton, Penn, the McNally Jackson Seaport bookstore in lower Manhattan, the World’s Borough Bookshop in Queens, and Book & Puppet (Easton, Pa.) for the release. Every venue was full or standing-room-only, and I signed dozens of books throughout the week. Additional launch events took place in Norman in February and in Tulsa and OKC in April. On May 12, I’ll take part in a zoom conversation event with U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze and the co-editors of Best Literary Translations 2026.

“Bringing together a century of world literature, with all its voices, histories, tensions, and contradictions, is an enormous undertaking. What struck me most as I read A Compass on the Navigable Sea is how naturally the pieces speak to one another. The book feels less like a compilation and more like a living conversation across time, language, and geography.”—Yousef Khanfar, award-winning Palestinian writer and photographer

Click here to order your copy directly from Restless and receive a 25% discount through June 1 (coupon code: WLT25)! Also available on Bookshop and Amazon.

“And there it is: literature as news that stays news, because timeless couldn’t be more timely.”—Kirkus Reviews