Synopses & Reviews
This book, written by a team of experts from many countries, provides a comprehensive account of the ways in which translation has brought the major literatures of the world into English-speaking culture. Part I discusses theoretical issues and gives an overview of the history of translation into English. Part II, the bulk of the work, arranged by language of origin, offers critical discussions, with bibliographies, of the translation history of specific texts (e.g. the Koran, the Kalevala), authors (e.g. Lucretius, Dostoevsky), genres (e.g. Chinese poetry, twentieth-century Italian prose) and national literatures (e.g. Hungarian, Afrikaans).
Review
"An invaluable guide to the many ways in which literature from all ages and many countries has travelled into English."--London Review of Books
"A treasure trove for adventurous readers [eager] to explore international writing and test the book's scrappy mini-reviews. Sections on West Asian, Arabic, and African languages provide a tantalizing selection of name and titles....An indispensable step toward making the linguistic imperialists among us see the wisdom of keeping our aesthetic options open. As one of the volume's contributors memorably observes, `Babel is not so much our fate as our delight.'"--The Boston Globe
"It will be a pity if this book is only used for reference and as a guide.... [The essays] constantly demonstrate the variety, abundance and vitality of their common subject, translation.... Read thoroughly, the introductory essays and the essays on particular literatures illuminate and extend one another.... The essays by the classicists, especially those by Robin Sowerby, Adrian Poole and Tim Mason...are quite the best account I have ever read of the immense enriching of our language out of Greek and Latin.... There is a continual raising of vital issues in the best possible way, by concrete examples.... Peter France, whose own contributions are first-rate, is to be congratulated for gathering information, discussion and concrete instances of great interactive and generative power."--Times Literary Supplement
"The Guide is a tribute to English translators. It honors the generous people who gave English readers the world."--Modern Language Notes
About the Author
Peter France is Professor Emeritus and Endowment Fellow of the University of Edinburgh.