“I urge anyone who loves books and who has not yet discovered Proust’s novel to pick up Swann’s Way and dive right in. I assure you that you will be richly rewarded.” —Translator William C. Carter
What’s the best translation of Swann’s Way? Read More »
There are only two complete translations of In Search of Lost Time (Remembrance of Things Past). But the new one has seven different translators, and there’s a third revision and a third translation in progress. This is post 2 of 2.
There are only two complete translations of In Search of Lost Time (Remembrance of Things Past). But there are three to five versions of the old one (depending on how you count). This is post 1 of 2.
This bestselling Swiss children’s story is like The Secret Garden, but with mountains. You’ll love the accompanying illustrations!
What’s the best translation of Heidi? Read More »
Because of the weird translation history, it might be hard to get exactly matching versions if you want to read and listen at the same time. Still, you’ve got at least three good options!
What’s the best audiobook of The Count of Monte Cristo? Read More »
If you are one of those people who say abridged classics are *always* worse than full-length versions, this extremely lengthy Chinese classic will test your conviction!
What’s the best translation of Journey to the West? Read More »
Unabridged audiobooks are available for three different English translations of The Brothers Karamazov.
What’s the best audiobook of The Brothers Karamazov? Read More »
So, you want to read Dostoevsky’s darkest and most hilarious novel, a controversial political satire, the title of which has been variously rendered as The Possessed, The Devils, Devils, and Demons? By all accounts, it’s intense! You’ve got five in-print English translations to choose from, seven in total.
What’s the best translation of Demons (Devils, The Possessed)? Read More »
There’s an inherent contradiction in The Nine Cloud Dream. Or is there? Does this dream-journey undermine its supposed moral lesson? Or can an apparently hedonistic tale succeed in promoting transcendental Buddhist values? Read it and decide for yourself.
What’s the best translation of The Nine Cloud Dream? Read More »
What does it mean to say that “Manuscripts don’t burn”? The publication history of Bulgakov’s black comedy reflects the difficulties artists face under authoritarian governments, yet justifies the author’s faith that no authority can stifle the creative flame.
What’s the best translation of The Master and Margarita? Read More »
