Literary translation opens the world to readers, bringing them into conversation with other cultures, languages, and historical contexts. Translators are writers, interpreters, and cultural ambassadors, preserving the nuance and voice that gives literature life. What does the role of the literary translator look like today, in the face of an increasingly globalized world and the advent of AI translations that flatten cultural and linguistic nuance?
This vital conversation will bring together acclaimed translators and authors Michael Eskin (The Emprise of Poetry: Durs Grünbein, America, Antisemitism and the Pursuit of Liberty), Annelise Finegan (The Enchanting Lives of Others by Can Xue), Tess Lewis (Nevermore by Cécile Wajsbrot), and former translator for the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly Abdelgabar Mohieldin, with moderator Sandra Smith (Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky).
Together they will explore the evolving role of the translator and why translation remains essential to the future of literature.
