Book Suggestions from Translators for International Translation Day

Kalem Agency from İstanbul which offers translation services wanted its translators to describe their favorite translation or to describe the book that they enjoyed most while translating on September 30, International Translation Day which is celebrated every year on 30 September on the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators. This day has been celebrated since 1953.

Here are some of the examples from translators: 

Ayşe Belma Dehni: The Memoirs of Cleopatra

From English to Turkish

Margaret George, the Memoirs of Cleopatra, Translator: Ayşe Belma Dehni, Pegasus Publishing House. 

"I enjoyed most while translating Margaret George’s the Memoirs of Cleopatra; I took a serious step into the translation with that book. 

The reason may be its being the first for me but the truth behind the translating a thousand paged novel quickly as a flash is not the body of Cleopatra that was thought the most effective way of her to gain what she wanted but her bright intelligence, smart choices leading her to the certain success, her risk taking, challenging to the world bravely and her almighty power in short.”

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İrem Gültan: One Hundred Years of Solitude

From English to Turkish

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Translator: Seçkin Selvi, Can Publishing House.

"It’s been a long time that I read One Hundred Years of Solitude but I remember I was mesmerized, captivated and my perspective of the world, life and humanity changed deeply.

The translator of the book succeeded in language and expression as much as the writer and so it should be. I thank Seçkin Selvi for her delicious, nice and colorful translation and for her contribution to my transformation as a young person."

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Mehmed Yonuz: зад аголот

From Macedonian to Turkish

Tomislav Osmanli, зад аголот (behind the corner), Translator: Mehmed Yonuz

"My favorite translation is Tomislav Osmanli’s зад аголот (behind the corner) which makes me excited to see it is published. It is a multilayered novel which caresses Byzantium and Ottoman Empire with its wings flying from Archaic ages to the end of the 20^th century.

***

Sevinç Üçgül: Goloye Pole

From Russian to Turkish

İvan Lukaş, Гелиболу (Gallipoli), Translator: Sevinç Üçgül, Çeviribilim Publishing House.

"I got excited most while I was translating Гелиболу (Gallipoli). It was a great sensation for me to translate a book of which I scrutinized the subtext during my academic works and to present it to the Turkish readers. Its content looks like a nearly virgin page…” (HK/BD)

Click here to read the article in Turkish