Articles
April 4, 2007
Nurturing Literature in Translation
by Ginny Tapley • Interview with Chad W. Post Among initiatives aimed at stimulating interest in the English-speaking world for reading literature in translation is the work of Dalkey Archive Press and Reading the World. SWET interviewed Chad W. Post, who has been active in both these initiatives and whose career is devoted to encouraging translation and international literature. (This is the full... more
January 24, 2007
For the Sake of a Book
by George Bourdaniotis and Richard Sadowsky
On September 10, 2006, Philip Harper, then chief sake brewer at Daimon Shuzō (aka Sakahan) in Katano, east Osaka, explained the intricacies of sake brewing and talked about his new book, The Book of Sake (Kodansha International, 2006) to SWET Kansai members. Color photos of the brewery tour are... more
December 18, 2006
Editorial Insights: The Book of Sake
by Barry Lancet
SWET asked Barry Lancet of Kodansha International, to recall the experience of working with Philip Harper on The Book of Sake, featured in the SWET Newsletter article here. His account offers an insider’s insights on how a book is born and reared and a glimpse of the hard work as well as enjoyment involved.
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August 11, 2006
Translation and Editing
by Lynne E. Riggs
On average, an editor (if he or she cares at all about the book) must spend two to three times as much time working on a translation than on a book originally written in English; most editors I know have argued, at one time or another, that they—rather than the translator—have translated the book, given how much... more
July 28, 2006
The Fan Quest for Authenticity
by Jessi Nuss, Meghan Strong, and Amanda Te
The fan translation done by fans of anime, manga, and video games for their own satisfaction and desire to share seeks to render the originals “authentically.” Trends and approaches from fan translation can influence “official” published translations and afford ideas for professional translators.
The word “translation” usually brings to mind the vast world of... more
March 31, 2006
Editorial Addendum
by Kim Schuefftan
SWET asked Kim Schuefftan, editor at Kodansha International from 1966 to 1989, subsequently working as a freelance editor from his base in the countryside north of Tokyo, to comment on his experience as editor working with Amy Katoh on Otafuku: The Joy of Japan. In November 1999, Schuefftan spoke to SWET, and a report of his talk may... more