Reading Classic Books and Authors Reading in Translation 2

Sometimes readers don’t even realize they are reading books that have been translated, most usually books designated as “classics.” Here are examples of those whose books we read in translation: Dumas, Zola, Kafka, Camus, Garcia Marquez, Joseph Conrad, and many of the Hispanic / Latinx authors.

The key to reading these books and experience the true flavor of the author’s writing is to find a good translation. So how do you do that? Well, you might find a bilingual copy or look at a copy in the original language to get a flavor for the language, rhythm, meter, and character of the author’s words and compare these elements with those of the translation. I’ll give you an example.

I was reading “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas, edited by David Coward (Oxford, UK: World Classics, Oxford University Press, 1991) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1595394.The_Three_Musketeers and mentioned to a friend that I really liked the translation. He asked if I had read the book in French. While I answered no, I realized I needed to take a look at the text. Next, he asked why I liked the translation and why I would recommend it. Great questions.

First of all, I liked the introduction and editorial comments. While many readers skip this material, it always sheds light on the author, the history of the publication, and more. The introductions may provide historical context, publishing history, and even reader reception (that’s what readers thought about the book when it was first published). In this case, in addition to all the information listed above, there was a bibliography, a chronology of Dumas’ life, and a detailed table of contents. Explanatory notes followed the text. The only thing missing were maps of the city and of France. I would have liked maps so I could follow the escapades of the Musketeers. By the way, a reading buddy of mine recommended using travel books like Baedekers or Michelin Guides with lots of city maps if you don’t have single country atlases.

The main reason I like the World Classics translations is the language, or rather the vocabulary. The Dumas books are full of wonderful descriptions of events; lots of digressions; and a host of vocabulary I had to look up in a sophisticated dictionary. The last may be off-putting, but I loved that the translator challenges the reader with words that were common in the 1840s and may be old fashioned of high-brow today.

In the end, I loved the translation, the style so much, that I purchased other books by Dumas from the same publisher. My true challenge was reading the books without getting bogged down. After all, Dumas and his contemporaries including Dickens, wrote really long books. The trick is to read the books a chapter at a time. After all, Dumas, Dickens, Zola, and others had their books published in serial form, that is a chapter at a time in the newspaper or magazines. Readers waited for the next installment to come out, daily, weekly, and sometimes monthly. Sound familiar? It’s just like a podcast. But I digress.

Reading any of the classics in translation is a pleasure and a challenge. If you’re up for it, try reading them as they were published, a section / chapter / or piece at a time. Use a really good translation. Take the time to savor the writing.

 Stay tuned for more on Reading in Translation tomorrow.