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匕賰乇賷丕鬲 賮賷 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞
Nobody has done more for modern Arabic literature in translation than Denys Johnson-Davies, described by the late Edward Said as "the leading Arabic English translator of our time." With more than twenty-five volumes of translated Arabic novels, short stories, plays, and poetry to his name, and a career spanning some sixty years, he has brought the works of a host of writers from across the Arab world to an ever-widening English readership. Here he tells the story of a life in translation, and gives intimate glimpses of many of the Arab writers who are becoming increasingly known in the west. In the 1940s, while teaching at Cairo University, he came to know such iconic figures as Yahya Hakki, Tewfik al-Hakim, Yusuf Idris, and of course Naguib Mahfouz. Later when he lived in Beirut, that other great literary center of the Arab world, he spent time with such poets as Tawfic Sayigh, Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, and Boland al-Haydari. He was already a close friend of Jabra Ibrahim Jabra from his college days at Cambridge, and later of another well-known Palestinian writer, Ghassan Kanafani. In the 1960s he started an influential Arabic literary magazine, Aswat, which published the leading avant-garde writers of the time, and in 1967 he put together the first representative volume of short stories from the Arab world. Then he really put Arabic writing on the international literary map with the establishment of the Heinemann Arab Authors series. Since then he has continued to select and translate the best of Arabic fiction, most recently the classic novella by Yahya Hakki, The Lamp of Umm Hashim (AUC Press 2004). He has also translated three books of Islamic Hadith (with Ezzeddin Ibrahim) and other books of Islamic thought, and has written a large number of children's books of Middle Eastern history and folktales.
- GenresEgypt
141 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2005
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403 people want to read
About the author
Denys Johnson-Davies
99听books50听followersDenys Johnson-Davies (Arabic: 丿賳賷爻 噩賵賳爻賵賳 丿賷冥賷夭) (1922-2017) was an eminent Arabic-to-English literary translator who has translated, inter alia, several works by Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz, Sudanese author Tayeb Salih, Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish and Syrian author Zakaria Tamer.
Davies, referred to as 鈥渢he leading Arabic-English translator of our time鈥� by the late Edward Said, has translated more than twenty-five volumes of short stories, novels, plays, and poetry, and was the first to translate the work of Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. He is also interested in Islamic studies and is co-translator of three volumes of Prophetic Hadith. He has also written a number of children鈥檚 books adapted from traditional Arabic sources, including a collection of his own short stories, Fate of a Prisoner, which was published in 1999.
Born in 1922 in Vancouver Canada to English parentage, Davies spent his childhood in Sudan, Egypt, Uganda, and Kenya, and then was sent to England at age 12. Davies studied Oriental languages at Cambridge, and has lectured translation and English literature at several universities across the Arab World. In 2006, he published his memoirs. In 2007, he was awarded the Sheikh Zayed Book Award "Culture Personality of the Year", a valued at about $300,000.
Davies lives in and divides his time between Marrakesh and Cairo.
Davies, referred to as 鈥渢he leading Arabic-English translator of our time鈥� by the late Edward Said, has translated more than twenty-five volumes of short stories, novels, plays, and poetry, and was the first to translate the work of Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. He is also interested in Islamic studies and is co-translator of three volumes of Prophetic Hadith. He has also written a number of children鈥檚 books adapted from traditional Arabic sources, including a collection of his own short stories, Fate of a Prisoner, which was published in 1999.
Born in 1922 in Vancouver Canada to English parentage, Davies spent his childhood in Sudan, Egypt, Uganda, and Kenya, and then was sent to England at age 12. Davies studied Oriental languages at Cambridge, and has lectured translation and English literature at several universities across the Arab World. In 2006, he published his memoirs. In 2007, he was awarded the Sheikh Zayed Book Award "Culture Personality of the Year", a valued at about $300,000.
Davies lives in and divides his time between Marrakesh and Cairo.
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September 9, 2016
賰鬲丕亘 兀卮亘賴 亘賲匕賰乇丕鬲 兀賵 賱賲丨丕鬲 禺丕胤賮丞 賲賳 丨賷丕丞 兀丨丿 丕賱賲爻鬲卮乇賯賷賳 賵賲鬲乇噩賲賷賳 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱毓乇亘賷 賱賱廿賳噩賱賷夭賷丞貙 賵賴賵 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 丿賳賷爻 噩賵賳爻賵賳 丿賷賮夭. 丕爻鬲賲鬲毓鬲 亘丕賱賱丨馗丕鬲 丕賱賱賷 亘賷鬲賰賱賲 賮賷賴丕 毓賳 丨賷丕鬲賴 賵毓賳 丕賱賲賵丕賯賮 丕賱賮丕乇賯丞 丕賱賱賷 賰丕賳鬲 丨賷丕鬲賴 賲賲賰賳 鬲丕禺丿 賮賷賴丕 卮賰賱 賲禺鬲賱賮 鬲賲丕賲賸丕 賱賵 賲賰賳卮 賰乇爻 賳賮爻賴 賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 亘丕賱卮賰賱 丿賴.
丕賱賰鬲丕亘 亘賷胤乇丨 亘丿丕賷丕鬲 鬲毓賱賲賴 賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賮賷 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕貙 賵禺丕氐丞 兀賳賴 賰丕賳 賯丿 賯囟賶 賲毓馗賲 爻賳賵丕鬲 毓賲乇賴 賯亘賱 賵亘毓丿 匕賱賰 賮賷 丿賵賱 毓乇亘賷丞貙 賵賰賷賮 賯丕丿賴 丨乇氐賴 毓賱賶 賮賴賲 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賱賱鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賶 兀賴賲 兀丿亘丕亍 丕賱毓乇亘 賮賷 毓氐乇賴. 丕賱賲孬賷乇 賱賱廿賴鬲賲丕賲 兀賳 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 - 賰賲丕 卮丿丿 賰孬賷乇賸丕 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 - 賱賲 鬲賰賳 賷賵賲賸丕 賲氐丿乇 兀賰賱 毓賷卮賴貙 兀賵 卮睾賱賴 丕賱賵丨賷丿貙 賮賱胤丕賱賲丕 賰丕賮丨 賵毓丕賳賶 賰賲丕 賷鬲囟丨 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賱賷賳卮乇 兀賷 賰鬲丕亘 兀賵 鬲乇噩賲丕鬲 賱兀賷 乇賵丕卅賷 毓乇亘賷貙 丨鬲賶 賳噩賷亘 賲丨賮賵馗 丕賱賮丕卅夭 亘噩丕卅夭丞 賳賵亘賱. 賵賴匕丕 賷噩毓賱賳賷 丕毓鬲賯丿 丕賳 賲噩丕賱 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賮賷 賲氐乇 乇亘賲丕 賱賷爻 亘匕賱賰 丕賱爻賵亍 - 乇亘賲丕!-
兀毓賷亘 毓賱賶 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 鬲乇賰賷夭賴 毓賱賶 丕賱鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 賰賱 乇丨賱丕鬲賴 丕賱鬲賷 賯丕賲 亘賴丕 賵賰賱 兀丿賷亘 毓乇亘賷 鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷賴 賵馗乇賵賮 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲毓乇賮丞貙 賵丨鬲賶 兀賳賴 賷賯賵賲 賮賷 賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱兀賵賯丕鬲 亘賯氐 亘毓囟 丕賱胤乇丕卅賮 毓賳 毓賱丕賯鬲賴 亘賴賲貙 賮賷賲丕 兀賳 丨丿賷孬賴 毓賳 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 - 賵賴賵 丕賱賴丿賮 丕賱乇卅賷爻賷 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賰賲丕 丕毓鬲賯丿鬲 - 賯賱賷賱 亘毓囟 丕賱卮卅. 丕爻鬲賮丿鬲 賲賳 丨丿賷孬賴 毓賳 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賵丕賱賳卮乇 賵亘毓囟 賳氐丕卅丨賴 賮賷賲丕 賷鬲毓賱賯 亘賲毓乇賮丞 丕賱賱睾丕鬲 丕賱兀噩賳亘賷丞貙 賵丕爻鬲賲鬲毓鬲 亘胤乇丕卅賮 賰賵賳賴 兀噩賳亘賷賸丕 賷賮賴賲 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賮賷 亘賱丕丿 賷賮鬲乇囟 賮賷賴丕 丕賱毓乇亘 兀賳賴 賱丕 賷賮賴賲 丨丿賷孬賴賲. 兀丨爻爻鬲 亘睾乇亘鬲賴 賵兀卮賮賯鬲 毓賱賷賴 賲丨丕賵賱丞 丕賱囟乇亘 亘噩匕賵乇賴 賮賷 亘賱丕丿 賰丕賱亘賱丕丿 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞.
丕賱賰鬲丕亘 亘賷胤乇丨 亘丿丕賷丕鬲 鬲毓賱賲賴 賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賮賷 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕貙 賵禺丕氐丞 兀賳賴 賰丕賳 賯丿 賯囟賶 賲毓馗賲 爻賳賵丕鬲 毓賲乇賴 賯亘賱 賵亘毓丿 匕賱賰 賮賷 丿賵賱 毓乇亘賷丞貙 賵賰賷賮 賯丕丿賴 丨乇氐賴 毓賱賶 賮賴賲 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賱賱鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賶 兀賴賲 兀丿亘丕亍 丕賱毓乇亘 賮賷 毓氐乇賴. 丕賱賲孬賷乇 賱賱廿賴鬲賲丕賲 兀賳 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 - 賰賲丕 卮丿丿 賰孬賷乇賸丕 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 - 賱賲 鬲賰賳 賷賵賲賸丕 賲氐丿乇 兀賰賱 毓賷卮賴貙 兀賵 卮睾賱賴 丕賱賵丨賷丿貙 賮賱胤丕賱賲丕 賰丕賮丨 賵毓丕賳賶 賰賲丕 賷鬲囟丨 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賱賷賳卮乇 兀賷 賰鬲丕亘 兀賵 鬲乇噩賲丕鬲 賱兀賷 乇賵丕卅賷 毓乇亘賷貙 丨鬲賶 賳噩賷亘 賲丨賮賵馗 丕賱賮丕卅夭 亘噩丕卅夭丞 賳賵亘賱. 賵賴匕丕 賷噩毓賱賳賷 丕毓鬲賯丿 丕賳 賲噩丕賱 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賮賷 賲氐乇 乇亘賲丕 賱賷爻 亘匕賱賰 丕賱爻賵亍 - 乇亘賲丕!-
兀毓賷亘 毓賱賶 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 鬲乇賰賷夭賴 毓賱賶 丕賱鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 賰賱 乇丨賱丕鬲賴 丕賱鬲賷 賯丕賲 亘賴丕 賵賰賱 兀丿賷亘 毓乇亘賷 鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷賴 賵馗乇賵賮 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲毓乇賮丞貙 賵丨鬲賶 兀賳賴 賷賯賵賲 賮賷 賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱兀賵賯丕鬲 亘賯氐 亘毓囟 丕賱胤乇丕卅賮 毓賳 毓賱丕賯鬲賴 亘賴賲貙 賮賷賲丕 兀賳 丨丿賷孬賴 毓賳 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 - 賵賴賵 丕賱賴丿賮 丕賱乇卅賷爻賷 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賰賲丕 丕毓鬲賯丿鬲 - 賯賱賷賱 亘毓囟 丕賱卮卅. 丕爻鬲賮丿鬲 賲賳 丨丿賷孬賴 毓賳 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賵丕賱賳卮乇 賵亘毓囟 賳氐丕卅丨賴 賮賷賲丕 賷鬲毓賱賯 亘賲毓乇賮丞 丕賱賱睾丕鬲 丕賱兀噩賳亘賷丞貙 賵丕爻鬲賲鬲毓鬲 亘胤乇丕卅賮 賰賵賳賴 兀噩賳亘賷賸丕 賷賮賴賲 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賮賷 亘賱丕丿 賷賮鬲乇囟 賮賷賴丕 丕賱毓乇亘 兀賳賴 賱丕 賷賮賴賲 丨丿賷孬賴賲. 兀丨爻爻鬲 亘睾乇亘鬲賴 賵兀卮賮賯鬲 毓賱賷賴 賲丨丕賵賱丞 丕賱囟乇亘 亘噩匕賵乇賴 賮賷 亘賱丕丿 賰丕賱亘賱丕丿 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞.
March 9, 2020
What a jumble, but a most useful jumble.
Johnson-Davies couldn't settle down to school, after he was sent back to England at 14. He had grown up in Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya . Finding Latin and Greek too hard, he asked to study Arabic (!). A rather helter-skelter education, interrupted by the war, which he spent translating for the war effort, ended him up in Egypt, where he lived for much of his life (save for a mid-career stint as a lawyer back in England).
Being a non-conformist, living in poor digs rather than amongst the ex-pats, and probably quite charming, he came to know everybody writing in Arabic for fifty years or more. He drank countless cup of coffee in street cafes, discussing literature with men who were already, or would become famous across the Middle East. He translated Naguib Mafouz, Tayeb Salih, Mahmud Darwish and dozens of others.
Johnson-Davies was a tireless promoter of Arabic literature, especially in translation. He started the Arabic Authors series at Heinemann. (This was similar to the Heinemann African writers series, but unfortunately the Arabic series didn't last and now I can't even find a list of the series titles on line.) He started and edited at least one journal devoted to Arabic literature, and was always looking for venues for the stories he translated. He also published several anthologies of translated Arabic short stories.
But as I said, the book is a jumble. It very much sounds like transcripts of conversations he had with someone eliciting his memories, because his mind jumps from one topic and era to another. Then it circles back thirty pages later, and forty and fifty pages later.
But as a source of authors to pursue, it is absolutely worth the price of admission. So many names and anecdotes from 1940 through 2000 that don't get mentioned in the usual lists that focus on Mahfouz, Salih, and Darwish (such as Tawfiq al-Hakim, Haha Hussein, Yahya Hakki, Yusuf Idris, Tawfic Sayigh, Ghassan Kanafani). The focus is on Egypt, but Johnson-Davies knew authors from Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, the gulf, etc etc. There are years of reading here. I have it on order for reference. (borrowed an ebook from the library to read it.)
Johnson-Davies couldn't settle down to school, after he was sent back to England at 14. He had grown up in Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya . Finding Latin and Greek too hard, he asked to study Arabic (!). A rather helter-skelter education, interrupted by the war, which he spent translating for the war effort, ended him up in Egypt, where he lived for much of his life (save for a mid-career stint as a lawyer back in England).
Being a non-conformist, living in poor digs rather than amongst the ex-pats, and probably quite charming, he came to know everybody writing in Arabic for fifty years or more. He drank countless cup of coffee in street cafes, discussing literature with men who were already, or would become famous across the Middle East. He translated Naguib Mafouz, Tayeb Salih, Mahmud Darwish and dozens of others.
Johnson-Davies was a tireless promoter of Arabic literature, especially in translation. He started the Arabic Authors series at Heinemann. (This was similar to the Heinemann African writers series, but unfortunately the Arabic series didn't last and now I can't even find a list of the series titles on line.) He started and edited at least one journal devoted to Arabic literature, and was always looking for venues for the stories he translated. He also published several anthologies of translated Arabic short stories.
But as I said, the book is a jumble. It very much sounds like transcripts of conversations he had with someone eliciting his memories, because his mind jumps from one topic and era to another. Then it circles back thirty pages later, and forty and fifty pages later.
But as a source of authors to pursue, it is absolutely worth the price of admission. So many names and anecdotes from 1940 through 2000 that don't get mentioned in the usual lists that focus on Mahfouz, Salih, and Darwish (such as Tawfiq al-Hakim, Haha Hussein, Yahya Hakki, Yusuf Idris, Tawfic Sayigh, Ghassan Kanafani). The focus is on Egypt, but Johnson-Davies knew authors from Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, the gulf, etc etc. There are years of reading here. I have it on order for reference. (borrowed an ebook from the library to read it.)
January 1, 2011
I started off my new year by reading a book from cover to cover. Today is Saturday and so I have decided to set this insane behavior as my 2011 personal theme: each Saturday morning I'll read a short book in its entirety. Just for kicks.
This particular book is one i've meant to have read for quite some time. It is the short memoir of one of the foremost translators of modern Arabic literature into English and for that reason, this is not a book for everyone, but definitely a book for me. :D
I enjoyed reading it, almost entirely for selfish reasons: reading about his fits and starts trying to learn Arabic in the first place assuaged my nagging guilt that I don't spend enough time devoted to Arabic though I'd very much like to. So I was delighted to read that despite finishing his Cambridge degree having "passed adequately in Arabic and did well in Persian..." no one bothered to see if Johnson-Davies had understood anything in a news bulletin he had listened to during an interview for a position with the nascent Arabic section of the BBC in the late-1930s. In fact, he confessed that he "had scarcely understood a word."
No one checked his comprehension, because none of the British folk running the show themselves spoke or understood Arabic. This is one of the main themes running through this slim volume--translation is necessary because so few English-speakers learn Arabic, yet at the same time, that very situation renders the whole project of translating modern Arabic literature extraordinarily difficult. He noted ruefully that "apart from some twenty Arabs, not a soul in the Arabic section of the BBC could be said to have more than a superficial command of the language" and asked how could it be that Britain had "acquired this great empire, which included a large number of people whose native language was Arabic, yet appeared to boast virtually no one who knew the language?" Today's Americans will surely recognize themselves in this.
So it seems obvious that with so few speakers of Arabic among native English-speakers, a few good and capable translators would make all the difference in bridging the gap. But it's not easy, since translation is not just about language, but it's also about culture. Johnson-Davies makes an interesting observation that in the mid- to late-twentieth century, most Arabic writers, with a few exceptions, did not know any foreigners, had never traveled outside their places of origin, and had not been exposed to any foreign language--this made their writing very insular and exceptionally difficult to translate into something people in a Western culture with little to no experience with the Arab world could understand, relate to, or find interesting, literary merits notwithstanding.
Then of course there is the problem of the various versions of colloquial Arabic that exist across the Arab world and the question of whether colloquial should be used in literature. Johnson-Davies tended to disagree with some Arab writers who thought colloquial was not appropriate for use in literary writing, because he was of the mind that classical Arabic is ill-suited for conveying humor, which happens to exist in spades in the Arab world.
This memoir is barely linear--he talks a little bit about his early childhood and how his interest in Arabic began, and then he tells us about going to university, and of his problems as a young adult finding work while avoiding the trap of a career, but other than that, he moves around quite a bit in his memories, almost as if he is interviewing himself. We don't see the questions, but we can guess what they are, for example: Who are the greatest modern writers and did you translate their work, why or why not? How did you get to know these writers and did you become friends? Which publishers have had success publishing translated Arabic literature and what was your role in that? How did you get into writing children's stories in English for children of Arab descent?
Johnson-Davies had a quite interesting life, but i'm not sure that his memoirs would be terribly engaging for people with no interest in Arabic literature. I think also that this book would be a little difficult for people with no background in the modern history of the Arab world. He occasionally alludes to historical events, but it's really up to the reader to already be aware of political conditions in the various countries where he lived and traveled. So basically, this book is not universal. A very specific audience, of which i consider myself to be part, will enjoy this book and take something away from reading it.
He has a nice message for would-be translators at the very end. Translating is a thankless (he provides plenty of anecdotes about that), underpaid (he makes it very clear he does not do it for the money) profession, but absolutely necessary, making it perhaps one of the noblest out there. He asks us to consider,
Where would the cultural world be without its translators? How is it that we have all had access to HOmer and the writings of the ancient Greeks, to books such as "The Epic of Gilgamesh," to the Russians, Cervantes, Proust, Pessoa, and so on.
And then he reminds us that translators of Arabic today definitely live in the wrong era because,
The early Arabs, it seems, showed greater appreciation for their translators; it is recorded that in early Abbasid times the famous Honein ibn Ishaq was paid a handsome monthly salary and that the caliph Ma'mun rewarded him with the weight of gold of the books he had translated.
This particular book is one i've meant to have read for quite some time. It is the short memoir of one of the foremost translators of modern Arabic literature into English and for that reason, this is not a book for everyone, but definitely a book for me. :D
I enjoyed reading it, almost entirely for selfish reasons: reading about his fits and starts trying to learn Arabic in the first place assuaged my nagging guilt that I don't spend enough time devoted to Arabic though I'd very much like to. So I was delighted to read that despite finishing his Cambridge degree having "passed adequately in Arabic and did well in Persian..." no one bothered to see if Johnson-Davies had understood anything in a news bulletin he had listened to during an interview for a position with the nascent Arabic section of the BBC in the late-1930s. In fact, he confessed that he "had scarcely understood a word."
No one checked his comprehension, because none of the British folk running the show themselves spoke or understood Arabic. This is one of the main themes running through this slim volume--translation is necessary because so few English-speakers learn Arabic, yet at the same time, that very situation renders the whole project of translating modern Arabic literature extraordinarily difficult. He noted ruefully that "apart from some twenty Arabs, not a soul in the Arabic section of the BBC could be said to have more than a superficial command of the language" and asked how could it be that Britain had "acquired this great empire, which included a large number of people whose native language was Arabic, yet appeared to boast virtually no one who knew the language?" Today's Americans will surely recognize themselves in this.
So it seems obvious that with so few speakers of Arabic among native English-speakers, a few good and capable translators would make all the difference in bridging the gap. But it's not easy, since translation is not just about language, but it's also about culture. Johnson-Davies makes an interesting observation that in the mid- to late-twentieth century, most Arabic writers, with a few exceptions, did not know any foreigners, had never traveled outside their places of origin, and had not been exposed to any foreign language--this made their writing very insular and exceptionally difficult to translate into something people in a Western culture with little to no experience with the Arab world could understand, relate to, or find interesting, literary merits notwithstanding.
Then of course there is the problem of the various versions of colloquial Arabic that exist across the Arab world and the question of whether colloquial should be used in literature. Johnson-Davies tended to disagree with some Arab writers who thought colloquial was not appropriate for use in literary writing, because he was of the mind that classical Arabic is ill-suited for conveying humor, which happens to exist in spades in the Arab world.
This memoir is barely linear--he talks a little bit about his early childhood and how his interest in Arabic began, and then he tells us about going to university, and of his problems as a young adult finding work while avoiding the trap of a career, but other than that, he moves around quite a bit in his memories, almost as if he is interviewing himself. We don't see the questions, but we can guess what they are, for example: Who are the greatest modern writers and did you translate their work, why or why not? How did you get to know these writers and did you become friends? Which publishers have had success publishing translated Arabic literature and what was your role in that? How did you get into writing children's stories in English for children of Arab descent?
Johnson-Davies had a quite interesting life, but i'm not sure that his memoirs would be terribly engaging for people with no interest in Arabic literature. I think also that this book would be a little difficult for people with no background in the modern history of the Arab world. He occasionally alludes to historical events, but it's really up to the reader to already be aware of political conditions in the various countries where he lived and traveled. So basically, this book is not universal. A very specific audience, of which i consider myself to be part, will enjoy this book and take something away from reading it.
He has a nice message for would-be translators at the very end. Translating is a thankless (he provides plenty of anecdotes about that), underpaid (he makes it very clear he does not do it for the money) profession, but absolutely necessary, making it perhaps one of the noblest out there. He asks us to consider,
Where would the cultural world be without its translators? How is it that we have all had access to HOmer and the writings of the ancient Greeks, to books such as "The Epic of Gilgamesh," to the Russians, Cervantes, Proust, Pessoa, and so on.
And then he reminds us that translators of Arabic today definitely live in the wrong era because,
The early Arabs, it seems, showed greater appreciation for their translators; it is recorded that in early Abbasid times the famous Honein ibn Ishaq was paid a handsome monthly salary and that the caliph Ma'mun rewarded him with the weight of gold of the books he had translated.
August 8, 2024
I found the book primarily of interest as a repository of names of Arab writers to look into. While Johnson-Davies is admirable as a translator and promotor of Arabic literature, his memoir is likely not of much interest to those without a pre-existing fascination with the Arabic language and the authors who write in it. 2 stars for content with an extra star added for the numerous Arab writers he introduced me to throughout the book.
September 12, 2024
丕爻鬲睾乇亘 賱賲 賱賲 賷賰鬲亘 丿賷賳賷爻 賴匕賴 丕賱賲匕賰乇丕鬲 亘丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賵賴賵 丕賱賲鬲賯賳 賱賴丕!
爻賷乇丞 鬲丨賷賷 賮賷 賯賱亘 丕賷 毓乇亘賷 賮禺乇賴 亘丕賱丕賳鬲賲丕亍 賱亘賱丿賴 賵丿賷賳賷爻 賱賲 賷爻鬲胤毓 丕賱丕 丕賱毓賷卮 亘賷賳賳丕 ..
賲乇賵乇 爻乇賷毓 毓賱賶 丨賷丕鬲賴 賵丕賱鬲賯胤丕鬲 爻乇賷毓丞 賲毓 賰亘丕乇 丕賱丕丿亘 丕賱毓乇亘 丨鬲賶 丕賳賴 丕賱鬲賯賶 亘丕賱丿賰鬲賵乇 毓亘丿 丕賱爻賱丕賲 丕賱毓噩賷賱賷 賵丨賳丕賳 丕賱卮賷禺
丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賮賳 .. 賴賰匕丕 丌賲賳 丿賷賮賷夭 賵賴賷 賮毓賱丕 賰匕賱賰
爻賷乇丞 鬲丨賷賷 賮賷 賯賱亘 丕賷 毓乇亘賷 賮禺乇賴 亘丕賱丕賳鬲賲丕亍 賱亘賱丿賴 賵丿賷賳賷爻 賱賲 賷爻鬲胤毓 丕賱丕 丕賱毓賷卮 亘賷賳賳丕 ..
賲乇賵乇 爻乇賷毓 毓賱賶 丨賷丕鬲賴 賵丕賱鬲賯胤丕鬲 爻乇賷毓丞 賲毓 賰亘丕乇 丕賱丕丿亘 丕賱毓乇亘 丨鬲賶 丕賳賴 丕賱鬲賯賶 亘丕賱丿賰鬲賵乇 毓亘丿 丕賱爻賱丕賲 丕賱毓噩賷賱賷 賵丨賳丕賳 丕賱卮賷禺
丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賮賳 .. 賴賰匕丕 丌賲賳 丿賷賮賷夭 賵賴賷 賮毓賱丕 賰匕賱賰
January 15, 2017
"Translation is an art that requires considerably more than simply having a knowledge of two different languages"
This little inspiring expression tells you how I was joyful while I was reading this book.
How do you think reading book that is written by one who spends most of his life traveling around Arab world?! What do you think about reading a book that tells you real stories with Najeeb Mahfouz, Yousef Idris, Tyeb Saleh, and other great writers in the Arab world?! Do you want to read how Nobel Prize chose Najeeb Mahfouz?
This book tells you more and more regardless its little size. Johnson-Davies translates more than 25 Arabic books into English, including some verses of Quran and the Prophet's says, and narrates some of what we called it behind the scenes. He mentions some Arabists who study Arabic language and literature and contribute to the knowledge some great works.
This little inspiring expression tells you how I was joyful while I was reading this book.
How do you think reading book that is written by one who spends most of his life traveling around Arab world?! What do you think about reading a book that tells you real stories with Najeeb Mahfouz, Yousef Idris, Tyeb Saleh, and other great writers in the Arab world?! Do you want to read how Nobel Prize chose Najeeb Mahfouz?
This book tells you more and more regardless its little size. Johnson-Davies translates more than 25 Arabic books into English, including some verses of Quran and the Prophet's says, and narrates some of what we called it behind the scenes. He mentions some Arabists who study Arabic language and literature and contribute to the knowledge some great works.
March 19, 2024
"匕賰乇賷丕鬲 賮賷 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞"
丨賷丕丞 亘賷賳 禺胤賵胤 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱毓乇亘賷
丕賱賲鬲乇噩賲 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 丿賷賳賷爻 噩賵賳爻賵賳 乇丕卅丿 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賲賳 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 廿賱賷 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭賷丞貙 賷禺亘乇賳丕 丿賷賳賷爻 賮賷 賲匕賰乇丕鬲賴 毓賳 亘丿丕賷丞 賲毓乇賮鬲賴 亘丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賮賷 胤賮賵賱鬲賴 賮賷 丕賱賮鬲乇丞 丕賱鬲賷 賯囟丕賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賯丕賴乇丞 賵 賵丿丕賷 丨賱賮丕 亘丕賱爻賵丿丕賳 賰丕賳 賷賳鬲賯賱 賲毓 賵丕賱丿賴 賵賮賯丕 賱馗乇賵賮 毓賲賱賴貙 賰丕賳 賲賵馗賮 賮賷 丕賱丨賰賵賲丞 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷丞貙 賮賷 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞 毓卮乇 賲賳 毓賲乇賴 賷噩亘乇賴 丕賱兀胤亘丕亍 毓賱賷 丕賱毓賵丿丞 廿賱賶 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕 賷賰賲賱 丿賷賳賷爻 丕賱賲卮賵丕乇 賵賷賱鬲丨賯 亘賰賱賷丞 丕賱丿乇丕爻丕鬲 丕賱卮乇賯賷丞 賵賲賳 亘毓丿賴丕 噩丕賲毓丞 賰丕賲亘乇賷丿噩 賱丿乇丕爻丞 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞.
丕賳鬲賯賱 廿賱賷 丕賱毓賲賱 賮賷 賴賷卅丞 丕賱廿匕丕毓丞 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷丞 賱賲丿丞 禺賲爻 爻賳賵丕鬲 賯亘賱 兀賳 賷賯丿賲 丕爻鬲賯丕賱鬲賴 亘毓丿 兀賳 賯丿賲 賮賷 賵馗賷賮丞 賮賷 丕賱賲噩賱爻 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賯丕賴乇丞 賱鬲丿乇賷爻 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞貙 兀賵賱 賲賳 亘丨孬 毓賳賴 賰丕賳 丕賱賳丕賯丿 賵丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賱賵賷爻 毓賵囟 賵丕賱匕賷 賰丕賳 鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷賴 賮賷 賰賲亘乇賷丿噩 賵賲賳 禺賱丕賱賴 鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷 賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱賲孬賯賮賷賳貙 賵賷丨囟乇 賲毓賴 丕賱賳丿賵丕鬲.
兀賵賱 鬲乇噩賲賴 毓賲賱 毓賱賷賴丕 賰丕賳鬲 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賯氐氐賷丞 賱賲丨賲賵丿 鬲賷賲賵乇 賵丕賱匕賷 乇兀賷 賲賳賴 鬲卮噩賷毓 賵丿毓賲 賱卮亘丕亘 丕賱賰鬲丕亘貙 賵賰丕賳 廿丿賵丕乇丿 丕賱禺賷丕胤 兀賷囟丕 賲卮噩毓 毓馗賷賲 賱賱賲賵丕賴亘 丕賱卮丕亘丞 賮賯丕賲 亘鬲賯丿賷賲 廿亘乇丕賴賷賲 兀氐賱丕賳 賵 丕賱亘爻丕胤賷 賵 賷丨賷 丕賱胤丕賴乇 毓亘丿 丕賱賱賴貙 賵鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷 鬲賵賮賷賯 丕賱丨賰賷賲 賵賰丕賳 賷噩賱爻 賲毓賴 毓賱賷 賲賯賴賷 乇賷鬲賷夭貙 鬲乇噩賲 賱賴 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱賲爻乇丨賷丕鬲 賵兀賵賱賴丕 賰丕賳 賷丕胤丕賱毓 丕賱卮噩乇丞.
賲丕亘賷賳 毓丕賲賷 佟侃伽佶 賵 佟侃伽侃 賷鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷 賳噩賷亘 賲丨賮賵馗 賵賰丕賳 賷噩賱爻 賲毓賴 毓賱賷 丕賱賲賯丕賴賷 賵丕賵賱 鬲乇噩賲賴 賰丕賳鬲 賲毓賴 賱乇賵丕賷丞 賴賲爻 丕賱噩賳賵賳貙 賵賷丨賰賷 毓賳 賮賵夭 賳噩賷亘 賲丨賮賵馗 亘噩丕卅夭丞 賳賵亘賱 賵丨賷賳 爻兀賱鬲賴 夭賵噩丞 丕賱爻賮賷乇 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷 賮賷 鬲賵賳爻 毓賳 乇兀賷賴 賮賷 丕賱兀爻賲丕亍 丕賱鬲賷 賯丿賲鬲賴丕 賱噩賳丞 賲賳丨 噩丕卅夭丞 賳賵亘賱 毓賳 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱毓乇亘 賵賯丕賲 亘鬲乇卮賷丨 丕爻賲 賳噩賷亘 賲丨賮賵馗 賵賰丕賳 賲毓賴 賮賷 丕賱賯丕卅賲丞 丕賱卮丕毓乇 兀丿賵賳賷爻貙 賷賵爻賮 廿丿乇賷爻貙 丕賱胤賷亘 氐丕賱丨.
賷賯賵賱 毓賳 賷丨賷賷 丨賯賷 兀賳賴 賰丕賳 兀賯乇亘 丕賱兀氐丿賯丕亍 賱賴貙 賰丕賳 賷毓鬲賲丿 毓賱賷賴 賰孬賷乇丕 賮賷 爻賳賵丕鬲賴 丕賱兀賵賱賷 賮賷 丕賱賯丕賴乇丞.
賮賷 亘睾丿丕丿 賷夭賵乇 氐丿賷賯賴 丕賱匕賷 鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷賴 賱丕賵賱 賲乇丞 賮賷 賰丕賲亘乇賷丿噩 丕賱乇賵丕卅賷 噩亘乇丕 廿亘乇丕賴賷賲 噩亘乇丕 兀孬賳丕亍 毓賲賱賴 賲賲孬賱 丕賱卮乇賯 丕賱兀賵爻胤 賱兀丨丿 丕賱卮乇賰丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 鬲胤亘毓 丕賱丕賵乇丕賯 丕賱賳賯丿賷丞貙 賵賷鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 賲賵賴亘丞 噩亘乇丕 賮賷 丕賱卮毓乇 賵丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵丨鬲賷 丕賱賳賯丿.
賵丨丿賷孬 毓賳 丕賱胤賷亘 氐丕賱丨 賵 賷丨賷 丕賱胤丕賴乇 毓亘丿 丕賱賱賴 賵 睾爻丕賳 賰賳賮丕賳賷 賵丕賱卮丕毓乇 亘丿乇 卮丕賰乇 丕賱爻賷丕亘貙
鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 賲卮乇賵毓賴 賵賴賵 廿賳鬲丕噩 賲噩賱丿 賲賳 丕賱賯氐氐 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 丕賱賲兀禺賵匕丞 賲賳 兀賳丨丕亍 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱毓乇亘賷 丕賱丨丿賷孬 廿賱賷 丕賱睾乇亘貙 賵毓賳 丕賱賲卮丕賰賱 丕賱鬲賷 賯丕亘賱賴丕 賱賷噩丿 賳丕卮乇 賱鬲賱賰 丕賱賲噩賲賵毓丞貙 賵丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賯囟丕賴丕 賮賷 賰鬲丕亘丞 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 賰鬲亘 賱賱兀胤賮丕賱貙賵毓賳 毓賲賱賴 賲鬲乇噩賲 賵賴賵 丨賱賲 乇賵丕丿賴 賲賳匕 兀賳 賰丕賳 氐亘賷.
鬲賵賮賷 噩賵賳爻賵賳 賵丿賮賳 賮賷 賲氐乇 兀丨亘 丕賱亘賱丕丿 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賱賯賱亘賴 貙 丕禺鬲丕乇 賯乇賷丞 鬲賵賳爻 亘丕賱賮賷賵賲 賵亘賳賷 亘賴丕 賲賳夭賱 賰丕賳 賷賯囟賷 亘賴 賮鬲乇丞 丕賱氐賷賮
丨賷丕丞 亘賷賳 禺胤賵胤 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱毓乇亘賷
丕賱賲鬲乇噩賲 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 丿賷賳賷爻 噩賵賳爻賵賳 乇丕卅丿 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賲賳 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 廿賱賷 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱廿賳噩賱賷夭賷丞貙 賷禺亘乇賳丕 丿賷賳賷爻 賮賷 賲匕賰乇丕鬲賴 毓賳 亘丿丕賷丞 賲毓乇賮鬲賴 亘丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賮賷 胤賮賵賱鬲賴 賮賷 丕賱賮鬲乇丞 丕賱鬲賷 賯囟丕賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賯丕賴乇丞 賵 賵丿丕賷 丨賱賮丕 亘丕賱爻賵丿丕賳 賰丕賳 賷賳鬲賯賱 賲毓 賵丕賱丿賴 賵賮賯丕 賱馗乇賵賮 毓賲賱賴貙 賰丕賳 賲賵馗賮 賮賷 丕賱丨賰賵賲丞 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷丞貙 賮賷 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞 毓卮乇 賲賳 毓賲乇賴 賷噩亘乇賴 丕賱兀胤亘丕亍 毓賱賷 丕賱毓賵丿丞 廿賱賶 廿賳噩賱鬲乇丕 賷賰賲賱 丿賷賳賷爻 丕賱賲卮賵丕乇 賵賷賱鬲丨賯 亘賰賱賷丞 丕賱丿乇丕爻丕鬲 丕賱卮乇賯賷丞 賵賲賳 亘毓丿賴丕 噩丕賲毓丞 賰丕賲亘乇賷丿噩 賱丿乇丕爻丞 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞.
丕賳鬲賯賱 廿賱賷 丕賱毓賲賱 賮賷 賴賷卅丞 丕賱廿匕丕毓丞 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷丞 賱賲丿丞 禺賲爻 爻賳賵丕鬲 賯亘賱 兀賳 賷賯丿賲 丕爻鬲賯丕賱鬲賴 亘毓丿 兀賳 賯丿賲 賮賷 賵馗賷賮丞 賮賷 丕賱賲噩賱爻 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賯丕賴乇丞 賱鬲丿乇賷爻 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞貙 兀賵賱 賲賳 亘丨孬 毓賳賴 賰丕賳 丕賱賳丕賯丿 賵丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賱賵賷爻 毓賵囟 賵丕賱匕賷 賰丕賳 鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷賴 賮賷 賰賲亘乇賷丿噩 賵賲賳 禺賱丕賱賴 鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷 賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱賲孬賯賮賷賳貙 賵賷丨囟乇 賲毓賴 丕賱賳丿賵丕鬲.
兀賵賱 鬲乇噩賲賴 毓賲賱 毓賱賷賴丕 賰丕賳鬲 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賯氐氐賷丞 賱賲丨賲賵丿 鬲賷賲賵乇 賵丕賱匕賷 乇兀賷 賲賳賴 鬲卮噩賷毓 賵丿毓賲 賱卮亘丕亘 丕賱賰鬲丕亘貙 賵賰丕賳 廿丿賵丕乇丿 丕賱禺賷丕胤 兀賷囟丕 賲卮噩毓 毓馗賷賲 賱賱賲賵丕賴亘 丕賱卮丕亘丞 賮賯丕賲 亘鬲賯丿賷賲 廿亘乇丕賴賷賲 兀氐賱丕賳 賵 丕賱亘爻丕胤賷 賵 賷丨賷 丕賱胤丕賴乇 毓亘丿 丕賱賱賴貙 賵鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷 鬲賵賮賷賯 丕賱丨賰賷賲 賵賰丕賳 賷噩賱爻 賲毓賴 毓賱賷 賲賯賴賷 乇賷鬲賷夭貙 鬲乇噩賲 賱賴 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱賲爻乇丨賷丕鬲 賵兀賵賱賴丕 賰丕賳 賷丕胤丕賱毓 丕賱卮噩乇丞.
賲丕亘賷賳 毓丕賲賷 佟侃伽佶 賵 佟侃伽侃 賷鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷 賳噩賷亘 賲丨賮賵馗 賵賰丕賳 賷噩賱爻 賲毓賴 毓賱賷 丕賱賲賯丕賴賷 賵丕賵賱 鬲乇噩賲賴 賰丕賳鬲 賲毓賴 賱乇賵丕賷丞 賴賲爻 丕賱噩賳賵賳貙 賵賷丨賰賷 毓賳 賮賵夭 賳噩賷亘 賲丨賮賵馗 亘噩丕卅夭丞 賳賵亘賱 賵丨賷賳 爻兀賱鬲賴 夭賵噩丞 丕賱爻賮賷乇 丕賱賮乇賳爻賷 賮賷 鬲賵賳爻 毓賳 乇兀賷賴 賮賷 丕賱兀爻賲丕亍 丕賱鬲賷 賯丿賲鬲賴丕 賱噩賳丞 賲賳丨 噩丕卅夭丞 賳賵亘賱 毓賳 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱毓乇亘 賵賯丕賲 亘鬲乇卮賷丨 丕爻賲 賳噩賷亘 賲丨賮賵馗 賵賰丕賳 賲毓賴 賮賷 丕賱賯丕卅賲丞 丕賱卮丕毓乇 兀丿賵賳賷爻貙 賷賵爻賮 廿丿乇賷爻貙 丕賱胤賷亘 氐丕賱丨.
賷賯賵賱 毓賳 賷丨賷賷 丨賯賷 兀賳賴 賰丕賳 兀賯乇亘 丕賱兀氐丿賯丕亍 賱賴貙 賰丕賳 賷毓鬲賲丿 毓賱賷賴 賰孬賷乇丕 賮賷 爻賳賵丕鬲賴 丕賱兀賵賱賷 賮賷 丕賱賯丕賴乇丞.
賮賷 亘睾丿丕丿 賷夭賵乇 氐丿賷賯賴 丕賱匕賷 鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賷賴 賱丕賵賱 賲乇丞 賮賷 賰丕賲亘乇賷丿噩 丕賱乇賵丕卅賷 噩亘乇丕 廿亘乇丕賴賷賲 噩亘乇丕 兀孬賳丕亍 毓賲賱賴 賲賲孬賱 丕賱卮乇賯 丕賱兀賵爻胤 賱兀丨丿 丕賱卮乇賰丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 鬲胤亘毓 丕賱丕賵乇丕賯 丕賱賳賯丿賷丞貙 賵賷鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 賲賵賴亘丞 噩亘乇丕 賮賷 丕賱卮毓乇 賵丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵丨鬲賷 丕賱賳賯丿.
賵丨丿賷孬 毓賳 丕賱胤賷亘 氐丕賱丨 賵 賷丨賷 丕賱胤丕賴乇 毓亘丿 丕賱賱賴 賵 睾爻丕賳 賰賳賮丕賳賷 賵丕賱卮丕毓乇 亘丿乇 卮丕賰乇 丕賱爻賷丕亘貙
鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 賲卮乇賵毓賴 賵賴賵 廿賳鬲丕噩 賲噩賱丿 賲賳 丕賱賯氐氐 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 丕賱賲兀禺賵匕丞 賲賳 兀賳丨丕亍 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱毓乇亘賷 丕賱丨丿賷孬 廿賱賷 丕賱睾乇亘貙 賵毓賳 丕賱賲卮丕賰賱 丕賱鬲賷 賯丕亘賱賴丕 賱賷噩丿 賳丕卮乇 賱鬲賱賰 丕賱賲噩賲賵毓丞貙 賵丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賯囟丕賴丕 賮賷 賰鬲丕亘丞 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賳 賰鬲亘 賱賱兀胤賮丕賱貙賵毓賳 毓賲賱賴 賲鬲乇噩賲 賵賴賵 丨賱賲 乇賵丕丿賴 賲賳匕 兀賳 賰丕賳 氐亘賷.
鬲賵賮賷 噩賵賳爻賵賳 賵丿賮賳 賮賷 賲氐乇 兀丨亘 丕賱亘賱丕丿 丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 賱賯賱亘賴 貙 丕禺鬲丕乇 賯乇賷丞 鬲賵賳爻 亘丕賱賮賷賵賲 賵亘賳賷 亘賴丕 賲賳夭賱 賰丕賳 賷賯囟賷 亘賴 賮鬲乇丞 丕賱氐賷賮
May 16, 2024
孬賱丕孬 賳噩賵賲 賱兀賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 亘丿賱 兀賳 賷乇賰夭 丨丿賷孬賴 毓賳 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賵丕賱鬲賷 賴賷 丕賱賴丿賮 丕賱乇卅賷爻賷 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 廿賱丕 兀賳賾賴 鬲丨丿孬 賰孬賷乇丕賸 毓賳 乇丨賱丕鬲賴.. 賵鬲毓乇賮賴 毓賱賶 丕賱兀丿亘丕亍.. 賵馗乇賵賮 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲毓乇賮丞..貙 賵丨丿賷孬賴 毓賳 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 賰丕賳 賯賱賷賱(乇兀賷賷 丕賱卮禺氐賷).
September 2, 2024
廿夭丕賷 賰鬲丕亘 毓賳 賲購鬲乇噩賽賲貙 賷賰賵賳 鬲乇噩賲鬲賴 亘賴匕賴 丕賱乇丿丕亍丞責
賲賳 廿賲賱丕亍貙 賱賳丨賵貙 賱鬲乇賰賷亘丕鬲 賱睾賵賷丞貙 賱丕禺鬲賷丕乇 兀賱賮丕馗貙 毓丕乇 賵丕賱賱賴 毓賱賶 丕賱乇鬲亘丞 丕賱兀賰丕丿賷賲賷丞 賱賱賲購鬲乇噩賽賲貙 賵毓賱賶 賵噩賵丿 賲乇丕噩賽毓 賰丕賳 賴賷毓賲賱 卮睾賱 兀丨爻賳 賲賳 賰丿丕 賱賵 賰丕賳 賰賮賷賮.
賲賳 廿賲賱丕亍貙 賱賳丨賵貙 賱鬲乇賰賷亘丕鬲 賱睾賵賷丞貙 賱丕禺鬲賷丕乇 兀賱賮丕馗貙 毓丕乇 賵丕賱賱賴 毓賱賶 丕賱乇鬲亘丞 丕賱兀賰丕丿賷賲賷丞 賱賱賲購鬲乇噩賽賲貙 賵毓賱賶 賵噩賵丿 賲乇丕噩賽毓 賰丕賳 賴賷毓賲賱 卮睾賱 兀丨爻賳 賲賳 賰丿丕 賱賵 賰丕賳 賰賮賷賮.
July 12, 2020
I've translated few chapters of this book into Arabic.
As a translator myself, I have but respect to such a man. This respect is not based upon his traductorial skills (I in fact didn't have the chance to read any of translations yet) but the fact that he made a name for himself when it is a rare luxury for any translator to have.
Anyway this book was an enjoyable read, not particularly inspiring however. It's a human experience of a man that was lucky to meet great men and contribute in making their greatness known and accessible to a larger stretch of audience; which in return makes him inevitably great.
As a translator myself, I have but respect to such a man. This respect is not based upon his traductorial skills (I in fact didn't have the chance to read any of translations yet) but the fact that he made a name for himself when it is a rare luxury for any translator to have.
Anyway this book was an enjoyable read, not particularly inspiring however. It's a human experience of a man that was lucky to meet great men and contribute in making their greatness known and accessible to a larger stretch of audience; which in return makes him inevitably great.
April 20, 2014
A brief tour through the world of Arabic literature in translation, as seen through the eyes and career of one of its most prolific English translators. Johnson-Davies does not try to provide a deep analysis of different literary themes or traditions in the Arab-speaking lands, and this is also not a detailed autobiography. Nevertheless, the arc of his career and his interactions with some of the region's most distinguished writers offer insights into how difficult it has been to attract readership for Arabic-language works in other lands and how both the Arabic literary scene and the world as a whole is the poorer for this neglect. I was particularly struck by the author's comment that for most of his career, he had to earn his actual living through jobs in other fields like journalism or consulting, while translating was simply a hobby that paid virtually nothing in return for the amount of effort invested in it. Some of his tales of translation problems or conflicts with different bureaucracies are also quite funny, although at times one wishes for a bit more detail on either his own work or those parts of the Arabic literary tradition that are less visible to readers in translation. This is a quick but entertaining read, especially for anyone who has already read some of the translated authors and volumes that are referred to in the book.
November 1, 2018
Jaguh Utama Terjemahan Bahasa Arab-Inggeris Zaman Ini.
Membaca memoir beliau, saya sangat bersetuju dengan pujian Edward Said kepada beliau: 鈥淭he leading Arabic-English translator of our time.鈥�
Mana tidaknya, beliau adalah orang yang berjasa besar memperkenalkan karya-karya sasterawan, karyawan, penulis dan penyair Arab kepada dunia.
Beliau juga pakar yang dirujuk oleh penganjur Hadiah Nobel untuk kategori sastera pada tahun 1988.
Ada cerita di sebalik cerita bagaimana Naguib Mahfouz yang menang mengatasi beberapa calon yang lain.
Selamat membaca!
Membaca memoir beliau, saya sangat bersetuju dengan pujian Edward Said kepada beliau: 鈥淭he leading Arabic-English translator of our time.鈥�
Mana tidaknya, beliau adalah orang yang berjasa besar memperkenalkan karya-karya sasterawan, karyawan, penulis dan penyair Arab kepada dunia.
Beliau juga pakar yang dirujuk oleh penganjur Hadiah Nobel untuk kategori sastera pada tahun 1988.
Ada cerita di sebalik cerita bagaimana Naguib Mahfouz yang menang mengatasi beberapa calon yang lain.
Selamat membaca!
August 2, 2008
I am a huge admirer of Mr. Johnson-Davies (in fact I am attempting to collect each of the titles he has translated) and was thrilled to see he wrote about his unconventional personal life. The book was a fascinating account of his encounters with Arab authors over the years and how he became such a prolific translator but I would have loved to have read more about his personal life and reflections.
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