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The National
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Nashwa Nasreldin on why Arabic literature translators are needed now more than ever
The morning light falls gently on Nashwa Nasreldin's face as she settles down for our Zoom call, placing a mug on the side and adjusting her scarf. 'Did I tell you I got this when I was in India," she says, pointing to her Jaipuri silk scarf. Then, as if picking up from incomplete conversation, she says: "The opportunity now lies in uplifting the work and voices of translators based in the Middle East, who have less access to the support networks than we do living in the West." Nasreldin, who currently lives in London, sips her coffee and then continues: 'Recently, we held our inaugural workshop for emerging translators in Gaza, run by the ArabLit platform, with each session led by experienced professional literary translators - some of the best in the field of Arabic /English literary translation." Born in Kuwait to Egyptian parents, Nasreldin is a translator, editor and author with a mission. She says the work of translators in literature is now more urgent than ever. "We need more translations to drown out the voices of those who try to rewrite our stories," she tells The National. "There has been an outpouring of literature from and about Gaza and Palestinians more broadly since October 7, 2023. This shows a recognition in the important role literature plays in recording, reporting, archiving and legacy-making." Nasreldin's work first came to the limelight in 2018 when she translated After Coffee by Egyptian author and academic Abdelrashid Mahmoudi, who won the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in 2014. Being tasked to translate Mahmoudi's book was a big moment for her because because it meant she had finally arrived, she says. 'I really enjoyed Mahmoudi's book when I read it in Arabic. For me, literary quality is an important factor when I come to choose a project given that you have to inhabit the book's world so intensely in the process of translating it." Nasreldin's work has since take her around the world, including to the Jaipur Literature Festival in February where we first met – where she spoke about her struggles and the importance of translators. Her career as a translator began when she studied Moroccan writer Mohammed Bennis's work as a part of her master's course work at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in the US. 'I studied Bennis and produced an in-depth study of his writings on translation. At this time, I also met writer and translation-advocate Maureen Freely, who was a guest lecturer, and who introduced me to the British Centre for Literary Translation and their emerging translator mentorship. When I moved to the UK in 2013, I applied and was awarded the mentorship, which then propelled my career.' Nasreldin is currently translating two short books that she says she's very passionate about. A Brawl in Jahannam is a novella by award-winning Libyan author Mohammed Alnaas, whose debut novel, Bread on Uncle Milad's Table, won the 2022 International Prize for Arabic Fiction. It's a satiric retelling of events that the narrator claims took place in the 1990s in a small Libyan village named Jahannam, which literally translates to hell. The other book is Side Entrance to the House by Omani writer Amal Alsaeedi, in which the author's ancestral house serves as a vehicle to unearth memories and images of childhood and youth, triggering philosophical reflections on her troubled relationships with her husband, parents and siblings. "These books represent a new generation taking bold literary risks, reinterpreting classical Arabic styles," says Nasreldin. But making a living as a translator is not easy, and many in the field are forced to find several sources of income, she adds. "I split my time working as a writer, an editor and a translator," she says. 'Early on in the day, Arab publishers who assume that a so-called native English speaker would have a stronger grasp over English than a translator who was raised bilingual, as I was. "This isn't much of an issue now as demand for diversity has risen. But still, awards can be incredibly helpful in elevating the work of translators and cash prizes are welcome,' she adds with a smile. "In the field of Arabic literature in translation, we only have a handful of prizes including the renowned Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation and the newer Bait AlGhasham DarArab Translation Prize. Also, the ArabLit Short Story Prize is particularly impactful as it supports writers who may not have had the opportunity to publish book-length work.' But the publishing industry as a whole is changing, albeit slowly. "The work of translators are increasingly recognised, thanks to social media campaigns like the #namethetranslator, which seeks to ensure that translators are named alongside their work," Nasreldin says. "There are dozens of excellent Arabic translators working in the field today. A group of us communicate regularly on mailing lists, where we discuss translation quandaries, share opportunities, celebrate successes and band together when there is a need to address a threat to our rights as creators – especially with the unregulated rise of mechanical translation and AI, having a supportive community matters. "I think, we will see a rise in translations of Arabic literature from the Middle East and North Africa region as more translators are trained and gain confidence in an industry that had been relatively opaque previously," she adds.
Japan Times
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Pride and prose: Novels that illuminate queer lives in Japan
Japan has a long and colorful lineage of same-sex love and non-normative sexualities. As queer communities in Japan continue to fight for social acceptance, equal rights and legal protections, Pride Month is an opportune moment to look at how sexual minorities have been represented in the country's literary domain. Nowadays, Japanese fiction is more accessible than ever before, thanks to a burgeoning field of literary translators as well as the voracious appetites of readers around the world. While not all of the authors in the list below are queer themselves, their depictions of LGBTQ+ characters and themes illustrate, in some measure, the plight of marginalized communities in modern society. Storytelling is a bridge to empathy, offering insights into the lives and worldviews of people we might never be able to meet otherwise. If you're not yet familiar with queer narratives and characters from Japan, think of this list as a jumping-off point — and perhaps the beginning of your reading journey. 'Confessions of a Mask' by Yukio Mishima (translated by Meredith Weatherby) A classic of the modern queer canon, as it were, the significance of 'Confessions of a Mask' is perhaps overshadowed by the controversial legacy of its writer: Yukio Mishima, the ultra-right-wing nationalist, bodybuilder and literary titan who committed seppuku (ritual disembowelment) in 1970 after a failed attempt to overthrow the government. 'Confessions' was published in 1949 and is widely regarded as a semi-autobiographical account of Mishima's childhood and upbringing, relating the experience of a young man who struggles to reconcile with his same-sex attraction in a society of strict mores. 'Kitchen' by Banana Yoshimoto (translated by Megan Backus) Yoshimoto's 1988 book marked her debut on the literary scene and was the recipient of multiple prizes in Japan. The titular novella follows a young woman named Mikage, who takes up residence with Yuichi, a friend of her late grandmother's. Mikage grows fond of Yuichi as well as Eriko, his transgender mother who owns a nightclub. A meditation on family, food and grief, 'Kitchen' creates a space of solace in spite of the tragedy that shadows Mikage's world. 'Twinkle Twinkle' by Kaori Ekuni (translated by Emi Shimokawa) Ekuni's novel centers on a marriage of convenience between Shoko, an alcoholic translator, and Mutsuki, a gay physician who remains very much devoted to his partner Kon. Misfits in a society that prizes conformity, Shoko and Mutsuki decide to tie the knot to alleviate the pressures they face individually. When the topic of procreation comes up, the couple delineate the boundaries of their unconventional relationship and, alongside Kon, create a modern family in their own image. Originally published in 1991, Ekuni's debut novel earned her the Murasaki Shikibu Prize for Literature. 'Real World' by Natsuo Kirino (translated by Philip Gabriel) 'Real World' (published in 2003) follows a quartet of teenage girlfriends — Toshi, Yuzan, Terauchi and Kirarin — and their encounter with a boy nicknamed 'Worm,' who is accused of murdering his mother. Shifting between the perspectives of all five characters, Kirino's mosaic novel offers an intimate glimpse of Japanese youth at the turn of the century, including the interior life of a young woman who attempts to hide her sexuality amid the dynamics of her friend group. 'Sputnik Sweetheart' by Haruki Murakami (translated by Philip Gabriel) One of Murakami's more compact novels, 'Sputnik Sweetheart' is ostensibly a love story between Sumire, an aspiring writer, and the enigmatic Miu, an older Zainichi Korean woman whom she meets at a wedding. Originally published in 2000, the story is narrated by a male protagonist known simply as 'K,' who watches helplessly from the sidelines as Sumire absconds to Europe with Miu. Sumire disappears in Greece and K is compelled to travel afar to aid in her search — his journey revealing more questions than answers, in true Murakami fashion. 'Solo Dance' by Li Kotomi (translated by Arthur Reiji Morris) Li won the Gunzo Prize in 2017 for her novel about the coming of age of Cho Norie, a Taiwanese lesbian navigating a new life in Japan while haunted by the violence and trauma of her past. Alternating between the present day and Norie's younger years, the narrative presents a psychological portrait of a protagonist on the margins, grappling with a deep-rooted loneliness while holding onto hope for a kinder, softer future. 'The Night of Baba Yaga' by Akira Otani (translated by Sam Bett) Yoriko Shindo, a young woman with a checkered past, is the reader's avatar in this slim volume from 2020 that explores the bloody underworld of the 1970s. When Yoriko is forced into servitude in a yakuza compound, she becomes the driver and bodyguard for Shoko Naiki, the 18-year-old daughter of the mob boss. Yoriko and Shoko forge an unlikely bond that forms the core of the novel, which ricochets between two storylines as the violence escalates into a subversive and titillating climax. Untranslated gems in queer literature Despite the Japanese literature publishing boom of recent years, many more works of queer fiction still don't have English translations (for now). Japanese literacy can unlock a whole world of writers and stories from the LGBTQ+ literary canon. 'Two Virgins in the Attic' by Nobuko Yoshiya Originally published in 1919, Yoshiya's story about two young women who become roommates at a boarding school is widely considered to be a narrative prototype of and forerunner to yuri manga depicting same-sex romance and attraction between girls. 'A Lovers' Forest' by Mari Mori Mori, daughter of esteemed novelist Ogai Mori, published this collection of four short stories in 1961, which many credit for inspiring the Boys' Love genre of manga that began to flourish in the following decade. 'Yes, Yes, Yes' by Hisao Hiruma Hiruma's groundbreaking novel won the Bungei Prize in 1989 and delves into the lives of young men who work as hustlers in Shinjuku Ni-chome, Tokyo's LGBTQ+ neighborhood. 'Egoist' by Makoto Takayama The basis of the award-winning film of the same name from director Daishi Matsunaga, Takayama's novel centers on the ill-fated love affair between a magazine editor and his personal trainer. 'The Real Life of Julian Butler' by Nao Kawamoto Kawamoto's novel, published in 2021, is a 'translation' of the biography of Julian Butler — a fictional American writer — and an appraisal of his scandalous public life. 'Dtopia' by Jose Ando Mixed-race author Ando won the Akugatawa Prize this year for his third novel, which centers on contestants on a reality TV dating show set in Bora Bora. A translation of his debut novel 'Jackson Alone' by Kalau Almony is forthcoming in 2026.
Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Puns, poetry and pence per word — the secrets of literary translators
This week Heart Lamp, written by Banu Mushtaq and translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, became the tenth book to win the International Booker prize. Recognising a work of fiction published in English translation, the prize is shared by a book's author and its translator, recognising their skills and contributions equally, with the £50,000 prize money split equally too. As a literary translator myself (from Portuguese, Spanish and French), I've been gratified over this past decade to watch the prize's growing impact, not only spotlighting a dozen interesting books a year, but also helping to raise the profile of literary translators and the work we do. Still, literary translation remains more mysterious than I would like. So here are some things I wish people
