南向き翻訳事務所 岩渕デボラ ブログ

Professor Janine Beichman, a professor of Japanese literature and downright lovely human being wrote an extensive review of Crossfire in the September issue of The Japan Journal. If you click on the link, you’ll get the full review. The magazine itself also carried lovely photographs of both author Miyabe Miyuki and the Crossfire cover.

The best part, though–the part Anna and I would dearly love to have you read–was her remarks on the TRANSLATION and the TRANSLATORS, and I will provide them for you here:

“Deborah Stuhr Iwabuchi and Anna Husson Isozaki, the translators of Crossfire, are American teachers and translators who live in Japan. They are a notable exception to the rule that literary translation usually works best when done alone. The passion and painstaking care lavished on this excellent translation show in every line, and I look forward to future works from their partnership.”

As a translator, I (at least) tend to second-guess what I have done–especially after it’s too late to change anything. But there was passion and painstaking care lavished on every line of Crossfire. We have never met Ms. Miyabe in person, but if we ever do, and if she asks, we can tell her without a doubt that her book received the most loving of tender loving care. And we would also like to express our appreciation to Ms. Beichman for the loving care she poured into her detailed review.

After she contacted us to ask questions for the review, Anna and I discovered a wonderful poem Ms. Beichman had translated and that was also available online. By all means take a look. The poem and story included hold a special meaning for those of us who have been in Japan a long time.

(see also Devil’s Whisper by Miyabe Miyuki!)