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The Translator Audiobook
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Publisher Description
In silken prose and with subtle suspense, Nina Schuyler brings us a mesmerizing novel of language and translation, memory loss and heartbreak, and the search for answers in a foreign country. When renowned translator Hanne Schubert falls down a flight of stairs, her injury is an unusual but real condition—the loss of her native language. She is left speaking only Japanese, a language learned later in life. With her personal life at a crossroad, Hanne leaves for Japan. There, the Japanese novelist whose work she translated stunningly confronts her publicly for sabotaging his work. Reeling, Hanne struggles for meaning and seeks out the inspiration for the author's novel—a tortured, chimerical actor, once a master in the art of Noh theater. Through their passionate and intriguing relationship, Hanne begins to understand the masks she has worn in her life, just as the actor dons the masks that have made him a legend of Noh. The demons from her past and present begin to unfold and Hanne sets out to make amends in this searing and engrossing novel.
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“Multilingual readers will be delighted by how Schuylerweaves the intricacies and the process of translation into the novel withoutinterrupting the story or its tone. Monolinguals, too, will relate toSchuyler’s carefully sculpted, complex characters and their relationships, themost tender of which involves Hanne’s poignant transformation in regard to herdaughter, Brigitte. Evocative, powerful, and well-paced, Schuyler’s novelilluminates how interpreting a person is as complicated an art as translating abook because of the risk of reading what one wants to discover rather than whatone needs to learn.”
— Booklist (starred review)
Quotes
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“A lyrical, haunting tale delivered with both grace and smarts. Nina Schuyler skillfully strips away her translator character’s primary language, and sends her on a journey of self-discovery to Japan. You’ll be thankful you followed.”
— Lalita Tademy, New York Times bestselling author -
“In Hanne Schubert’s talent for language, Nina Schuyler delivers the importance of words in literature and in life. In her loss, we better understand the long road of grief, and the distance we will travel for our children.”
— Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author -
“Rich in details both sensory (the country's colors and tastes, as well as the sounds of its language) and cultural (manners, habits, social expectations)…delivered with great grace.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“What stands out in Nina Schuyler’s complex and absorbing novel is her ability to craft descriptive and emotionally engaging language with respect to her characters and how she deftly weaves her storyline. A solid, compelling novel from beginning to end, The Translator is truly exceptional and highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library fiction collections.”
— Midwest Book Review -
“Schuyler’s prose is beautifully elegant and understated, with every detail made to count in weaving a rich emotional tapestry.”
— Catherine Brady, author of The Mechanics of Falling
Awards
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A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2013 for Fiction
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About Nina Schuyler
Nina Schuyler’s first novel, The Painting, was a finalist for the Northern California Book Awards. It was also selected by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the Best Books of 2004 and has been translated into Chinese, Portuguese, and Serbian. She attended Stanford University for her undergraduate degree, earned a law degree at Hastings College of the Law, and earned an MFA in fiction with an emphasis on poetry at San Francisco State University. Schuyler currently teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco.
About Kirsten Potter
Kirsten Potter has won several awards, including more than a dozen AudioFile Earphones Awards and been a three-time finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. Her work has been recognized by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and by AudioFile magazine, among many others. She graduated with highest honors from Boston University and has performed on stage and in film and television, including roles on Medium, Bones, and Judging Amy.