Translation Stories from Modern China

In Translation Stories from Modern China, Professor Bonnie S. McDougall gives readers a rare firsthand account of not just the career but the international life of a trailblazing translator. From the unexpected beginnings of her passion for modern Chinese literature when she accidentally enrolled in a Chinese class in Australia to being sent to Peking University, McDougall details the experiences that sparked a lifelong obsession with translating.

This riveting book offers a rare glimpse into McDougall's work at the Foreign Languages Press and her encounters with some of the most avant-garde writers in China in the early 1980s. McDougall reveals what it was like to translate the works of Bei Dao, Chen Kaige, He Qifang, and Mao Zedong and to work with translators like Gladys Yang and Yang Xianyi. She also discusses how she delved into the enthralling and previously overlooked love life and sexual history of literary giants Lu Xun and Xu Guangping, unraveling stories from the 1920s and 1930s that have been shrouded in mystery. McDougall's exploration doesn't stop there; she delves into the vibrant world of modern Hong Kong literature, bringing her narrative into the present day. The penultimate chapter unveils her thought-provoking ideas on literary translation, culminating in her latest obsession, "we own our own words," highlighting the profound connection between translators and their craft.

This memoir is not just a chronicle of McDougall's extraordinary career but a thrilling adventure through modern Chinese literary translation and life, where she has been both a keen observer and an active participant. Insightful and humorous, readers will be enlightened and entertained by the vivid storytelling of a true pioneer.

*Includes photos.