TAC October Meeting - Eric Selland - The Story Behind "The Guest Cat", a Translation Bestseller

When Eric Selland was asked by an American publisher to translate a novel by Takashi Hiraide, he said“yes”because Hiraide was an old friend. And besides, everyone assured Eric that it would be a cinch translating this light-hearted novel after having worked with Hiraide’s difficult prose poetry since Eric first met him over thirty years ago. As with many (or possibly most) translation projects, Eric’s assumptions proved wrong. Not only was it not so easy, but it also turned into a much bigger deal than expected. Eric will tell us the story of putting together what ended up a surprisingly successful project, giving attention to the concerns of translators such as publisher contract, advance, royalties, and dealing with editors. He will also talk about the before and after of the editing process, the question of whether to use footnotes, and the difficult question of just what is “natural” as opposed to “translatese?” Finally, there is the question of reader reception and the variety of interpretations which, ultimately, the translator has no control over.
(This presentation will be in English)

Speaker: Eric Selland
Date: October 18, 2014
Time: 14:00-17:00
Doors open: 13:30
Venue: Forum 8, Shibuya (http://www.forum-8.co.jp/access/index.html)
Address: Dogenzaka 2-10-7, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0043
Tel: 03-3780-0008
Cost: JAT members 1,000 yen; non-members 3,000 yen (advance registration is not necessary)
*Please note TAC fee structure as of April
(Details: http://jat.org/news/show/change_in_tac_seminar_attendance_fees/)

Koryukai: From 17:15 (advance registration is not necessary)
Venue: B.Y.G http://www.byg.co.jp/access/index_access.html
Address: Dogenzaka 2-19-14, Shibuya
Tel: 03-3461-8574
Cost: 2,000 yen (food only/cash bar)

Inquiries: [email protected]

About the speaker:
Eric Selland has translated Modernist and contemporary Japanese poets for over thirty years, with works appearing in a variety of journals and anthologies. His latest collection of poems is Arc Tangent (Isobar Press, Tokyo, 2013). His other books are The Condition of Music (Sink Press, 2000), Inventions (Mindmade Books, 2007), and Still Lifes (Hank’s Original Loose Gravel Press, 2012). Eric’s translation of The Guest Cat, a novel by Takashi Hiraide, was on the New York Times Bestseller list in February of 2014. He is currently editing an anthology of 20th century Japanese Modernist and avant-garde poetry. Eric lives in Tokyo where he makes his living translating economic reports.