Problems of Translation: or Charlie's Comic, Terrifying, Romantic, Loopy Round-the-World Journey in Search of Linguistic Happiness - Softcover

Story, Jim

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0986238201 ISBN 13: 9780986238208

Publisher: Blue Mile Books, 2015

Synopsis

“A comic masterpiece” “Poignant” “Pretty much perfectly done”

Charles Abel Baker—short story writer and a “most unlikely middle-aged hero”—sets off around the world on a quest to see one of his short stories translated into ten different languages and back again into English, a sort of literary version of the old party game “telephone." In Moscow, St. Petersburg, Siberia, China, India, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, and more, Charlie’s round-the-world peregrinations are comical, romantic and, at times, hair-raising.

Problems of Translation is a cloak-and-dagger adventure, a love story, and a bracing ride for the language buff. Its naïve hero’s quixotic mission will ultimately transform Charlie and those around him. And along the way, Charlie—lonely, divorced—comes to love and be loved by a generous, complicated woman, and at last to understand what drove him to undertake this journey.

A rousing hybrid and a great read, Problems of Translation is as stimulating as it is entertaining.

Who knew that literary translation could be so perilous? So romantic? So downright funny?

“An insanely amusing adventure that has a deep love of language at its belly-shaking core.”—Gary Shteyngart, author of Little Failure and A Super Sad True Love Story

“Jim Story’s name says it all: he was meant to be a writer…I hope everyone reads this book!”—Hannah Tinti, author of The Good Thief; editor-in-chief of One Story

“In this comic masterpiece…we take a wild ride…through the underside of the literary world…as [Charlie] stumbles and careens into all kinds of trouble in and obsessive pursuit of hid Dream.”—Robert Roth, author of Health Proxy; editor, co-creator of And Then

“A fascinating look at the issues of translation, publishing, and an unglamorous middle-age.”—Edith Grossman, author of Why Translation Matters; award-winning translator of Cervantes, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and others

“…Marvelous touches of…poignancy that don’t…delay the progress of the story toward it’s delectable conclusion…pretty much perfectly done.”—Ron Story (no relation), Emeritus Professor, UMass Amherst; author of Jonathan Edwards and the Gospel of Love

About this title

About the Author

Jim Story is a novelist, short-story writer and poet. His stories, creative nonfiction, reviews and poetry have appeared in a variety of publications. He lives in New York City and is currently at work on his next novel. Visit jimcstory.com for more about the author.

Edition details

• Publisher: Blue Mile Books
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0986238201
• ISBN 13: 9780986238208
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 396