The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers The Art And Business Of Literary Translation With Dani James
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Aug 18, 2025 Dani James, a writer and literary translator, shares her inspiring journey of translating the powerful Holocaust memoir, Return to the Place I Never Left. She discusses the challenges of navigating international copyright laws and securing translation rights, revealing the emotional depth involved in bringing such sensitive stories to a new audience. Dani also highlights the complexities of literary translation, emphasizing the balance between fidelity to the original text and accessibility for readers. Her passion for bridging cultural gaps is both moving and enlightening.
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Personal Origin Of The Translation
- Dani discovered and re-read Tobias Schiff's memoir from her childhood bookshelf in Belgium and felt it deserved an English audience.
- Her multilingual upbringing and personal ties to the Jewish community motivated her to translate it despite no prior translation experience.
Family Ties To The Memoir
- Dani's grandparents were Holocaust survivors and the memoir resonated with family history and Antwerp's Jewish community.
- The book's poetic, direct style and Antwerp setting kept drawing her back over the years.
How The Memoir Originated
- Tobias Schiff's memoir grew from French documentary interview transcripts that were adapted into a Flemish book in the 1990s.
- The work later saw a French translation and Dani produced the first English translation in 2025.
