The Evidence of Things Translated: Circulating Baldwin in Contemporary Europe
For several years now, James Baldwin’s life, portrait, and work have enjoyed a central place in the public eye. Although social and audiovisual media have made significant contributions to Baldwin’s return to the cultural and political limelight, the circulation of his published writings remains a v...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Manchester University Press
2022-09-01
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| Series: | James Baldwin Review |
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| Online Access: | https://www.manchesteropenhive.com/view/journals/jbr/8/1/article-p195.xml |
| _version_ | 1811181989179424768 |
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| author | Remo Verdickt |
| author_facet | Remo Verdickt |
| author_sort | Remo Verdickt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | For several years now, James Baldwin’s life, portrait, and work have enjoyed a central place in the public eye. Although social and audiovisual media have made significant contributions to Baldwin’s return to the cultural and political limelight, the circulation of his published writings remains a vital part of the author’s ubiquity. Moreover, since Baldwin’s omnipresence in bookstores transcends an American or even Anglophone context, this international and multilingual circulation contributes to Baldwin’s world literary standing, as befits the self-described “transatlantic commuter.” This article moves beyond the customary approach to Baldwin’s published success by tracing presently circulating European translations of his work. The article examines the historical developments in Baldwin’s European circulation-through-translation from the time of his death (1987) up until the present, including brief discussions of the French, Italian, and West German translations from the 1960s onward. Of special interest are the pioneering and dominant roles that French and Italian publishers have played since the late 1990s, and the acceleration in circulation that took place across the continent in the wake of the films I Am Not Your Negro and If Beale Street Could Talk. The article concludes with a few remarks on the translation strategies of several key publishers in France, Italy, Germany, and Romania. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:25:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-289c8d49ba92427f85fc7435cb669947 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-9203 2056-9211 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:25:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Manchester University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | James Baldwin Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-289c8d49ba92427f85fc7435cb6699472022-12-22T04:32:02ZengManchester University PressJames Baldwin Review2056-92032056-92112022-09-018119522110.7227/JBR.8.12The Evidence of Things Translated: Circulating Baldwin in Contemporary EuropeRemo Verdickt0KU LeuvenFor several years now, James Baldwin’s life, portrait, and work have enjoyed a central place in the public eye. Although social and audiovisual media have made significant contributions to Baldwin’s return to the cultural and political limelight, the circulation of his published writings remains a vital part of the author’s ubiquity. Moreover, since Baldwin’s omnipresence in bookstores transcends an American or even Anglophone context, this international and multilingual circulation contributes to Baldwin’s world literary standing, as befits the self-described “transatlantic commuter.” This article moves beyond the customary approach to Baldwin’s published success by tracing presently circulating European translations of his work. The article examines the historical developments in Baldwin’s European circulation-through-translation from the time of his death (1987) up until the present, including brief discussions of the French, Italian, and West German translations from the 1960s onward. Of special interest are the pioneering and dominant roles that French and Italian publishers have played since the late 1990s, and the acceleration in circulation that took place across the continent in the wake of the films I Am Not Your Negro and If Beale Street Could Talk. The article concludes with a few remarks on the translation strategies of several key publishers in France, Italy, Germany, and Romania.https://www.manchesteropenhive.com/view/journals/jbr/8/1/article-p195.xmljames baldwinafrican american literaturetranslation studiescultural studiesi am not your negroif beale street could talkworld literature |
| spellingShingle | Remo Verdickt The Evidence of Things Translated: Circulating Baldwin in Contemporary Europe James Baldwin Review james baldwin african american literature translation studies cultural studies i am not your negro if beale street could talk world literature |
| title | The Evidence of Things Translated: Circulating Baldwin in Contemporary Europe |
| title_full | The Evidence of Things Translated: Circulating Baldwin in Contemporary Europe |
| title_fullStr | The Evidence of Things Translated: Circulating Baldwin in Contemporary Europe |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Evidence of Things Translated: Circulating Baldwin in Contemporary Europe |
| title_short | The Evidence of Things Translated: Circulating Baldwin in Contemporary Europe |
| title_sort | evidence of things translated circulating baldwin in contemporary europe |
| topic | james baldwin african american literature translation studies cultural studies i am not your negro if beale street could talk world literature |
| url | https://www.manchesteropenhive.com/view/journals/jbr/8/1/article-p195.xml |
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