Join us for a conversation with Julia Sanches on her translation of Migratory Birds by Mariana Oliver, a prize-winning essay that asks us what it means to leave the familiar behind and make the unfamiliar our own. The conversation will be followed by a group discussion with the Contemporary Translated Works Book Group, co-presented by Mechanics’ Institute(opens in a new tab) and Center for the Art of Translation, to delve deeper into the book.
How to Participate
Get a copy of Migratory Birds(opens in a new tab) (we suggest purchasing the book directly from Transit Books via their website(opens in a new tab) or from your favorite independent bookstore) and read it in advance of the meeting. On September 18, we will meet at noon to discuss this book with a group of people interested in reading contemporary translated works. This is a hybrid book group that meets both online (via Zoom) and in-person in the 4th Floor Board Room at Mechanics’ Institute(opens in a new tab). For those of you who are joining us in-person or residing in Pacific Time, we welcome you to bring your lunch to this noontime event. For those you joining us from other time zones, thank you for making this book group an (inter)national gathering!
From 12:00-12:45 pm (PT), join us for an introductory discussion with Julia Sanches, who translated Migratory Birds from Spanish into English to talk about how language, culture, and the art of translation are highlighted in this work. After bidding a thank you and goodbye to our translator, the latter part of our discussion (from 12:45 to 1:30 pm PT) will begin with a sharing of our favorite “golden lines” from Migratory Birds. While this is optional, we’d love to hear from you! We will then transition into an informal discussion that integrates questions around themes, narrators/characters, and more. Together, we will delve deeper into Migratory Birds in this informal hybrid setting.
About this Book Group
Launched in March 2024, the Contemporary Translated Works Book Group explores languages, cultures, and the art of translation through contemporary literature.
Julia Sanches is a translator of Portuguese, Spanish, and Catalan. She has translated works by Susana Moreira Marques, Dolores Reyes, Daniel Galera, and Eva Baltasar, among others. Her shorter translations have appeared in various magazines and periodicals, including Words Without Borders, Granta, Tin House, and Guernica. A founding member of Cedilla & Co., Julia sits on the Council of the Authors Guild.