I guess my job is secure for a while, then!

“I use it for brainstorming.” is quickly becoming my most hated pro-AI statement. YOU TOOK YOUR BRAIN OUT OF THE EQUATION. THAT IS NOT BRAINSTORMING.

I’d been thinking about starting a Substack, but I guess I won’t after all!

What on Earth is this? An "in depth" BBC article about free speech in the UK that only cites examples of right-wing/ 'anti-woke' speech being suppressed. How can you mention Lucy Connolly but completely ignore Palestine Action / Just Stop Oil? Gob-smacking. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Come join us! #translation #booksky

Today @tribunemagazine.bsky.social publishes a vitally important, highly personal and urgently necessary piece by Yara Rodrigues Fowler on the history of the FFB campaigning around literary festivals:

On the blog today is my book review of Grave of the Fireflies by Akiyuki Nosaka. It has been translated from Japanese by @ginnytkmr.bsky.social This is a new edition publishing by @penguinclassicsusa.bsky.social today and is well worth reading.

Publication day! This was one of the hardest stories I’ve ever translated, both for the language and content. It’s also one of the most important stories I’ve translated. I hope as many people as possible will read it and reflect on the reality of war. #booksky #translation #literarytranslation

I did a podcast on Mornings Without Mii with Amy Chavez on Books on Asia - have a listen! #literarytranslation #translation #booksky

lawl

AI can't talk with its hands when it gets excited, either... 🤣🤣

this iconic advertising copywriter named Kathy Hepinstall Parks died over the weekend and I wanted to share something from her website I thought Bluesky would like

An important interview with the author of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, The Last Witnesses. Please read it. And then read the books. He is an extraordinarily compelling writer.

Very fun to have a new book translation come out that I had nothing to do with but apparently am expected to give interviews for

London Trans Pride 2025: I've never seen so many cis people showing up for trans rights. Labour may be trying to drag us back to Section 28 - but we never had support like this back then.

Germany gave people €1,200/month no strings attached. They kept working, slept better, switched to better jobs, and even gave more to others. Turns out, when people aren’t drowning, they swim further. #UBI doesn’t kill ambition, it frees it.

Unsolicited writing advice, no: 15671561: On FESTIVALS. There are over 800 literary festivals in the UK. Some are high-profile, international festivals like Edinburgh and Hay-on-Wye, others are smaller and more local. Some are subsidized by local arts councils; some have private sponsors. Or both.

Gotta love the Scots!

Great review of Nancy Wu’s narration of Vanishing World, clearly pointing out the ways in which she brings her humanity and skill to the job. A timely reminder why we shouldn’t let AI replace human narrators!

In pink, the very sweet and peaceful Anna, 80-year-old with serious health issues, well loved in our South East London community for her generosity and kindness, being arrested as a terrorist! @elliereeves.bsky.social, my MP, what is your government doing?? www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...

Writers! Note that AI translation (under the guise of "global access") is being seen/used as the weak point to get AI into publishing (possible bc Eng lang publishing is weak on translation). Stand with translators & for more human translation, fairly paid!

A big feature by @susiemesure.bsky.social has come out in Prospect Magazine, and it gratifyingly spotlights the role of translators in bringing J. lit to new audiences. There are quotes from stars like @ginnytkmr.bsky.social, @wrongsreversed.bsky.social and David Boyd, as well as little ol' me 😅

“As more people look to AI as a cultural authority, they may rely on and imitate it over other sources, narrowing diversity in language.” Dumbing down, in other words.

Excellent piece by Danny Hahn on why we literary translators won’t be replaced just yet! #translation #literarytranslation #booksky

Over and back to London today. Bringing Things Remembered and Things Forgotten, the short story collection by Kyoko Nakajima, translated from Japanese by Ian McCullough MacDonald and Ginny Tapley Takemori.

The US gov under Trump has made it clear that only *positive* views of concentration camps will be allowed, thank you. The new signs at Manzanar National Historic Site ask visitors to report any depictions that "inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.” buff.ly/e1Tm9pZ

The devastating, shortsighted attack on literature continues. List from Magic City Books. Who'd they miss? Note: the small publishers selected here for financial attack include (among other very worthy and important presses) @transitbooks.bsky.social, publisher of 2023 Nobel laureate Jon Fosse.

For those not following the drama earlier, it's for sharing this piece advocating for nonviolence (but not being judgy about how targeted people respond either). And saying some things about governmental/ institutional violence.

SOS! the volunteers on 'Madleen' have been kidnapped by Israeli forces. Greta Thunberg is a Swedish citizen. Pressure the foreign ministries and help us keep Greta safe! Web: government.se/contacts/ X : @SweMFA FB : @SweMFA IG : swedishmfa #AllEyesOnMadleen

This is great! #translation #literarytranslation #booksky

The film of Sayaka Murata’s Vanishing World will be out this autumn - can’t wait to see it!

Anna Ganley has joined ‪@tracychevalier.bsky.social‬ at #sxswlondon today to discuss the need for protections for the creative industries. The CREAATIF project was launched today, a new report from QMU of London, the Institute for the Future of Work, and The Turing Institute. 🧵

Here's a reading from The True Way Out, by Patrik Banga, translated into English by me! If you want more... there will be more readings at the book launch in #Prague next week. Please come! Details here: bsky.app/profile/isab... #xl8 #translatedlit 🌐 🇨🇿 💙📚

It’s publication day for The Penguin Book of Polish Short Stories. It took 39 authors 100 years to write, and me about 4 years to compile and translate, with the help of 11 other translators. It aims to show the variety and brilliance of modern Polish literature.

“Everyone helps the author. No one helps the translator. “

Depressing as fuck. (Wasn’t AI supposed to take over the drudgery, giving free rein to our creativity? As it is, it is enslaving us.)

The sale on imported books is still on at Kinokuniya Takashimaya in Shinjuku over the weekend. Here’s my haul from yesterday!

Polite reminder to anyone who needs it today: AI doesn’t “help you to write.” PRACTICE helps you to write.

…Audible announced plans to launch a new AI tool which would give publishers and authors the option to automate the production of audiobooks for use on the platform. Slipped in alongside this announcement was also the news that Audible would soon be rolling out automated translation services.

“Translation is something subjective and creative – it’s about interpretation, making judgements about an author’s meaning, absorbing a work as a whole and communicating it in a way both faithful and new, transforming its storytelling, wordplay and lyricism into…

"When people come to me with a legal issue, they want to share all their feelings, which haunt me like anything. It goes on growing and then one day, I craft it into a short story.” I interviewed Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi, winners of the International Booker Prize for the terrific Heart Lamp:

You can’t believe what you read in the newspapers - whoever woulda thunk it. Even book reviews 🙄 #booksky

“The songwriter said it was a “criminal offence” to change copyright law in favour of artificial intelligence companies.”

A lovely review for She And Her Cat #translation #literarytranslation #booksky

Honestly I kind of see why you guys voted in Conservative governments for so long before this

I truly don’t get people who want to ‘be authors’ but don’t love writing so instead they use a machine. How utterly bizarre. Like, so you’re not going to try and you’re admitting that you can’t but you want a participation trophy? Lmao okay here’s your sticker now go away.