TRANSLATION in LONDON

Assembly of Literary Translators 2026: A 1-day event for literary translators, ahead of LBF 2026. Talks, workshops and conversations on visibility, public presence and professional identity. Monday 9 March. Central London. Tickets & full details: the-assembly-of-literary-translators.eventbrite.co.uk

Feeling like the world's luckiest translator to be working with Ia again, and to be read so generously by the judges, who really get the book: "Breathtakingly original, profound but with a delicious dose of irreverence" thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-l... Out in UK in mid-March, US this summer!

I love the last three lines of the poem Everyday from 1966's Drops in the East Wind (trans. Robin Fulton)

"But of course, I should say about Pirkko Saisio: people call her a living legend." Jordan Barger interviews Mia Spangenberg, translator from the Finnish of Pirkko Saisio's "Helsinki Trilogy." @twolinespress.com clereviewofbooks.com/mia-spangenb...

Check out my interview with the translator of these fine books on @clereviewbooks.bsky.social clereviewofbooks.com/mia-spangenb...

I have an essay out in Gulf Coast abt God & becoming an adult Catholic convert gulfcoastmag.org/stories/how-...

Hello Bluesky! I’ve been quite busy translating in Norway this year. I’ll slowly post some of my recent activity. For now, here’s my Translation desk :)

"Ah, I think I see him in the closet. Yeah, there he is. His hiding place was actually really good this time, only thing that gave him away was cracking the door to breathe." (original French linked below) Rest Home —Djamel Bouchenaki (tr. @norsk.bsky.social) minorliteratures.com/2026/02/12/r...

Backlight is out and the trilogy is all together! Wooo! Thanks to @catranslation.bsky.social for putting out these masterpieces.

mountain poem 2/31: “Holiday 1” by Yahya Hassan, translated by @norsk.bsky.social. Yahya Hassan was a marvelous poet I’m excited for more people to read! full text of this and a couple other YH poems: actionbooks.org/2021/06/thre... & the interview with YH quoted in ALFTM: youtu.be/1HE6ZsH8ldU?...

Working with the @khoreo.bsky.social team on the production of the audio version of my translation from issue 5.1 (out as a pod soon) has been a dream experience. Talented, refreshingly diverse roster of voice actors, unparalleled attention to detail. Vote for them if you can🖤📚

Svein Jarvoll, translated by Jordan Barger @norsk.bsky.social

The British Centre for Literary Translation is now part of Bluesky 🎉 We're looking forward to connecting with new and old followers. Help us spread the word and stay tuned for updates! #BCLT #Bluesky #literarytranslation

Follow @circumferencemag.bsky.social for the best in poetry in translation!

Bloody thrilled to share my translation of Evgenia Nekrasova’s horned tale on the perils of patriarchy. Deep gratitude to @theoffingmag.bsky.social for giving this banger a home🖤🩸

RIP Dag Solstad

15 years he's been gone now. Still think about his music most days... youtu.be/meDCjtfDk4c?...

My range

Advice from two of my favorite writers (Hesselholdt + Lutz) for everyone to stop being so specific and stringent

ours is a poor sort of language that only allows one word at a time

My least favorite medium (podcast) about my favorite music (Movietone + Flying Saucer Attack + Crescent) Wooo! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

Beyond honored to contribute a Yahya Hassan translation to this landmark anthology of Palestinian Poetry. Heaven Looks Like Us, available from @haymarketbooks.org in mid May 2025.

Some homemade hurdy gurdy action here to brighten a dull Wednesday…

Fishing for the Little Pike, by Juhani Karila, translated by yours truly, is a Dublin Literary Award Longlist finalist. : ) God bless the librarians. #juhanikarila

Just played a French scrabble tournament in Bordeaux. Went 2-3, very happy. But omg am I tired. One of the harder things I’ve ever done with my languages

Very excited about finding three Vesaas books in French

Translation Meme

Interesting article about the intersection of translation, poetry, disability.

now @uiiwp.bsky.social has joined Bluesky! Without them, I can’t imagine how I’d find the opportunity to work on translations from Finnish. Here, Reetta Pekkanen in Circumference. circumferencemag.com/emptiness-sp...

When I learn there’s another treat in France named pastis and it’s nothing like liquid pastis, I say put it in my hand

Saw some Peder Balke’s tucked deep within the Louvre today. King Louis-Philippe commissioned these cus he missed northern Norway

icy enclosures of flora in Iowa city

Since Bluesky is more welcome to links, here’s a link to all of my online publications! Read my translations, essays and poetry here: linktr.ee/jordanbarger

Today is World AIDS Day. Lacking space to fully describe how queer theory and literature shaped (and shapes) my mind, I'm sharing this essay on Robert Gluck's magnificent ABOUT ED, published in @clereviewbooks.bsky.social earlier this year. 🖤 www.clereviewofbooks.com/writing/robe...

Mikrobloggingen fortsetter

It’s my micro-blog and I’ll show you the bookmarks in my Einar Haugen’s Norwegian English Dictionary if I want!

I am once again polishing up my nautical and fishery terminology for Norwegian translation purposes

The first book of poetry I translated (which I began in 2016) is now out in the world! THE SPACE OF TIME by Katarina Frostenson Translated from Swedish With Translator's Note and Afterword by Carin Franzén Published by Threadsuns Press threadsunspress.com/product/the-...

If you record a 17 minute song about a tree I WILL listen

I like when a cookie tastes like a bunch of other cookies cus it’s been hanging out with a bunch of other cookies. I imagine I taste something like that

@bethmix.bsky.social sup Beth?

I’ve read 5+ books of these five writers Banana Yoshimoto Tor Ulven Scott McClanahan Kathy Acker Natsume Soseki

Now that I’ve been out of the luxury hotel game for 5+ years I am ready to confess that I have taken a luxurious bath in every single hotel I’ve worked in

This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever translated and probably ever will. One if Tor Ulven’s best via @greggerkesocrates.bsky.social

My favorite part of driving across the country is trying to fill my water bottle amdist the cornucopia of gas-station soda fountain/milkshake/coffee/slurpee machines and I’m just looking for a tiny button that says WATER

I am more popular than @carystough.bsky.social on Bluesky dot com

Ok back on here cus everybody else is back on here, hi everybody!

Interested in starting two tow truck companies. One called Angel Towing that only does benevolent towing only hiring mega-sweeties. The other called Devil Towing they only does evil towing only hiring tattooed bada**es.

Turnips are my vibe