Meghan Review: Found in Translation by: Nataly Kelly and Jost Zetzsche

I had no idea how large a role translation plays in everyday life until I read this little non-fiction account about  the ways in which language transforms the world. Packed with fascinating human interest stories, funny anecdotes, and a huge number of facts, Found in Translation offers a look inside the secret world of translators.

One of the things I appreciated most about Found in Translation was that it was easily accessible to the reader, regardless of their language background. I believe a gifted translator would enjoy this book just as much as me, an English-only speaker. The book is divided up into broad sections of areas where translation is important, from "Saving Lives and Protecting Rights in Translation" to "Entertaining Fans and Playing to the Crowd in Translation."

Though I had some familiarity with how translation was used for political negotiations between countries, I was intrigued by the many roles translators play in people's more personal lives. The love and romance angle was especially interesting---the anecdote about a translator working for a long-distance dating service by translating for new couples over the phone made me laugh out loud! (I garnered some strange looks in the Columbus airport, but it was totally worth it!). 

My only critique of the book overall was that at times, the pacing could be slow. Each individual section was well-organized, but there was little connection between those sections, and that made it a little hard to get through.  

Recommended to: lovers of language, your relative from overseas, the college student you know that is going abroad next semester, anyone who needs a vacation

Release Date: October 2nd, 2012  Pages: 288 Format: Paperback  
Source: Publisher Publisher: Perigee Trade  Buy It: Book Depository

This is a review by Meghan. You can find her here on Goodreads or on Twitter @meghanc303