Howard Curtis

Curtis explores the intricacies of literary translation through his dedication to preserving the original voice and nuances of the works he translates. His career in translation evolved after an initial foray into theatre directing, which did not meet with success. Driven by a love for languages, Curtis taught himself Italian as a teenager, motivated by a passion for Italian films and culture, while his formal education included studying French and German. This background equipped him to navigate the complexities of translating fiction from French, Italian, and Spanish into English. His translation repertoire includes over a hundred books, featuring notable authors like Gianrico Carofiglio, Marco Malvaldi, Georges Simenon, and Luis Sepúlveda. Curtis’s focus on crime fiction, classic literature, and narrative realism allows him to highlight diverse literary themes, such as the ordinary nature of detectives in Simenon’s Maigret series or the psychological depth in works by Beppe Fenoglio.\n\nHis method prioritizes a discovery process in translation, which involves revising earlier translations to enhance their fidelity to the original. This iterative approach underscores Curtis’s commitment to continuous refinement and excellence. Readers benefit from his work through a rich engagement with translated literature that remains faithful to its source material, offering nuanced insights into various cultures and narrative styles. His translation of Beppe Fenoglio’s "Una Questione privata" ("A Private Affair") and Luigi Pirandello’s classics exemplifies his ability to bridge linguistic divides, thus expanding the accessibility of significant literary works. Recognized for his contributions, Curtis won the 2013 Marsh Award for Children's Literature in Translation, emphasizing his excellence and impact in the field. This bio highlights Curtis’s substantial influence on the world of literary translation, making complex foreign narratives available to a wider audience.