Peter Bush (translator)

Peter R. Bush (born 1946) is a prize-winning English literary translator. He has translated works from Catalan, French, Spanish and Portuguese to English, including the work of Josep Pla, Joan Sales and Merce Rodoreda.

Life and career

Peter Bush was born in Spalding, Lincolnshire.[1] His father, from a large rural working-class family, was a print worker and trade unionist; his mother grew up in an urban working-class family in Sheffield.[2] He studied French and Spanish at Cambridge University before gaining a DPhil in Spanish history and fiction from Oxford University.

Though Bush translated various Marxist economic and political analyses between 1967 and 1972, since then he has only translated literary texts. He has spoken of the crucial importance in his life of translating Juan Goytisolo:

"I suppose my first Goytisolo translations brought something of a decisive change in my life. The translation of his work has been inseparable from the way my life has developed."[2]

Bush has been very active not only as a literary translator, but also in developing literary translation as an academic discipline - by working in the academic world; serving in key literary translation organisations; serving on the editorial boards of literary translation publications; and organising international events and projects.

After teaching in London schools he joined Middlesex University where he was Associate Senior Lecturer in Spanish (1993-1995), Reader in Literary Translation (1995-1997) and Professor of Literary Translation (1997-1998). He then moved to the University of East Anglia, where he was Director of the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT) (1998-2003), and Professor of Literary Translation at the School of English and American Studies.[3] He has been a Visiting Professor at University of São Paulo (1996), Boston University (1996, 1999) and Beijing University (2001).

Bush has held key positions in important literary translation organisations: Literary Translation Committee (Chair); International Translators Federation (Vice President, 1996-2003); American Literary Translators Association (Board of Directors, 1999-2002); Committee for Literary Translation in Higher Education (Convenor, 1993-1999); In Other Words (Executive Committee, Founder and Editor, 1995-2003); The European Network of Literary Translation Centres (RECIT) (2000-2003).

Bush has also served on several editorial boards: Mediterraneans, a journal of literature, culture and politics (Paris), published by The Mediterranean Study Group (since 1993); Middlesex University Press (1996-2001); The Encyclopaedia of Literary Translation, Fitzroy Dearbourne (1997-2000); Pretexts, Pen & Ink, University of East Anglia (2002-2004); The Massachusetts Review (since 2014).

Awards and Honours

Works

Translations

From Catalan
From French
From Spanish
From Portuguese

Writings about Translation

Projects, conferences, seminars developing the field of literary translation

References

  1. ↑ Peter Bush - Words Without Borders
  2. 1 2 Carol Maier, An Interview With Peter Bush, Translation Review Vol. 53.
  3. 1 2 Peter Bush to Discuss Translation of Spanish Classic
  4. ↑ http://www.govern.cat/pres_gov/AppJava/govern/grans-reptes/transicio-nacional/282349/govern-distingeix-creu-sant-jordi-27-personalitats-15-entitats.html
  5. ↑ http://www.crimefest.com/awards_2014.html
  6. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/nov/27/anna-krien-nightgames-wins-sports-book-of-year-prize
  7. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/ACETraductores/posts/354463564609993
  8. ↑ http://www.societyofauthors.org/premio-valle-inclan-past-winners
  9. ↑ Review by Michael Eaude, The Independent, 21 September 2007
  10. ↑ Book Launch 'Uncertain Glory: Paul Preston in conversation with Peter Bush LSE European Institute 14 November 2014
  11. ↑ Review by Alberto Manguel, The Guardian, 14 May 2011. Review by Annabella Massey, Cadaverine Magazine

External links

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