Wednesday, December 18, 2024 - 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm
Dive into the rich tapestry of global literature with Mechanics' Institute's Contemporary Translated Works Book Group, presented in partnership with the Center for the Art of Translation. Our literary journey continues this winter with Tongueless by Lau Yee-Wa (Hong Kong/China), a psychological thriller steeped in the ongoing sociolinguistic tensions that are currently happening in Hong Kong. Join us for this transnational literary adventure, discovering the stories and ideas that connect us across cultures and languages through translation.
How to Participate
[Trigger Warning: This book discusses suicide.]
Get a copy of Tongueless (we suggest purchasing the book directly from Feminist Press via their website) and read it in advance of the meeting. On Wednesday, December 18, we will meet at noon (PT) to discuss this book with a group of people interested in reading contemporary translated works. This is a online book group that meets via Zoom. For those of you who are joining us in Pacific Time, we welcome you to bring your lunch to this noontime event. For those of you joining us from other time zones, bring a snack and/or a drink, and thank you for making this book group an (inter)national gathering!
From 12:00-12:30 pm (PT), join us for an introductory discussion with Jennifer Feeley, who translated Tongueless from Cantonese/Mandarin Chinese into English. This portion of the discussion is hosted by Nico Chen (of Mechanics' Institute) and Leslie-Ann Woofter (of Center for the Art of Translation), and begins with inquiries about how language, culture, and the art of translation are highlighted in this work. Please note that this first half hour will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel.
After bidding a thank you and goodbye to the translator, we will transition into latter part of our discussion (from 12:30 to 1:15 pm PT). For these informal discussions, we will begin by sharing our "golden lines" from Tongueless. While this is optional, we'd love to hear from you! In sharing these passages, our discussion will address emerging questions on themes, narrators/characters, and more.
About this Book Group
Launched in March 2024, the Contemporary Translated Works Book Group explores languages, cultures, and the art of translation through contemporary literature.
Click here to watch our introductory discussion with translator Jeremy Tiang for Beijing Sprawl, our Spring/Summer 2024 selection.
Click here to watch our introductory discussion with translator Julia Sanches for Migratory Birds, our Fall 2024 selection.
Book Groups
