Writing about Translation

Lately I've been writing about translation for Source, an online publication of the literary division of the American Translators Association. It's a lot of fun to do this because I get to look into topics I might not have thought to look into on my own. The links below are to a couple of book reviews I wrote on translation and an article about the Kenyan writer and translator Ngugi wa Thiong'o.

http://www.ata-divisions.org/LD/newsletter/2013/SourceMar29Spring2013%20.pdf
http://www.ata-divisions.org/LD/newsletter/2014/SourceSpring2014.pdf

My assignment now is to do an interview with the superstar Spanish to English translator Edith Grossman. Her authors include Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargos Llosa, and Cervantes! I will post the link here when the interview comes out.

Wooly Mice

A friend asked me to make a knitted cat toy--she said just a tube of some sort--that she could fill with catnip to give to her kitties to play with. I quickly found this pattern for knitted mice and it's been hard to stop making them ever since. I read that the cats prefer the toys made out of all wool or other natural fibers; that is no problem for me since I almost always only use natural fibers. And I have lots of leftover yarn...watch out, cat owners. You may be getting a shipment of these soon.

Hat Giveaway!

Here's a fun slouch hat I knit recently. The yarn is 100% wool, very soft with variegated color (Malabrigo Merino Worsted--a really nice yarn). It's kind of a pinky purple color, which brings me to the problem and the reason I am giving it away--it's just not my color. I love wearing the hat because it's comfortable and doesn't mess up my hair, but it really doesn't look that great on me color-wise. If someone who can wear cool colors would like to have it, just let me know, and I'll be happy to send it to you. Write to juliemwinter6@gmail.com. 

Here's a picture of the designer Natalie Larson showing how the hat is worn. 

So why did I knit a hat for myself that isn't my color? Well, the yarn was on sale with the pattern, and they didn't have any other colors, and I loved it so much and wanted to make the hat. I will look for a better color for me and make another one now that I have the pattern. Can't wait to hear from you!