Tuesday, August 18, 2009

A great translator passes away

Fernanda Pivano, a legendary translator who first brought to Italian readers so many great American writers and poets (from Edgar Lee Masters to William Burroughs, from Hemingway to Bob Dylan) died today in Milan.

I never had the privilege of knowing her in person, but it was thanks to her translations that I first read many American writers.

The Corriere della Sera site has posted much material on her, including interviews, videos, and the last article she wrote for the paper (last month, on the day of her 92nd birthday).

Requiescat in pace.