So far this year I have:Spent two weeks on a translation residency in BanffDone a campus visit for a tenure-track jobHad four teaching assignmentsHad a book review published in Translation ReviewDefended my dissertationCelebrated the release of The Maroons, an abolitionist novelConducted archival research at YalePresented that research at two conferencesDelivered a talk on collaborative translationContinue reading “2024 has already been huge”
Author Archives: Jeff Diteman
Portrait de Raymond Queneau
Voici un petit portrait en aquarelle du fondateur de l’Oulipo, Raymond Queneau qui a compris l’enjeu sérieux des jeux de mots et qui a apporté son esprit ludique aux sujets les plus graves. L’un de mes héros littéraires, un vrai génie qui a fait une marque incontournable sur l’histoire de l’écriture. Parmi ses livres, pourContinue reading “Portrait de Raymond Queneau”
Lunii publishes positive audio stories for children
September is World Kid Lit Month, so it seems like a good time to acknowledge the remarkable work being done over at Lunii to produce positive audio stories for children. Each Lunii album is composed of a set of interrelated narratives that can be listened to in any order. These albums are played on aContinue reading “Lunii publishes positive audio stories for children”
Salut Henri
Yesterday in the last sun before Henri not a scorcher but a steamerthe maiden voyage of the new lawnmowerand then out back tacking plastic over spongy windowsdonating blood to the swarm, before friends gathered in the hot gloomof dissipating empire:eggplant, sweet peppers, summer squash,ground beef and chicken shawarma,in plodding silence rimmed with exhaustion. “Have youContinue reading “Salut Henri”
Ferdinand
Here’s a copy I drew of an image of Ferdinand the bull by Robert Lawson. This is one of my favorite children’s books, both for its wonderful illustrations and its message of strength and pacifism. This is the moment just after Ferdinand has been stung by a bee.
New drawings
I’ve been drawing animals to prepare for a children’s book. The final characters will be fairly cartoonish, I think, but I like to take nature as my starting point.
Biography of Jacques Poissant
The following is a translation of the introductory chapter to the Généalogie de la Famille Poissant, written by Dr. J.C. Poissant, published in Montreal in 1909. This translation is a work in progress, a labor of love, my contribution to my family’s history. My grandmother, Lorna Diteman (née Fish), was a daughter of the PoissantContinue reading “Biography of Jacques Poissant”
Translation Matters
A crossword puzzle on the theme of translation:Translation Matters
In the studio
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Isn’t that A Tale of Two Cities?” says my dad over the phone. “Yeah, that’s the first line.” “Well, it sure is these days.” “You got that right.” In these frightening times, I feel very lucky to be taking one day a weekContinue reading “In the studio”
Jeff Diteman 