Alex Zucker (born September 1, 1964) is an American
literary
Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to ...
translator
Translation is the communication of the Meaning (linguistic), meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The ...
.
Life and career
Zucker was born in
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat, seat of government of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County, Michigan, Clinton County. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...]
. He attended college at
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, it ...
, obtaining a
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
in
Zoology
Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...
in 1986. In 1990, he received a master's in international affairs from the
School of International and Public Affairs
The School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University (SIPA) is the international affairs and public policy school of Columbia University, a private Ivy League university located in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, New York City. It ...
at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, with a certificate from the Institute on East Central Europe.
During his years in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
(1990–95), he worked as editor-translator for the English-language section of the
Czech News Agency
The Czech News Agency ( cs, Česká tisková kancelář), abbreviated to ČTK, is a national public service news agency in the Czech Republic. It publishes in Czech and English. It discontinued its Slovak language service on 1 January 2011.
Fo ...
, copy editor–translator for the English-language newspaper ''Prognosis'',
[Alexander Zaitchik: "Let the Kazoos Sound: A Decade of English Press in Prague," ''Think'' magazine, no. 50, Nov/Dec 2001](_blank)
/ref> and freelance translator for a variety of Czech and English-language cultural reviews and literary magazines, including ''Raut'', ''Trafika'', ''Yazzyk'', and ''Zlatý řez''.
From 1996 to 2000, he copyedited for ''Swing'', ''Condé Nast Traveler
''Condé Nast Traveler'' is a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine published by Condé Nast. The magazine has won 25 National Magazine Awards.
The Condé Nast unit of Advance Publications purchased ''Signature'', a magazine for Diners Club memb ...
'', Interview (magazine)
''Interview'' is an American magazine founded in late 1969 by artist Andy Warhol and British journalist John Wilcock. The magazine, nicknamed "The Crystal Ball of Pop", features interviews with celebrities, artists, musicians, and creative thinke ...
, and Vanity Fair (magazine)
''Vanity Fair'' is a monthly magazine of popular culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast in the United States.
The first version of ''Vanity Fair'' was published from 1913 to 1936. The imprint was revived in 1983 and c ...
, as well as for Aperture publishing house and ''Bookforum
''Bookforum'' is an American book review magazine devoted to books and the discussion of literature that was based in New York City, New York. The magazine was founded in 1994 and announced in December of 2022 it would cease publishing after ...
''.
From 2002 to 2004, Zucker taught Czech at the NYU
New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-United States Secretary of the Treasu ...
School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
In 2010, Zucker won the National Translation Award The National Translation Award is awarded annually by the American Literary Translators Association for literary translators who have made an outstanding contribution to literature in English by masterfully recreating the artistic force of a book of ...
for his translation of Petra Hůlová
Petra Hůlová (born 12 July 1979) is a Czech writer.
Early life and education
Hůlová was born in Prague. She holds a degree in culturology from Charles University in Prague. She lived in Mongolia for one year as an exchange student after h ...
's début novel
A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to pu ...
of 2002, ''All This Belongs to Me''.
In 2011, he received a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
to support his translation of the 1931 Czech classic ''Marketa Lazarová
''Marketa Lazarová'' is a 1967 Czechoslovak Epic film, epic period drama directed by František Vláčil. It is an adaptation of the novel ''Marketa Lazarová (novel), Marketa Lazarová'' (1931) by Vladislav Vančura. The film takes place in the ...
'', by Vladislav Vančura
Vladislav Vančura () (23 June 1891 in Háj ve Slezsku – 1 June 1942 in Prague) was an important Czechs, Czech writer active in the 20th century, who was murdered by the Nazis. He was also active as a film director, playwright and screenwriter ...
.
Selected translations
* ''The Opportune Moment, 1855'', a novel by Patrik Ouředník
Patrik Ouředník (in French sometimes known as Patrick; born 23 April 1957 in Prague) is a Czech author and translator, living in France.
Ouředník spent his youth in Prague. In 1984 he emigrated to France, where he first worked as a chess con ...
(Dalkey Archive Press
Dalkey Archive Press is an American publisher of fiction, poetry, foreign translations and literary criticism specializing in the publication or republication of lesser-known, often avant-garde works. The company has offices in Funks Grove, Il ...
, 2011).
* ''Case Closed'', a novel by Patrik Ouředník
Patrik Ouředník (in French sometimes known as Patrick; born 23 April 1957 in Prague) is a Czech author and translator, living in France.
Ouředník spent his youth in Prague. In 1984 he emigrated to France, where he first worked as a chess con ...
(Dalkey Archive Press
Dalkey Archive Press is an American publisher of fiction, poetry, foreign translations and literary criticism specializing in the publication or republication of lesser-known, often avant-garde works. The company has offices in Funks Grove, Il ...
, 2010).
* ''All This Belongs to Me'', a novel by Petra Hůlová
Petra Hůlová (born 12 July 1979) is a Czech writer.
Early life and education
Hůlová was born in Prague. She holds a degree in culturology from Charles University in Prague. She lived in Mongolia for one year as an exchange student after h ...
(Writings from an Unbound Europe, Northwestern University Press
Northwestern University Press is an American publishing house affiliated with Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. It publishes 70 new titles each year in the areas of continental philosophy, poetry, Slavic and German literary criticism ...
, 2009). Winner of the 2010 National Translation Award The National Translation Award is awarded annually by the American Literary Translators Association for literary translators who have made an outstanding contribution to literature in English by masterfully recreating the artistic force of a book of ...
.
* ''Minach'', a play by Iva Klestilová Volánková
Iva or IVA may refer to:
Organizations
* Independent Voters Association, a North Dakota U.S. political organization
* Informationsvidenskabelige Akademi, a Danish university
* Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, (Swedish: ''Kungliga Ing ...
, in ''Czech Plays: Seven New Works'', ed. Marcy Arlin Marcy or Marcie may refer to:
People Surname
*Alfred Marcy (1900–1977), U.S. Army colonel
*Elizabeth Eunice Marcy (1821–1911), American author, activist, and social reformer; wife of Oliver March
* Florent Marcie, French documentary filmmaker ...
, Gwynn MacDonald
Gwyn or Gwynn may refer to:
People
* Gwyn (name), includes a list of people with the given name or surname Gwyn, including variants such as Gwynn and Gwynne
Fictional or mythological characters
* Gwyn ap Nudd, in Welsh mythology
* Gwynn (''Slu ...
, and Dr. Daniel Gerould
Daniel Charles Gerould (March 28, 1928 – February 13, 2012) was the Lucille Lortel Distinguished Professor of Theatre and Comparative Literature at the CUNY Graduate Center and Director of Publications of the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center. A sc ...
(Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, 2009).
* ''A Well-paid Walk'', subtitles, ''Dobře placená procházka'' (1966), dir. Miloš Forman
Jan Tomáš "Miloš" Forman (; ; 18 February 1932 – 13 April 2018) was a Czech and American film director, screenwriter, actor, and professor who rose to fame in his native Czechoslovakia before emigrating to the United States in 1968.
Forman ...
, U.S. premiere, ''Milos Forman, A Retrospective'', Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...
, February 14–28, 2008.
* "The Game," by Ivan Blatný Ivan Blatný (; 21 December 1919 in Brno, Czechoslovakia – 5 August 1990 in Colchester, United Kingdom) was a Czech poet and a member of '' Skupina 42 (Group 42).
Life
Blatný, the son of the writer Lev Blatný, was a member of the ''Skupina 42' ...
, in ''The Drug of Art: Selected poems of Ivan Blatný'' (Ugly Duckling Presse
Ugly Duckling Presse is an American nonprofit art and publishing collective based in Brooklyn, New York City founded in 1993 by Matvei Yankelevich as a college zine. It publishes poetry, translations, lost works, and artist's books. A micro pre ...
, 2007).
* ''The Unlucky Man in the Yellow Cap'', lyrics and translation of Zuzana Justman's adaptation of the original play with music by J. R. Pick
''J. The Jewish News of Northern California'', formerly known as ''Jweekly'', is a weekly print newspaper in Northern California, with its online edition updated daily. It is owned and operated by San Francisco Jewish Community Publications In ...
, directed by Marcy Arlin. Other lyrics by Peter Fish (also music), Zuzana Justman, and J. R. Pick.
* '' City Sister Silver'', a novel by Jáchym Topol
Jáchym Topol (born 4 August 1962) is a Czech poet, novelist, musician and journalist who became a laureate of the Czech State Award for Literature in October 2017 for his novel ''Sensitive Man''.
Life
Jáchym Topol was born in Prague, Czechos ...
( Catbird Press, 2000). Selected for inclusion in the 2006 guide ''1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
''1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die'' is a literary reference book compiled by over one hundred literary critics worldwide and edited by Peter Boxall, Professor of English at Sussex University, with an introduction by Peter Ackroyd. Each tit ...
''.
* ''More Than One Life'', a novel by Miloslava Holubová, translated with Lyn Coffin
Lyn Coffin (born November 12, 1943) is an American poet, writer, translator, and editor.
Biography
She has been an Associate Editor of the ''Michigan Quarterly Review'' and previously taught English at the University of Washington, Renton High S ...
and Zdenka Brodská (Hydra Books, Northwestern University Press
Northwestern University Press is an American publishing house affiliated with Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. It publishes 70 new titles each year in the areas of continental philosophy, poetry, Slavic and German literary criticism ...
, 1999).
* "The Sightseers" by Michal Viewegh
Michal Viewegh is one of the most popular contemporary Czech writers.
He is the most published Czech author of all time, with over a million books sold. In 1993 he earned the prestigious Jiří Orten award for Czech writers 30 years old or young ...
and "Sister" by Jáchym Topol
Jáchym Topol (born 4 August 1962) is a Czech poet, novelist, musician and journalist who became a laureate of the Czech State Award for Literature in October 2017 for his novel ''Sensitive Man''.
Life
Jáchym Topol was born in Prague, Czechos ...
, in ''Daylight in Nightclub Inferno: Czech Fiction From the Post-Kundera Generation'', ed. Elena Lappin (Catbird Press, 1997).
* "Kchony Sees the World" by Ladislav Fuks
Ladislav Fuks (September 24, 1923 in Prague – August 19, 1994 in Prague) was a Czech novelist. He focused mainly on psychological novels, portraying the despair and suffering of people under German occupation of Czechoslovakia.
Fuks was born in ...
, "Honking Horns" by Jiří Gruša
Jiří Gruša (10 November 1938, in Pardubice – 28 October 2011, in Bad Oeynhausen) was a Czech people, Czech poet, novelist, translator, diplomat and politician.[Jáchym Topol
Jáchym Topol (born 4 August 1962) is a Czech poet, novelist, musician and journalist who became a laureate of the Czech State Award for Literature in October 2017 for his novel ''Sensitive Man''.
Life
Jáchym Topol was born in Prague, Czechos ...]
, in ''This Side of Reality: Modern Czech Writing'', ed. Alexandra Büchler (Serpent's Tail, 1996).
* "GM" by Gustav Meyrink
Gustav Meyrink (19 January 1868 – 4 December 1932) was the pseudonym of Gustav Meyer, an Austrian author,
novelist, dramatist, translator, and banker, most famous for his novel '' The Golem''.
He has been described as the "most respected Germa ...
and "A Trip to the Train Station" by Jáchym Topol
Jáchym Topol (born 4 August 1962) is a Czech poet, novelist, musician and journalist who became a laureate of the Czech State Award for Literature in October 2017 for his novel ''Sensitive Man''.
Life
Jáchym Topol was born in Prague, Czechos ...
, in ''Prague: A Traveler's Literary Companion'', ed. Paul Wilson (Whereabouts Press, 1995).
* ''A Trip to the Train Station'', a novella by Jáchym Topol
Jáchym Topol (born 4 August 1962) is a Czech poet, novelist, musician and journalist who became a laureate of the Czech State Award for Literature in October 2017 for his novel ''Sensitive Man''.
Life
Jáchym Topol was born in Prague, Czechos ...
( Petrov, 1995).
Zucker has also translated lyrics by Filip Topol
Filip Topol (12 June 1965 – 19 June 2013) was a Czech singer, songwriter, pianist and writer. He was best known as leader of the alternative rock band Psí vojáci (''Dog Soldiers''), but he also performed as a solo artist. Topol was the younger ...
, leader of the Czech rock group Psí vojáci
Psí vojáci (lit. Dog Soldiers) was a Czech rock band from Prague, fronted by singer, pianist and songwriter Filip Topol, son of playwright Josef Topol and brother of writer Jáchym Topol. Topol formed the band in 1979 with drummer David Skála ...
(Dog Soldiers
The Dog Soldiers or Dog Men (Cheyenne: ''Hotamétaneo'o'') are historically one of six Cheyenne military societies. Beginning in the late 1830s, this society evolved into a separate, militaristic band that played a dominant role in Cheyenne re ...
).
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zucker, Alex
American translators
Translators from Czech
Living people
1964 births
University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Natural Sciences alumni
School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University alumni