Breon Mitchell (born ''Bert Breon Mitchell''; 1942) is a (retired) American professor of Germanic Studies and translator. He was a Professor of Germanic Studies, chair of the Comparative Literature Department, and Director of the

Lilly Library The Lilly Library, located on the campus of Indiana University (Bloomington), Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, is an important rare book and manuscript library in the United States. At its dedication on October 3, 1960, the library co ...

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...

. He has translated a number of notable German works into English including ''

The Trial ''The Trial'' (german: Der Process, link=no, previously , and ) is a novel written by Franz Kafka in 1914 and 1915 and published posthumously on 26 April 1925. One of his best known works, it tells the story of Josef K., a man arrested and pr ...

'' by

Franz Kafka Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of realism and the fantastic. It ...

, '' The God of Impertinence'' by Sten Nadolny, ''

Shadowlife ''Shadowlife'' is the sixth studio album by the American heavy metal band Dokken, released in 1997. It marks a change in the band's musical style, moving towards alternative rock. However, critics and fans alike were not pleased with the chan ...

'' by

Martin Grzimek Martin Grzimek (born 1950) is a German author. He was born in Trutzhain. Having spent a number of years living and working in South America and the United States, he now resides in a village near Heidelberg. His work that raised the most interest i ...

, ''

The Silent Angel ''The Silent Angel'' (German: ''Der schweigende Engel'') is a 1954 West German drama film directed by Harald Reinl and starring Josefin Kipper, Robert Freitag and Christine Kaufmann. Lisanti & Paul p.80 It was shot at the Wiesbaden Studios in Hes ...

'' by

Heinrich Böll Heinrich Theodor Böll (; 21 December 1917 – 16 July 1985) was a German writer. Considered one of Germany's foremost post-World War II writers, Böll is a recipient of the Georg Büchner Prize (1967) and the Nobel Prize for Literature (1972). ...

, '' Laura's Skin'' by J.F. Federspiel, '' The Color of the Snow'' by Rüdiger Kremer, and ''

The Tin Drum ''The Tin Drum'' (german: Die Blechtrommel, ) is a 1959 novel by Günter Grass. The novel is the first book of Grass's ' (''Danzig Trilogy''). It was adapted into a 1979 film, which won both the 1979 Palme d'Or and the Academy Award for Best ...

'' by

Günter Grass Günter Wilhelm Grass (born Graß; ; 16 October 1927 – 13 April 2015) was a German novelist, poet, playwright, illustrator, graphic artist, sculptor, and recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature. He was born in the Free City of Da ...

(2009). Mitchell translated and then revised ''What Must Be Said'' by Grass in April 2012.

Personal life

Breon Mitchell was born on August 9, 1942 in

Salina, Kansas Salina is a city in, and the county seat of, Saline County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 46,889. In the early 1800s, the Kanza tribal land reached eastward from the middle of the Kansas Territory. In 1 ...

to John Charles II and Maxine Mitchell. He has a brother John Charles III and late brother Tim. He has three children with his wife Lynda: Catherine, Kieron, and Kerry. Breon lives in Ellettsville, Indiana. He retired from

in early 2013, and there received the President's Distinguished Service Medal award. He enjoys watching the Indianapolis Colts, guest lecturing around the world, talking to his granddaughters Maddie and Molly, and collecting rare books.

References

American translators Germanists Indiana University faculty Living people 1942 births Translators of Franz Kafka German–English translators 20th-century translators {{US-translator-stub