Found in Translation

part, without much fanfare. And that’s in spite of the important contributions
they indisputably make to the world. Of those we surveyed, just one lone
person selected a negative word to characterize their translation and
interpreting work: underappreciated. Our sincerest hope is that, one reader at a
time, this book will help to change that.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A book like this, which encompasses so many lives, places, contexts, and
languages, can be written only with the help of many people. We owe debts of
gratitude to the interviewees who appear throughout this book for giving so
generously of their time as well as the organizations that granted permission
for us to use their stories. We especially extend our heartfelt thanks to Peter
Less for inviting us into your home and sharing your experiences but, most
important, for inspiring us through your service to humanity.
Our thanks to Caitilin Walsh and the American Translators Association for
your support of this book. We also thank Professor Barry Slaughter Olsen of
the Monterey Institute of International Studies and InterpretAmerica for so
generously introducing us to several of the interviewees who appear in these
stories. Judy Jenner, your bubbling enthusiasm for our book was contagious,
and your friendship to us both is truly appreciated. Thanks also to Rina
Ne’eman for reviewing the Hebrew translations included in this book.
To David Crystal, it is both an honor and a delight that a foreword from one
of the world’s most renowned writers on language graces the pages of our
book. Your work has inspired so many to take an interest in language. With this
book, we hope to ignite a similar interest in translation and interpreting among
readers.
Our sincere appreciation to the many colleagues who helped us with
translations and fact-checking for various languages: Wu Zhijie, Gabriela
Marziali de Alfaya, Ali Djebli, Janet Biswas, Thelma Sabim, Konstantin
Dranch, Izumi Suzuki, Dagmar Jenner, Judy Jenner, Wawan Eko Yulianto,
Kamran Nadeem, Subbanna Varanasi, Mai Tran, Marilyse Benyakar, and Farah
Arjang.
Special thanks to the following individuals, who helped us secure interviews
with many of the people featured and quoted throughout the book: Shant
Apelian, Nadja Blagojevic, Edie Burge, Tammy Cecil, Jason Freidenfelds,
Christine Grieve, Kristi Ernsting, Stacy Hamilton, Elyse Heckman, Carolina
Janssen, Erin O’Harra, Jodi Olson, Sarah Reed, Krisztina Radosavljevic-
Szilagyi, Margaret Sullivan, Anne Taylor, and Lena Zuniga.

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We are tremendously grateful to our agent Scott Mendel, who understood,
from our very first phone call, why we care so much about translation. To our
editor Marian Lizzi and the team at Perigee/Penguin, we cannot thank you
enough for recognizing the importance of translation and putting your energy
behind this project, which truly represents our lives’ passion.