Episode 91 with Annie McDermott, Passionate Translator of the Eccentric and Magnificent The Luminous Novel by Mario Levrero

Episode 91 Notes and Links to Annie McDermott’s Work 

 

 

      On Episode 91 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Annie McDermott, translator extraordinaire. The two talk about, among other things, Annie’s early reading inspirations, her journey to professional translator, and her excellent translation of Mario Levrero’s The Luminous Novel, in addition to details of her trip to Montevideo to learn more about him, and the books baffling and intriguing themes and ruminations.

      Annie McDermott’s published and forthcoming translations include Mario Levrero’s Empty Words and The Luminous Novel (And Other Stories and Coffee House Press), Feebleminded by Ariana Harwicz (co-translation with Carolina Orloff, Charco Press) and City of Ulysses by Teolinda Gersão (co-translation with Jethro Soutar, Dalkey Archive Press).  She has previously lived in Mexico City and São Paulo, Brazil, and is now based in London.

Buy Annie McDermott's Translation of The Luminous Novel

 

“Levrero Hunting” by Annie McDermott

 

New York Times Review- “This Novel Is a Record of Its Own Failure. Somehow It Succeeds.”

 

Review in The Guardian: “The Luminous Novel by Mario Levrero review – an extraordinary autofictional diary”

 

Asymptote, July, 2021- “The Full Spectrum of Phrases: An Interview with Annie McDermott”

At about 2:15, Annie McDermott talks about the immediate aftermath of the translation being published recently 

 

At about 4:00, Annie responds to Pete’s questions about her relationship with words and reading as a kid; she points out Samuel Beckett and Virgina Woolff as writers who “floored her”

 

At about 8:15, Annie talks about her immersion into Spanish and English

 

At about 10:30, Annie talks about her experience in México City and some particular “Chilongo” slang

 

At about 11:45, Annie talks about “ ‘Eureka’ moments” in deciding to become a professional translator

 

At about 13:55, Annie is asked about “standard” Spanish and English and how she takes these into account when she translates 

 

At about 16:05, Annie discusses her evolution as a translator from her beginnings to now

At about 17:45, Pete wonders how Annie manages to “fill in the gaps” with idioms, contemporary events, etc., that are very specifically located in a certain time and place

 

At about 21:50, Pete and Annie discuss particular idioms from The Luminous Novel and how Annie engineered particular ones to fit in English

 

At about 24:05, Pete asks Annie how she measures “success” in translating

 

At about 25:25, Pete and Annie summarize The Luminous Novel in its format and background, and Pete asks Annie to describe her trip to Montevideo and what she learned about Mario Levrero

 

At about 27:20, Annie talks about the singular independence of Mario Levrero

 

At about 31:00, Annie looks back on the year she spent doing the translation of Levrero’s writing and the parallels between her work and Levrero’s

 

At about 33:00, Annie discusses Leverero’s younger years and his natural eccentricities 

 

At about 34:30, Pete and Annie ruminate on the book and its connection to Levrero’s perspective on mortality

 

At about 36:00, Annie discusses the inspired writing that Levrero was constantly searching for and its connection to mortality 

 

At about 38:30, Annie and Pete emphasize the understated mindfulness that is featured in the book

 

At about 40:00, Annie talks about Levrero’s cycle of inertia as described in the book, as well as his dreams and subconscious 

 

At about 41:40, Annie analyzes the telltale pigeon of the book

 

At about 44:30, Pete and Annie remark about Levero’s prescient thoughts on climate change

 

At about 46:10, Pete and Annie discuss the intangibility of Levrero’s dreams, both for him and for his translators 

 

At about 49:20, Pete and Annie discuss the theme of intimacy as covered in the book, both with women and outside of these relationships, in addition to procrastination and the “subjective”

 

At about 52:00, Pete and Annie point out some highlights in Levrero’s life chronicled by him in his book

 

At about 53:05, Annie juxtaposes the original Spanish with her English translations and she and Pete discuss the process and wording

 

At about 56:30, Pete asks Annie how she knows that her translations are done and are ready for publication

 

At about 57:20, Annie gives out her contact info

 

At about 57:55, Pete asks Annie about future projects, and she mentions an upcoming translation of No Es Un Río by Selva Almada

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Please tune in for the next episode, a conversation with Alan Chazaro, the author of the highly-praised poetry collection Piñata Theory. He is currently a creative writing adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco, and is a writer and editor of NBA stories at HeadFake. The episode will air on November 23.