For 18 years, Daniel Poliquin worked as an interpreter in the House of Commons. As politicians sparred in Canada’s two official languages, it was his job to ensure that they all understood one another.

His career as an interpreter, from which he retired in 2008, has much in common with his other job — as one of Canada’s foremost translators. They’re important, if unheralded, stars in the publishing universe.

Translators are the mimics of the book world; they must pass for someone else.

A flock of French-language books are being published in English this fall, including I Am a Japanese Writer, by Dany Laferriere (translated by David Homel); Apocalypse for Beginners, by Nicolas Dickner (translated by Lazer Lederhendler); Are You Married to a Psychopath? by Nadine Bismuth (translated by Donald Winkler), and On the Proper Use of Stars, by Dominique Fortier (translated by Fischman). Read full article.

See: Vancouver Sun