French Literature Reviews - 2026
A. Markowicz, Partages (Translation Journal)
Writers: Biography, Letters and Memoirs
Partages (Translation Journal)
André Markowicz
Publication date: 26/08/2015 Publisher: Co-edition Inculte/Dernière Marge ISBN: 979-10-95086-03-1 EAN: 9791095086031 Format: Paperback No. of pages: 440
Partages is the translation journal of André Markowicz, spanning a single year. In it, Markowicz reflects in particular on the razor-thin boundary between the craft of the writer and that of the translator. He immerses us, as never before, in the core questions that punctuate a lifetime dedicated to writing and translation.
“Partages is the journal of a writer looking back on his work as a translator, his origins, his reading, and the life around him. It is an uncertain, tentative attempt to give shape to daily life, centered on a few questions that, for the first time in my life, I found myself able to share with my readers, my ‘unknown friends.’ What language am I speaking? What does it mean to speak a language? What is this ‘memory of memories’? What am I trying to convey when I write my poems and my translations? — It is the reflection, which I hope can be shared, of a year of my life.”
André Markowicz was born in Prague in 1960. He has translated over a hundred books, including the complete fiction of Dostoevsky, Alexander Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin, and, alongside Françoise Morvan, the complete theatrical works of Chekhov (published by Actes Sud). He has published some fifteen plays by Shakespeare and works by numerous Russian playwrights with Éditions des Solitaires Intempestifs. He is the author of four books of poetry (published by Éditions du Seuil, Publie.net, and Le Dernier Télégramme).
André Markowicz occupies a unique position in contemporary French letters, renowned for his monumental task of translating the complete works of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Anton Chekhov. Partages fits into the rich tradition of writers' diaries and translation memoirs, offering an intimate look at the intellectual and linguistic labor behind these landmark translations. By examining the porous boundary between original creation and translation, the journal demystifies the translator's craft, elevating it from mere linguistic substitution to a profound form of literary art and personal memory.
This volume is particularly valuable for students of translation studies, comparative literature, and creative writing, as well as general readers interested in the mechanics of language. Markowicz addresses fundamental questions about how cultural memory is transmitted across linguistic borders and what it truly means to inhabit a language. Through his personal reflections, readers gain a deeper understanding of the challenges of rendering Russian poetry and drama into French, making this journal an essential resource for anyone curious about the invisible artistry of translation.