ABSTRACT
In this chapter I trace the history of my collaborations with the noted contemporary author Yu Hua (1960–), and I explain how I came to translate five of his books: the short story collections Boy in the Twilight and The April 3rd Incident, the novels Cries in the Drizzle and The Seventh Day, and the essay collection China in Ten Days. Among the issues discussed are the challenges encountered when translating Yu Hua, such as rendering effectively his terse language, handling tempo and repetition, and making the most of direct speech. Also addressed is the role played by editors in shaping the presentation of Yu Hua’s work to a Western audience.
