{"product_id":"2940157308841","title":"Problems Of Translation, or Charlies Comic, Terrifying, Romantic, Loopy, Round-the-World Journey in Search of Linguistic Happiness","description":"\"...A MERRY, YEARLONG CHASE AROUND THE GLOBE....\"--Kirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A comic masterpiece\" \"Poignant\" \"Pretty much perfectly done\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eand A Shelf Unbound 2015 Notable Book\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCharles Abel Baker--short story writer and a \"most unlikely middle-aged hero\"--sets off around the world on a quest to see one of his short stories translated into ten different languages and back again into English, a sort of literary version of the old party game \"telephone. In Moscow, St. Petersburg, Siberia, China, India, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, and more, Charlie's round-the-world peregrinations are comical, romantic and, at times, hair-raising.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProblems of Translation is a cloak-and-dagger adventure, a love story, and a bracing ride for the language buff. Its naïve hero's quixotic mission will ultimately transform Charlie and those around him. And along the way, Charlie--lonely, divorced--comes to love and be loved by a generous, complicated woman, and at last to understand what drove him to undertake this journey.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWho knew that literary translation could be so perilous? So romantic? So downright funny? A rousing hybrid and a great read, Problems of Translation is as stimulating as it is entertaining.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"An insanely amusing adventure that has a deep love of language at its belly-shaking core.\"-Gary Shteyngart, author of Little Failure and A Super Sad True Love Story\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom Portland Book Review, Four Stars: \u003cbr\u003e\"...a zany and surprisingly philosophical adventure....This is a complex book that touches on language, culture, and the human desire to search for connection and meaning in life. One part midlife crisis, one part old-timey spy film, and one part romance, Problems in Translation is a multilayered story that readers - particularly those who love book related humor - will enjoy.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Jim Story's name says it all: he was meant to be a writer...I hope everyone reads this book!\"-Hannah Tinti, author of The Good Thief and The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"In this comic masterpiece...we take a wild ride...through the underside of the literary world...as [Charlie] stumbles and careens into all kinds of trouble in and obsessive pursuit of hid Dream.\"-Robert Roth, author of Health Proxy; editor, co-creator of And Then\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A fascinating look at the issues of translation, publishing, and an unglamorous middle-age.\"-Edith Grossman, author of Why Translation Matters; award-winning translator of Cervantes, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and others\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"...Marvelous touches of...poignancy that don't...delay the progress of the story toward it's delectable conclusion...pretty much perfectly done.\"-Ron Story (no relation), Emeritus Professor, UMass Amherst; author of Jonathan Edwards and the Gospel of Love","brand":"Blue Mile Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47103828426992,"sku":"2940157308841","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940157308841_p0.jpg?v=1764099037","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940157308841","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}