Reader recommendation: The Artist of Disappearance
Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.
The Artist of Disappearance, by Anita Desai, is a collection of three novellas, all set in India. In “Translator, Translated,” an Indian schoolteacher translating a work from a little-known Indian language into English decides to become inventive and takes liberties with the text to “improve” it. She comes to think of herself as the writer, only better. Discovery seems remote, until she is unmasked. Desai shines a light on the ethics of translation.
Skip to next paragraphRelated stories
These comments are not screened before publication. Constructive debate about the above story is welcome, but personal attacks are not. Please do not post comments that are commercial in nature or that violate any copyright[s]. Comments that we regard as obscene, defamatory, or intended to incite violence will be removed. If you find a comment offensive, you may flag it.