Alex Zucker (born September 1, 1964) is an American

literary Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, plays, and poems. It includes both print and digital writing. In recent centuries, ...

translator Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''trans ...

Life and career

Zucker was born in

New Brunswick, New Jersey New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.East Lansing, Michigan East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County, although a small portion extends north into Clinton County. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 47,741. The city is located immediate ...

. He attended college at

University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) is a public land-grant research university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system and was founded in 1863 as the ...

, obtaining a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...

Zoology Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...

in 1986. In 1990, he received a master's in international affairs from the

School of International and Public Affairs The School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) is the List of schools of international relations in the United States, international affairs and public policy school, public policy school of Columbia University, a private Ivy League univers ...

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, with a certificate from the Institute on East Central Europe. During his years in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

(1990–95), he worked as editor-translator for the English-language section of the

Czech News Agency The Czech News Agency (), abbreviated to ČTK, is a national public service news agency in the Czech Republic. It provides its services in Czech and English. History ČTK was founded on 28 October 1918, on the same day as Czechoslovakia, as ...

, copy editor–translator for the English-language newspaper ''Prognosis'',Alexander Zaitchik: "Let the Kazoos Sound: A Decade of English Press in Prague," ''Think'' magazine, no. 50, Nov/Dec 2001
/ref> and freelance translator for a variety of Czech and English-language cultural reviews and literary magazines, including ''Raut'', ''Trafika'', ''Yazzyk'', and ''Zlatý řez''. From 1996 to 2000, he copyedited for ''Swing'', ''

Condé Nast Traveler ''Condé Nast Traveler'' is a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine published by Condé Nast. The magazine has won 25 National Magazine Awards. The Condé Nast unit of Advance Publications purchased ''Signature'', a magazine for Diners Club me ...

'',

Interview (magazine) ''Interview'' is an American magazine founded by pop artist Andy Warhol and journalist John Wilcock in 1969. The magazine, nicknamed "The Crystal Ball of Pop," features interviews of and by celebrities. Background In 1965, pop artist Andy Wa ...

, and

Vanity Fair (magazine) ''Vanity Fair'' is an American monthly magazine of popular culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast in the United States. The first version of ''Vanity Fair'' was published from 1913 to 1936. The imprint was revived in ...

, as well as for Aperture publishing house and ''

Bookforum ''Bookforum'' is an American book review magazine devoted to books and the discussion of literature. After announcing that it would cease publication in December 2022, it reported its relaunch under the direction of ''The Nation'' magazine six mo ...

''. From 2002 to 2004, Zucker taught Czech at the

NYU New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a non-denominational all-male institutio ...

School of Continuing and Professional Studies. In 2010, Zucker won the

National Translation Award The National Translation Award is awarded annually by the American Literary Translators Association The American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) is an organization in the United States dedicated to literary translation. ALTA promotes literar ...

for his translation of Petra Hůlová's

début novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to pu ...

of 2002, ''All This Belongs to Me''. In 2011, he received a Creative Writing Fellowship from the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...

to support his translation of the 1931 Czech classic ''

Marketa Lazarová ''Marketa Lazarová'' is a 1967 Czechoslovak New Wave Epic film, epic period drama film directed by František Vláčil. It is an adaptation of the novel ''Marketa Lazarová (novel), Marketa Lazarová'' (1931) by Vladislav Vančura. Set in the mi ...

'', by

Vladislav Vančura Vladislav Vančura (; 23 June 1891 – 1 June 1942) was a Czech writer. He was also active as a film director, playwright and screenwriter. A member of the Czech resistance during WWII, he was captured and murdered by the Nazis. Early years Va ...

Selected translations

* ''The Opportune Moment, 1855'', a novel by

Patrik Ouředník Patrik Ouředník (in French sometimes known as Patrick; born 23 April 1957) is a Czech author and translator, living in France. Biography Ouředník was born on 23 April 1957 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. He spent his youth in Prague. In 1984 he e ...

(

Dalkey Archive Press Dalkey Archive Press is an American publisher of fiction, poetry, foreign translations and literary criticism specializing in the publication or republication of lesser-known, often avant-garde works. The company has offices in Funks Grove, Il ...

, 2011). * ''Case Closed'', a novel by

(

, 2010). * ''All This Belongs to Me'', a novel by Petra Hůlová (Writings from an Unbound Europe,

Northwestern University Press Northwestern University Press is an American publishing house affiliated with Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. It publishes 70 new titles each year in the areas of continental philosophy, poetry, Slavic and German literary criticis ...

, 2009). Winner of the 2010

. * ''Minach'', a play by Iva Klestilová Volánková, in ''Czech Plays: Seven New Works'', ed. Marcy Arlin, Gwynn MacDonald, and Dr. Daniel Gerould (Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, 2009). * ''A Well-paid Walk'', subtitles, ''Dobře placená procházka'' (1966), dir.

Miloš Forman Jan Tomáš "Miloš" Forman (; ; 18 February 1932 – 13 April 2018) was a Czech Americans, Czech-American film film director, director, screenwriter, actor, and professor who rose to fame in his native Czechoslovakia before emigrating to the Uni ...

, U.S. premiere, ''Milos Forman, A Retrospective'',

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

, February 14–28, 2008. * "The Game," by

Ivan Blatný Ivan Blatný (; 21 December 1919 in Brno, Czechoslovakia – 5 August 1990 in Colchester, United Kingdom) was a Czech poet and a member of '' Skupina 42 (Group 42). Life Blatný, the son of the writer Lev Blatný, was a member of the '' Skupina ...

, in ''The Drug of Art: Selected poems of Ivan Blatný'' ( Ugly Duckling Presse, 2007). * ''The Unlucky Man in the Yellow Cap'', lyrics and translation of Zuzana Justman's adaptation of the original play with music by J. R. Pick, directed by Marcy Arlin. Other lyrics by Peter Fish (also music), Zuzana Justman, and J. R. Pick. * '' City Sister Silver'', a novel by

Jáchym Topol Jáchym Topol (born 4 August 1962) is a Czech Republic, Czech poet, novelist, musician and journalist who became a laureate of the Czech State Award for Literature in October 2017 for his novel ''A Sensitive Person'' and his life work to date. ...

( Catbird Press, 2000). Selected for inclusion in the 2006 guide '' 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die''. * ''More Than One Life'', a novel by Miloslava Holubová, translated with Lyn Coffin and Zdenka Brodská (Hydra Books,

, 1999). * "The Sightseers" by

Michal Viewegh Michal Viewegh is one of the most popular contemporary Czech writers. He is the most published Czech author of all time, with over a million books sold. In 1993 he earned the prestigious Jiří Orten award for Czech writers 30 years old or yo ...

and "Sister" by

, in ''Daylight in Nightclub Inferno: Czech Fiction From the Post-Kundera Generation'', ed. Elena Lappin (Catbird Press, 1997). * "Kchony Sees the World" by Ladislav Fuks, "Honking Horns" by

Jiří Gruša Jiří Gruša (10 November 1938, in Pardubice – 28 October 2011, in Bad Oeynhausen) was a Czech poet, novelist, translator, diplomat and politician.Jáchym Topol Jáchym Topol (born 4 August 1962) is a Czech Republic, Czech poet, novelist, musician and journalist who became a laureate of the Czech State Award for Literature in October 2017 for his novel ''A Sensitive Person'' and his life work to date. ...

, in ''This Side of Reality: Modern Czech Writing'', ed.

Alexandra Büchler Alexandra () is a female given name of Greek origin. It is the first attested form of its variants, including Alexander (, ). Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; GEN , ; meaning 'man'). Thus ...

(Serpent's Tail, 1996). * "GM" by

Gustav Meyrink Gustav Meyrink (19 January 1868 – 4 December 1932) was the pseudonym of Gustav Meyer, an Austrian author, novelist, dramatist, translator, and banker, most famous for his novel ''The Golem (Meyrink novel), The Golem''. He has been described as ...

and "A Trip to the Train Station" by

, in ''Prague: A Traveler's Literary Companion'', ed. Paul Wilson (Whereabouts Press, 1995). * ''A Trip to the Train Station'', a novella by

( Petrov, 1995). Zucker has also translated lyrics by

Filip Topol Filip Topol (12 June 1965 – 19 June 2013) was a Czech people, Czech singer, songwriter, pianist and writer. He was best known as leader of the alternative rock band Psí vojáci (''Dog Soldiers''), but he also performed as a solo artist. Topol w ...

, leader of the Czech rock group

Psí vojáci Psí vojáci (lit. Dog Soldiers) was a Czech rock music, rock band from Prague, fronted by singer, pianist and songwriter Filip Topol, son of playwright Josef Topol and brother of writer Jáchym Topol. Topol formed the band in 1979 with drummer D ...

(

Dog Soldiers The Dog Soldiers or Dog Men (Cheyenne: ''Hotamétaneo'o'') are historically one of six Cheyenne military societies. Beginning in the late 1830s, this society evolved into a separate, militaristic band that played a dominant role in Cheyenne r ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zucker, Alex American translators Translators from Czech Living people 1964 births University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Natural Sciences alumni School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University alumni