Bill Johnston (translator)

Bill Johnston (born 1960) is a prolific Polish language literary translator[1] and Professor of comparative literature at Indiana University. His work has helped to expose English-speaking readers to classic and contemporary Polish poetry and fiction. In 2008 he received the Found in Translation Award for his translation of new poems by Tadeusz Różewicz;[2] this book was also a finalist for the National Books Critics Circle Poetry Award.

In 1999, he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship for Poetry (Translation) for Balladina by Juliusz Słowacki, and in 2005 he received a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for a translation of The Coming Spring by Stefan Żeromski. He is also a recipient of the Amicus Poloniae award, presented by the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland (2003), the Diploma of the Polish Foreign Ministry (2004), and the Officer's Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (2012) for outstanding contribution to the promotion of the Polish culture and language in the U.S., as well as the development of Polish-American cultural cooperation. In 2005, his translation of Magdalena Tulli’s Dreams and Stones won the Translation Award of AATSEEL (American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages). His translation of Stone Upon Stone by Wiesław Myśliwski won the 2012 PEN Translation Prize, the 2012 Best Translated Book Award and the AATSEEL Book Award for Best Literary Translation into English.

Johnston read Modern Languages at the University of Oxford (University College) and graduated in 1982. He earned his Ph.D in Second Language Acquisition from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.

Translations

Books

Short Pieces
  • Andrzej Stasiuk: Dog. In New England Review, forthcoming.
  • Magdalena Tulli: What is Art For? (Interview). In The White Review, January 2015.
  • Julia Fiedorczuk: Five Poems. World Literature Today, November–December 2014. pp. 30–32.
  • Andrzej Stasiuk: Asia: Shade and Shadow. In Continents, February 2014.
  • Andrzej Stasiuk: Kyrgyzstan. Words Without Borders, January 2014.
  • Tomasz Różycki: A Grandson Returns. In Little Star 4, 144-177. 2012.
  • Stanisław Lem: A Puzzle. In VICE, 19/9. 2012.
  • Andrzej Stasiuk: Lublin. In Citybooks. 2012.
  • Wiesław Myśliwski: Stone Upon Stone (extract). Absinthe, 14, 10-24. 2011.
  • Teatr Ósmego Dnia: The Files (play). To appear in: Carol Martin & Richard Schechner (Eds.), In Performance. New York: Seagull Books. In press.
  • Andrzej Stasiuk: Dukla (extract). Words Without Borders, 2010.
  • Julia Fiedorczuk: Five poems. In PRECIPICe, 3/1-2, 2009.
  • Dariusz Suska: Fifteen poems. In Jacek Dehnel (Eds.), Six Polish Poets, pp. 46–65. London: Arc Publications. 2008.
  • Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki: Five poems. In Modern Poetry in Translation, 3/10, 159-162. 2008.
  • Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki: “Carriers on the steps of the cathedral” (poem). In Seneca Review, 38/2, 67. 2008.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: Two poems. In: Wayne Miller & Kevin Prufer (Eds.), New European Poets, pp. 181–182. Minneapolis, MN: Graywolf. 2008.
  • Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki: Two poems. In: Wayne Miller & Kevin Prufer (Eds.), New European Poets, p. 179. Minneapolis, MN: Graywolf. 2008.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Flaw (extract). Edinburgh Review, 121, 84-90. 2007.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Blemish (aka Flaw) (extract). Agni, 65, 180-188. 2007.
  • Tadeusz Różewicz: words (poem). The Nation, February 22, 2007, p. 34.
  • Juliusz Słowacki: Balladina (extract). Przekładaniec, 2/2005, 40-63.
  • Tadeusz Różewicz: Four poems. Words without Borders, September 2005.
  • Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki: three poems. Words without Borders, September 2005.
  • Andrzej Sosnowski: From “Zoom.” Lyric Review, 8, pp. 66–69. 2005.
  • Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki: Two poems. Lyric Review, 8, pp. 79. 2005.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: “Mass at Four.” Lyric Review, 8, pp. 36–40. 2005.
  • Julia Fiedorczuk: “While for those who yearn.” Lyric Review, 8, pp. 16. 2005.
  • Wojciech Bonowicz: Three poems. Lyric Review, 8, pp. 13–14. 2005.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Parts of Speech (Moving Parts) (extract). Agni, 61, pp. 208–222. 2005.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Parts of Speech (Moving Parts) (extract). Ninth Letter, 2/1, 17-21. 2005.
  • Witold Gombrowicz: Polish Memories (extract). Theater Magazine, 34/3, pp. 34–63. 2004.
  • Witold Gombrowicz: The Memoirs of Stefan Czarniecki. Georgia Review, 58/3, pp. 670–681. 2004.
  • Witold Gombrowicz: The Rat. New England Review, 25/1-2, pp. 78–86.
  • Witold Gombrowicz: Adventures. Words Without Borders, August 2004.
  • Jerzy Pilch: The Mighty Angel (extract). Words Without Borders, March 2004. At:
  • Magdalena Tulli: Dreams and Stones (extract). ). Words Without Borders, March 2004.
  • Mariusz Grzebalski: Six poems. In M. Baran (Ed.): Carnivorous Boy and Carnivorous Bird: Poems by Polish Poets Born After 1958, pp, 297-307. Brookline, MA: Zephyr Press. 2004.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: Six poems. In M. Baran (Ed.): Carnivorous Boy and Carnivorous Bird: Poems by Polish Poets Born After 1958, pp. 147–159. Brookline, MA: Zephyr Press. 2004.
  • Tadeusz Pióro: Four poems. In M. Baran (Ed.): Carnivorous Boy and Carnivorous Bird: Poems by Polish Poets Born After 1958, pp. 58–65. Brookline, MA: Zephyr Press. 2004.
  • Johnston, B. Introduction: The poetry of Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński. In Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński, White Magic and Other Poems (B. Johnston, trans.). Los Angeles, CA: Green Integer. In press.
  • Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński: Three poems. Mr. Knife, Miss Fork, no. 2: an Anthology of International Poetry, August 2003.
  • Jerzy Pilch: Old Kubica and the darkness; Filarecka St. Przekadaniec, special issue 2001, pp. 124–134.
  • Magdalena Tulli: In Red (extract). Przekładaniec, special issue 2001, pp. 210–224.
  • Mariusz Grzebalski: Two poems. Przekładaniec, special issue 2001, pp. 236–239.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: Three poems. Przekładaniec, special issue 2001, pp. 190–195.
  • Jerzy Pilch: Filarecka St. (extract from essay). Aufbau, 20, October 2000.
  • Jerzy Pilch: Heart in mouth (essay). Chicago Review, 46/3-4, pp. 285–290. 2000.
  • Włodzimierz Odojewski: Extract from Oksana. Chicago Review, 46/3-4, pp. 126–130. 2000.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Extract from In Red. Chicago Review, 46/3-4, pp. 255–262. 2000.
  • Tadeusz Pióro: Two poems. Chicago Review, 46/3-4, pp. 222–223. 2000.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: Crucifixion (poem). Two Lines: Crossings, pp. 98–101. 2000.
  • Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński: Five poems. Przekładaniec, 6, pp. 32–41. 2000.
  • Jerzy Pilch: Other Pleasures (chs. 1, 3, 13). Partisan Review, 67/1, pp. 72–82. 2000.
  • Jerzy Pilch: Other Pleasures (chs. 4-6). 2B, 14, pp. 201–210. 1999.
  • Lech Wałęsa: Letter to my grandson. In Liv Ullman (Ed.), Letter to my Grandchild (pp. 106–107). New York: Grove Press. 1998.
  • Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński: Evil lullaby (poem). eXchanges, 10, pp. 90–91. 1998.
  • Adam Zagajewski: Długa Street. TriQuarterly, 100, pp. 288–294. 1997.

Major Awards & Honors

References
  1. New horizon. Bicentennial Pub. Corp. 2000. p. 14.
  2. "First Found in Translation Award Goes to Bill Johnston". Poets & Writers. 22 April 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
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