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 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 Hawaiʻi 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. pages 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, pages 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, pages 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, pages 46–65. London: Arc Publications. 2008.
  • Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki: Five poems. In Modern Poetry in Translation, 3/10, pages 159–162. 2008.
  • Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki: “Carriers on the steps of the cathedral” (poem). In Seneca Review, 38/2, page 67. 2008.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: Two poems. In: Wayne Miller & Kevin Prufer (Eds.), New European Poets, pages 181–182. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Graywolf. 2008.
  • Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki: Two poems. In: Wayne Miller & Kevin Prufer (Eds.), New European Poets, page 179. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Graywolf. 2008.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Flaw (extract). Edinburgh Review, 121, pages 84–90. 2007.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Blemish (aka Flaw) (extract). Agni, 65, pages 180–188. 2007.
  • Tadeusz Różewicz: words (poem). The Nation, February 22, 2007, page 34.
  • Juliusz Słowacki: Balladina (extract). Przekładaniec, 2/2005, pages 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, pages 66–69. 2005.
  • Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki: Two poems. Lyric Review, 8, pages 79. 2005.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: "Mass at Four". Lyric Review, 8, pages 36–40. 2005.
  • Julia Fiedorczuk: "While for those who yearn". Lyric Review, 8, page 16. 2005.
  • Wojciech Bonowicz: Three poems. Lyric Review, 8, pages 13–14. 2005.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Parts of Speech (Moving Parts) (extract). Agni, 61, pages 208–222. 2005.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Parts of Speech (Moving Parts) (extract). Ninth Letter, 2/1, pages 17–21. 2005.
  • Witold Gombrowicz: Polish Memories (extract). Theater Magazine, 34/3, pages 34–63. 2004.
  • Witold Gombrowicz: The Memoirs of Stefan Czarniecki. Georgia Review, 58/3, pages 670–681. 2004.
  • Witold Gombrowicz: The Rat. New England Review, 25/1-2, pages 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, pages 297–307. Brookline, Massachusetts: Zephyr Press. 2004.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: Six poems. In M. Baran (Ed.): Carnivorous Boy and Carnivorous Bird: Poems by Polish Poets Born After 1958, pages 147–159. Brookline, Massachusetts: Zephyr Press. 2004.
  • Tadeusz Pióro: Four poems. In M. Baran (Ed.): Carnivorous Boy and Carnivorous Bird: Poems by Polish Poets Born After 1958, pages 58–65. Brookline, Massachusetts: 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, pages 124–134.
  • Magdalena Tulli: In Red (extract). Przekładaniec, special issue 2001, pages 210–224.
  • Mariusz Grzebalski: Two poems. Przekładaniec, special issue 2001, pages 236–239.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: Three poems. Przekładaniec, special issue 2001, pages 190–195.
  • Jerzy Pilch: Filarecka St. (extract from essay). Aufbau, 20, October 2000.
  • Jerzy Pilch: Heart in mouth (essay). Chicago Review, 46/3–4, pages 285–290. 2000.
  • Włodzimierz Odojewski: Extract from Oksana. Chicago Review, 46/3–4, pages 126–130. 2000.
  • Magdalena Tulli: Extract from In Red. Chicago Review, 46/3–4, pages 255–262. 2000.
  • Tadeusz Pióro: Two poems. Chicago Review, 46/3–4, pages 222–223. 2000.
  • Krzysztof Koehler: Crucifixion (poem). Two Lines: Crossings, pages 98–101. 2000.
  • Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński: Five poems. Przekładaniec, 6, pages 32–41. 2000.
  • Jerzy Pilch: Other Pleasures (chapters 1, 3, 13). Partisan Review, 67/1, pages 72–82. 2000.
  • Jerzy Pilch: Other Pleasures (chapters 4-6). 2B, 14, pages 201–210. 1999.
  • Lech Wałęsa: Letter to my grandson. In Liv Ullman (Ed.), Letter to my Grandchild (pages 106–107). New York: Grove Press. 1998.
  • Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński: Evil lullaby (poem). eXchanges, 10, pages 90–91. 1998.
  • Adam Zagajewski: Długa Street. TriQuarterly, 100, pages 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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