Sophie Hughes on literary translation, rediscovering her passion for reading, and judging the 2026 International Booker Prize

Welcome to It’s Lit in Translation: the podcast that champions literature in translation and the people who make it possible.In today’s episode, literary translator Sophie Hughes joins the pod to discuss her journey into translation, the craft of bringing literature across languages, and her experience serving as a judge for the 2026 International Booker Prize.Sophie takes us through her path into literary translation, reflecting on her early fascination with language and the profound influence of writers such as Samuel Beckett. We discuss her studies in comparative literature and translation, her early experiences working in publishing, and the serendipitous opportunity that eventually led her to translate her first book from Spanish.We dive into Sophie’s translation process, exploring the careful balance between fidelity and creativity that lies at the heart of literary translation. Sharing insights into her working methods, Sophie discusses the importance of reading a text multiple times, creating exploratory drafts, and collaborating closely with authors to capture not only the meaning of a work but also its rhythm, tone, and emotional texture. We discuss her translation of Vincenzo Latronico's Perfection, marking her debut Italian-language translation.Together, we discuss Sophie’s experience as a judge for the International Booker Prize and the transformative impact it had on her reading life. From reading more than 100 books in 6 months to discovering authors and genres she might otherwise never have encountered, Sophie reflects on how the process broadened her horizons and renewed her enthusiasm for reading new literatures.We also explored the changing role of translators within publishing, the growing visibility of translated literature, and why fiction from around the world continues to resonate so strongly with English-language readers.It is absolutely fascinating to hear Sophie discuss translation as both a practice of close reading and an act of creative writing, as well as the many ways literature allows us to encounter perspectives beyond our own.-You can purchase a copy of Vincenzo Latronico's Perfection and Fernanda Melchor's Hurricane Season, translated by Sophie Hughes, here: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/it-s-lit-in-translation- Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/el-depravo/tarnished-rosePhoto Credit: Sophie Hughes