Madeleine Thien speaks to @jeremytiang.bsky.social about her latest novel, THE BOOK OF RECORDS, and explores earlier books, grief, and the impact of genocide on her thinking and practice.
Read an extract: buff.ly/k6lLfnh
Access the full interview for free during March: buff.ly/iv6jFDk
Early career translators, get yourself a grant right here! #Translation
📣 Opportunity for early-career translators: @wwborders.bsky.social's Momentum Grant is open for submissions. The contest will be judged by @jeremytiang.bsky.social and the editors of Words Without Borders. Learn more here:
Good morning, My name is Brandon Siguenza, and I am a US citizen from Minneapolis. Yesterday, while doing legal observation, ICE stopped their cars to harass my friend and me. They sprayed pepper spray into the vent of our vehicle. We held our hands in the air and told them we were not obstructing, that the car was in park and they were free to drive forward and away. There was no active immigration raid. They returned to their cars, and drove forward a bit, then decided to stop again. They surrounded us, smashed the windows of our car, opened the doors (they were unlocked), ripped my friend and l out of the car and arrested us on charges of obstruction. I was put in an unmarked SUV, separated from my friend. As I was put in the back seat an ICE agent tore the whistle off my neck and said "I'll be taking this, I might need it later." My phone was knocked out of my hand while being arrested. As we drove away I asked the driver and the passenger if they wouldn't mind buckling my seatbelt, as they were driving erratically. I was ignored. I asked them if I could have the handcuffs loosened, as I was losing circulation, and was told no. At one point the passenger realized his own driver's license was in the backseat next to mine, and tried to surreptitiously grab it without me seeing it. We were taken to the Whipple federal building, where I saw dozens of brown people being processed in an unheated garage. I was frisked, told of my charges, and saw buses and vans being prepped. I later learned that these were being filled with detainees and driven to the airport for deportation. As we were led in, I noticed that the building was very busy. I got the impression that one of the 2 agents bringing me around was being trained. At multiple points throughout my stay, government agents were unable to open doors, not sure where they were meant to be going, and overall confused and overwhelmed. They couldn't figure out how to use the building phones, or complained about a lack of …
The people in the cells were extremely scared. We heard people screaming "let me out!", crying, wailing and terrified screams. There were cells with as many as 8 people. I have no way of knowing how long they have been there, if they were allowed any contact with the outside world, or if they were being brought food or water. Most people were staring at the ground with almost no energy. I was not allowed to talk to anyone imprisoned. I distinctly remember seeing a desperate woman. She was staring at the ground with her head in her hands crying, hopeless, while her friend or family member sat on a bathroom seat observed by 3 men. My friend and I were put in an area for "USCs," which we eventually learned meant US citizens, separated by gender. We were imprisoned for 8 hours, during which my friend was never allowed a phone call. I was allowed to call my wife and tell her where I was. During my interview with Special Agent William and Special Agent Garcia, they asked me to empty my pockets. When I pulled out gloves, Agent William said those were meant to be taken when I was processed, and complained about having to fill out the form again. He frisked me once more, where he found glass in my pocket from when our car window was shattered. He filled out the form listing my personal items again, but put the wrong date. I was read my rights, I pleaded the fifth and was led back to my cell. Food, water, and bathroom breaks were extremely difficult to acquire. I would ask over the intercom provided in the cell for a bathroom break, be told someone was on their way, then ask again 20 minutes later, be told someone was on their way, wait another 20 minutes, etc. Eventually they either turned off the intercom or it stopped working, because no one would respond. I could get water and bathroom breaks by pounding on the glass when someone happened to walk by and beg them directly. Hours would go by without anyone checking on us. I am vegan and the only food they offered were turke…
I was in the cell alone for between 1 and 2 hours, then another man was put into my cell, whose shirt was ripped open from his arrest, and an injured toe, who was carried aggressively into an unmarked car during his arrest. After about 4-5 hours, another man was brought in who had a cut on his head from his arrest. He told me he was tackled by 4 or 5 agents during his arrest. At no point was he offered medical assistance. Later I was told that a lawyer was here to see me, and I was able to speak with him in a visitation room. The special agent told me that the door could not be closed all the way, so it was cracked during my interaction with my lawyer. I got the impression that they were not used to having lawyers present, and were trying to follow procedure as best they could. I asked an agent if the other detainees were allowed lawyers and was not answered. At one point, 3 men from the department of Homeland Security Investigations brought me into a cell. They insinuated that they could help me out. After inquiring several times what exactly they meant they finally told me that they could offer undocumented family members of mine legal protection if I have any (I don't), or money, in exchange for giving them the names of protest organizers, or undocumented persons. I was shocked, and told them no. Finally, after hours of detention, I was told to follow an agent. At no point was I told whether or not I was being charged, or where I was going, but I was led out of the building. I asked if I could use a phone to call my wife to pick me up, and was told I could not. After pleading for several minutes eventually Special Agent William let me use his phone to call my wife. As I was escorted off the property by government agents, I was told to turn right. I was escorted to the protest area, where 5 minutes later, tear gas was deployed and I was struck by a paint ball gun. I was not protesting, l
minutes later, tear gas was deployed and I was struck by a paint ball gun. I was not protesting, I was simply being released without charges after an 8 hour detention. I was on the other side of the street, as instructed by the agents that released me and the agents shouting orders over a bullhorn. A passerby who was tear gassed was panicking and having an asthma attack, so I helped her find a medic to get her an inhaler. I used a stranger's phone to co-ordinate pickup, and was picked up by my wife. During my detention I knew that I was being released. I knew that as a citizen of the United States I have legal protection. The hundred or so other people being detained had no such protection. At this time I don't need your help, it is the families that are being separated, abused, terrorized, harassed and killed that need your help. If this is happening to me, an American citizen born in the United States, then what is happening to the people in here that have no one calling lawyers on their behalf? That have no constitutional rights to due process? What is happening to the people that they will never be released to see their families, go to their jobs, or walk through their city ever again? Please take care of yourselves, your family, and your community. I am safe and healthy, if you feel compelled to help, please offer your help to the Immigrant Defense Network at https://immigrantdefensenetwork.org/. If you know someone detained by ICE, call or text CAIR-MN at 612-206-3360 for 24/7 legal intake.
Please read and share.
There is also widely-circulating video of the unlawful arrests of these Minnesota activists (and U.S. citizens).
Aspiring editors! Fancy joining our team? jobs.thebookseller.com/career/28558...
Thank you! Excellent drink pairing
Thank you for this thought-provoking and wide-ranging interview, @crampell.bsky.social!
Chuffed to be in the Asian Review of Books covering a novel that pulled me right in (tr by @jeremytiang.bsky.social 👑)
It's about a nanny stuck caring for a boy while his ultra rich parents flee a corruption investigation 🇨🇳
Plus there is a goose 🦢 and it's loose
Thanks, Angus! Very thoughtful review. Particularly apt that you bring up Eileen Chang, as she's a touchstone for Zhang Yueran
www.theparisreview.org/blog/2025/09...
⏱️ 1 month left! Emerging translators: Apply for the 2026 ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program for your chance to work closely with an experienced translator on a project of your choosing! Program offered at no cost to the translators selected. Learn more and apply by 11/30! buff.ly/npHAOBE
"All of this feels tremendously demoralizing. The meaning and power of language is in the process of being flushed away."
~Zhang Yueran on declining readership in China
thebaffler.com/odds-and-end...
Very sorry to hear this, Anton. Thank you for sharing
"I like it edgy, I love it dark, some anger in there. I've been talking about really liking to publish the voices of disobedient women."
@worldedbooks.bsky.social's Christine Swedowsky and Michelle Mirabella on Chad Post's Three Percent podcast
threepercentproblem.substack.com/p/three-perc...
Book launch - State of Emergency. Jeremy Tiang in conversation with Sunisa Manning at Making Worlds Bookstore in Philadelphia. 210 South 45th Street, Philadelphia, 5pm on Friday October 17
today!
Pleased to announce these authors as featured guests for #VWF2025! Officially D-11 days from the 2025 Festival.
• Saeed Teebi
• Souvankham Thammavongsa
• Madeleine Thien
• Jeremy Tiang @jeremytiang.bsky.social
• Miriam Toews @authormiriamtoews.bsky.social
• Georgia Toews
looking forward to Krasznahorkai's single-sentence acceptance speech
Yan Lianke may not be a Nobel laureate (yet!!) but he's the hedgehog of my heart 🦔 🦔
www.theparisreview.org/blog/2025/10...
17 Oct, 5pm Making Worlds, Philadelphia 19 Oct, 2.30pm City of Asylum, Pittsburgh 24-26 Oct Vancouver Writers Fest 31 Oct-2 Nov Toronto International Festival of Authors
Philadelphia: worldeditions.org/event/jeremy...
Pittsburgh: cityofasylum.org/litfest-2025/
Vancouver: writersfest.bc.ca/2025-festiva...
Toronto: festivalofauthors.ca/festival-202...
"She held nothing back, writing with such force that it felt as if she were ripping through the paper. When I began writing fiction, I felt that only by tearing the paper could I leave evidence that I had existed in this world."
~Zhang Yueran on Eileen Chang
www.theparisreview.org/blog/2025/09...
Michael Emmerich, a professor of Japanese literature at U.C.L.A. and a translator of the eleventh-century novel “The Tale of Genji,” co-authored the LifeWear messaging for Uniqlo. He admitted that it was deliberately enigmatic, saying that he wanted customers to “stop a moment and engage with language.”
new translator aspiration just dropped
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
“Granny Liu squats by the grave and says, ‘Look, say you’re right and women do live longer, then fine—you can die first, but you’re making lunch tomorrow.’ “
From “Plants, Stones, Dirt, and Sky” by Yan Lianke, translated by @jeremytiang.bsky.social. buff.ly/RtunfjN
In upper left-hand corner, white on red background, is the National Writers Union logo: NWU with the words “National Writers Union” beneath it Lefthand side of frame, white text on red background: The Translators Organizing Committee (TOC) is hosting their next solidarity drop-in session! Where: Zoom When: Wednesday, October 8, 7:30-8:45 ET Email us to reserve your spot! tocsolidarity@gmail.com Center/Righthand side of frame: Image of four arms with hands clenched into fists holding on to one another to form a diamond shape. The colors of the four arms, moving clockwise, are black, light purple, maroon and orange.
We’re Doing This Because . . . We believe our power is stronger as a collective than it is as individuals. You don’t have to join NWU to attend the drop-ins, but we hope you will, and are happy to talk to you about why we think the union is the future. The more of us who join, alongside other writers, editors, and media creatives, the greater our chances of winning the working conditions we want and deserve! Translators Organizing Committee | translators@nwu.org
3 days left to apply!
📣 The 2026 Emerging Translator Mentorship Program submission portals are open!
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator.
Apply by 11/30: buff.ly/cpduT69
Thanks, Brian!
Just realised there's a typo in the transcript (I actually said "read widely") but I'm not going to correct it because I like the idea of translators reading wisely
“How does a communist guerilla in one of the Cold War’s forgotten battlefields regain his footing at the end of history?” Darren Wan reviews "Delicious Hunger" by Hai Fan and "State of Emergency" by Jeremy Tiang. https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/emergency-unending/
State of Emergency + Delicious Hunger reviewed in LARB by Darren Wan
lareviewofbooks.org/article/emer...
Hunter by Shuang Xuetao, translated by Jeremy Tiang (Granta, £12.99) Set largely in the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shenyang, these diverse stories share a blend of urban grittiness and surreal strangeness. In one, a man accompanies his father in an ambulance to hospital, but finds everyone else – including the driver – is asleep. In another, a man goes from stalking women to shooting squirrels; elsewhere, we encounter a remake of The Tempest, and a man who claims to be the last survivor from another planet. Motifs recur – actors, parents, people needing urgently to pee – bringing a sense of unity, however warped. The frequent surprises in these stories, which are darkly charming and hard to shake off, suggest Xuetao may have followed the advice of one of his own characters on writing: “Just sit there, smack your head and let the words flow out.”
Shuang Xuetao's HUNTER in The Guardian
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...
If you're a translator pissed off about the impacts of AI, our members in the NWU Translators Organizing Committee are building collective power among literary translators as workers whose creative labor deserves to be materially valued. Check them out! nwu.org/chapters/toc
