“London is a great international city in almost every respect. As far as books are concerned, however, it's pretty parochial, unsurprising in a country with one of the smallest volumes of literature in translation (just 2% of books published). Put bluntly, we simply aren't reading widely enough. This is everybody's loss - from the reading public to the writers who can't get their voices heard outside their own language. (For the record, translating a book into English disproportionately increases its chances of being translated into other languages). It is also precisely the reason why a brand new festival, dedicated to books from around the globe, could make a real and lasting difference… So, let us entertain the idea that a book is a cheap, accessible and democratic passport into the imagination of another country, one that might actually broaden international understanding… A book can often provoke a subtle shift in the way we look at the world.” (Extract from “Why London needs another literary festival” by Sarah Ardizzone, published in The Guardian book blog) At Language Translation Inc., our specialties are business, medical, legal and technical translation – but we definitely support efforts to open up more audiences for foreign literature. No matter what the field, language translation leads to better intercultural understanding. “Let us show you how good translation should be.” Betty Carlson Subscribe to Language Lines, our monthly newsletter, for more information about the important role that translation plays in international communication | 
