Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

“1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel.

Babel is the world’s center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide…

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?”

As we finish up our Between Two Worlds series, we must acknowledge all the magic and meaning that was lost through the act of translating these works of Yiddish Literature. Babel perfectly captures that tension.

If you are interested in attending virtually, please register here>>

Please note that online participation is capped at 20 people.

This reading group is part of the Yiddish Book Center’s Public Libraries Program, a partnership with the American Library Association. Made possible by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. Funding from this program allows the Manchester Community Library to host reading groups and related programming to explore how Yiddish literature can provide a springboard for powerful conversations about religion, assimilation, identity, and immigration.

Don’t miss our Between Two Worlds Wrap-Up Event:

The incredibly talented Magid Ensemble performing their original production of Shterna and the Lost Voice on September 3rd!