A memorable evening with Antonia Lloyd-Jones, the celebrated British translator renowned for her work with Nobel Prize–winning Polish author Olga Tokarczuk. Experience insights into the art of translation and the cultural depth behind House of Day, House of Night – a novel rich with myth, memory, and the pulse of a remote Polish village.

Antonia Lloyd-Jones is a distinguished British translator of Polish literature, based in London. She’s best known for translating Olga Tokarczuk’s works – including Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, which earned a shortlist nod for the 2019 International Booker Prize.

Her accolades include the Found in Translation Awards (2009, 2013), the ZAiKS Prize (2017), the Transatlantyk Prize (2018), and the Polish Ministry of Culture’s Silver Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis (2019). You’ll hear how she brings Tokarczuk’s multilayered narratives to life in English – balancing fidelity and fluency while navigating cultural nuances.

Spotlight on House of Day, House of Night

Originally published in Polish in 1998, House of Day, House of Night is a groundbreaking mosaic of stories, sketches, and lyrical reflections set in Krajanów, a village near the Polish–Czech border. Antonia’s translation – first released in 2002 by Granta Books (UK) and Northwestern University Press (US) – has been republished by Fitzcarraldo Editions in September 2025. Celebrated as a “constellation novel,” it threads together folklore, history, mythology, gossip, even recipes, forming a sensory-rich tapestry of place and memory. This novel weaves nuanced meditations on identity, transformation, and home, featuring characters like Marek Marek (who believes a bird lives within him), Franz Frost (haunted by celestial nightmares), and Marta, the enigmatic wigmaker who “has only ever existed in the summer; in winter she disappears.”

What to Expect at the Evening

• Translator’s Perspective: Gain rare behind-the-scenes insight into translation choices, linguistic challenges, and cultural resonance that shaped the English version of the novel.
• Themes & Storytelling: Explore Tokarczuk’s layered narrative style – how she blurs boundaries between reality and myth, weaving together characters, landscapes, and history.
• Author–Translator Dialogue: A chance to hear Antonia reflect on her ongoing collaboration with Tokarczuk’s oeuvre and the joys and complexities of literary translation.
• Q&A Session: Bring your questions – whether you’re curious about translation craft, Tokarczuk’s work, or the intersection of literature and place.

When: 7 pm, Friday 3 October 2025 // Where: Nottage Maritime Institute, Wivenhoe

Tickets & More Info here