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If This Be Magic

The Unlikely Art of Shakespeare in Translation

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If This Be Magic

By: Daniel Hahn
Narrated by: Daniel Hahn
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Why might Hamlet be even longer in Italian?

How does the story of Romeo and Juliet begin . . . in Thai?

How do you build a joke in German, or recreate a rhyme in Japanese?

And why are Lady Macbeth’s pronouns such a problem?

What does it mean to translate Shakespeare? When we change all the poetry, all the wordplay, all the syntax – all the words! – is it still Shakespeare? And is it still any good?

Daniel Hahn, seasoned translator and Shakespeare fanatic, will change the way you think about language itself. Ranging widely across Shakespeare’s works, and across the world’s languages, this book explores why we choose the words we do and what effect they have.

No knowledge of any particular language is required, though a bit of patience for the nerdiest of close reading is desirable. This micro-attention to detail reveals anew the joy of Shakespeare, celebrates creativity and revels in the power of words.

 Literary History & Criticism Words, Language & Grammar Shakespeare
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Critic reviews

"Learned but cheerful and chatty . . . This is a book that forces any reader to think deeply about the building blocks of Shakespeare's language . . . The tone is that of an enthusiastic professor inviting his students to continue the lecture in the pub" (KATE MALTBY)
"Brilliant . . . If This Be Magic takes its place among the liveliest examples of the wit that Shakespeare continues to spark" (FINTAN O'TOOLE)
"A deliciously fresh reading of Shakespeare . . . a stirring celebration of the plurality of languages"
"Hahn's skilled and compelling chapters offer much to savour" (MARGRETA DE GRAZIA)
"Funny, learned and invigorating . . . endlessly erudite, never pedantic . . . both enormous fun and an intellectual treat . . . a witty and spirited dive . . . It succeeds as a workshop, a masterclass and a practical taster" (BOYD TONKIN)
"Superbly diverting . . . delight and endless curiosity displayed in these pages . . . Hahn has amply demonstrated not only the treasures of other languages, but also the rich and strange inexhaustibility of Shakespeare himself"
"Hahn is exceptionally associative and alive to the quirks of his subject. His book is a bran tub of interesting topics . . . [Readers] will be fascinated and amused by [If This Be Magic], which is why it deserves to find shelf space well beyond those places where translation is studied" (JEREMY TREGLOWN)
"This is one of the best books I’ve ever read about translation, and also one of the best books I’ve read about Shakespeare. Hahn celebrates and expounds the diverse choices of Shakespearean translators into a vast array of the world’s languages, illuminating the almost magical alchemy required to translate ‘gold into gold.’ This very funny, wise, playfully erudite book will thrill and enlighten anyone with even a passing interest in language and literary style" (EMILY WILSON, translator of THE ODYSSEY and THE ILIAD)
"The book is a kind of master class in translation, a chronicle of the author’s healthy obsession, and a great way to catch up with Shakespeare’s work"
"I've just finished, and loved, If this Be Magic. It's a fresh and vivid way to think about Shakespeare; it's so witty and knowledgeable, so alive to the ways in which language resists reduction. It feels like attending the most fascinating lecture of the term; like learning made swift and sharp and generous" (KATHERINE RUNDELL)
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