Notre Dame’s direct link to Nobel Literature Prize | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Notre Dame’s direct link to Nobel Literature Prize Notre Dame’s direct link to Nobel Literature Prize Published: October 11, 2012 Author: Jane Morrow Howard Goldblatt Chinese author Mo Yan has become the first Chinese author ever to win the Nobel Prize in literature, and his works were made known in the Western world because of Howard Goldblatt, foremost translator of contemporary Chinese literature and former research professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Notre Dame. Goldblatt has dedicated years to introducing most of Mo’s works to the English-speaking world, and has compared Mo’s work to Charles Dickens, as “big, bold works with florid, imagistic, powerful writing and strong moral core.” In a recent interview with China Daily, Goldblatt says he was attracted to Mo’s work because “it was so innovative, moving back and forth in time. I was drawn to the language, the depth of characterization and to the whole sense of life in his work.” A member of the Notre Dame faculty since 2002, Goldblatt was awarded the 2009 Man Asian Literary Prize for his translation of “The Boat to Redemption” by Chinese author Su Tong, as well as the inaugural 2007 Man Asian Literary Prize for his translation of “Wolf Totem” by Chinese author Jiang Rong. He is a recipient of two translation fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and has published English translations of more than 40 works by writers from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. His translation of “Notes of a Desolate Man” by Taiwanese novelist Chu T’ien-wen won the 1999 Translation of the Year award by the American Translators Association. Goldblatt also is former director of Notre Dame’s Center for Asian Studies, one of the projects funded by the Liu Family Endowment for Excellence in Support of Asian Studies and Asian-American Students. The Liu family also endowed Notre Dame’s new Institute for Asia and Asian Studies. Contact: Howard Goldblatt, gehaowen@aol.com Posted In: International Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related September 30, 2022 Nanovic Institute to welcome former President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović September 29, 2022 Notre Dame, Ukrainian Catholic University launch three new research grants September 27, 2022 Notre Dame, Trinity College Dublin engineers join to advance novel treatment for cystic fibrosis September 14, 2022 Apostolic nuncio to Great Britain to deliver the 2022 Keeley Vatican Lecture September 12, 2022 Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street … in different countries? For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn