Ann goldstein translator biography of william

Ann Goldstein has been called a publishing celebrity whose “name on a book is now gold.” Praise like that would thrill any writer — which makes the accolades even more impressive, since, as readers of Primo Levi, Pope John Paul II, Pier Paulo Pasolini and Elena Ferrante know, Goldstein is not an author, but a translator of Italian.

The Maplewood native’s name has become even more well-known since her English translation of Ferrante’s international bestseller, My Brilliant Friend, has sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S.

to date. The novel, which is the first of four in the so-called Neapolitan Quartet, tells the story of childhood friends Elena and Lila, whose intertwined lives unfold in Naples against a backdrop of violence and intrigue. Now that a filmed version premieres 9 p.m., Nov.

18 on HBO, we spoke to Goldstein about how she conveys the thoughts of great artists — including