Shapiro Named Distinguished Literary Translator

Academic Affairs has named Norman Shapiro, professor of romance languages, as the university’s Distinguished Literary Translator. Shapiro is one of the country’s leading contemporary translators of French. He holds a BA, MA and Ph.D. from Harvard University, and, as Fulbright scholar, the Diplôme de Langue et Lettres Françaises from the Université d’Aix-Marseille.

At Wesleyan, Shapiro teaches courses in French theater, poetry, Black Francophone literature and literary translation.

His many published volumes span the centuries, medieval to modern, and the genres poetry, novel and theater. His book, The Complete Fables of Jean de La Fontaine is the recipient of the American Translators Association’s Lewis Galantière Award.

Shapiro is a member of the Academy of American Poets and an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de la République Francaise.

To learn more about Shapiro and his publications, see the May 2014 Arts & Humanities Newsletter.