Books

How to succeed as a freelance translator
Third edition, Corinne McKay

The best guide for anyone looking to start or develop a successful independent business in translation. The third edition also elaborates on modern issues impacting the translation industries, such as machine-translation and Computer-Assisted Translation tools.

On Writing Well
William Zinsser

Translation is writing. With that in mind, I think this book is a must-have for anyone involved in writing, translators included. I bought this book during my Bachelor degree and often come back to it, as it offers valuable guidance.

The Prosperous Translator: Advice from Fire Ant & Worker Bee
Chris Durban

The most exhaustive Q&A collection you can find. The authors span a wide range of topics and present several situations that you could (will) encounter as a translator in the real world.

Le traducteur averti, pour des traductions idiomatiques
François Lavallée

Specific to Canadian French, this book is a mix between a dictionary and a guide on how to translate idiomatically some of the most controversial and used terms.

A Fighter’s Heart: One Man’s Journey Through the World of Fighting
Sam Sheridan

Sam’s book inspired me to go to Thailand to train Muay Thai at 28 years-old. His story depicts the beauty and toughness of the journey of a martial artist, regardless of his experience.

Breathe
Rickson Gracie

Dive into the story of Rickson Gracie, godfather of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as he overcomes challenges making his way to the top of the sports. Deprived of pride and ego, Rickson tells us his story with dignity and grace. His state of mind, being present, is something we can all dream to achieve.

Can’t hurt me
David Goggins

The perfect example of what mental fortitude can do for you. David Goggins was dealt terrible cards and yet manage to overcome everything, become a Navy Seal, break a pull-up world record, run 100-mile races, using only his mind. Not to sound cliché, but this book honestly changed my life.

Sapiens
Yuval Noah Harrari

The perfect book to understand who we are, where we come from and where we are going. This anthropology book has two sequels: Homo Deus : a Brief History of Tomorrow and 21 Lessons for the 21^st Century, which I both highly recommend as well if you want to learn more about the human race as a whole.

1984
George Orwell

One of the most impacting dystopias, 1984 tells the story of Winston, a common man, in a totalitarian government which controls everything. Intended to be a warning when it came out, it seems nowadays to be catching up with reality.

Musashi
Eiji Yoshikawa

Eiji Yoshikawa mixes fiction and reality in this epic novel of the greatest samurai to ever live, Miyamoto Musashi. More embedded in historic facts than Shōgun, dive into the adventure of Musashi as he tries to unravel the Way of the Sword and discovers what it means to be a samurai.

The Gentleman Bastard Sequence
Scott Lynch

My favorite fantasy book of all time. Scott Lynch tells us the story of Locke Lamora and his peers, professional thieves. Humor, dread, surprise and intellect will combine in this universe between Lord of the Rings and Sherlock Holmes. With three books already published, The Lies of Locke Lamora, Red Skies under Red Seas and The Republic of Thieves, we’re all dying for the next one!

The Girl Who Played Go
Shan Sa

In the 1930s, a young Chinese girl finds refuge in the game of Go amidst the Japanese occupation. Her skill draws the attention of a mysterious Japanese officer, and their games become a dangerous dance of strategy and unspoken emotions. As their connection deepens, love, war, and identity intertwine, leading to poignant choices and heartbreaking sacrifices.