The Must List

'Anna' Translators

New translation of Leo Tolstoy's novel -- Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky -- The Must List 2004

Jun 25, 2004

NAMES Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky
AGES 61, 58
MUSTWORTHINESS Their award-winning translation of Leo Tolstoy's 19th-century love story is the latest selection of Oprah's Book Club -- and the first one Winfrey has minted without having read. ''It's been on my list for years, but I didn't do it because I was scared,'' Winfrey said on her show.
ON OPRAH ''I'd never seen her show,'' says Pevear, who's lived in France with wife Volokhonsky for 16 years. ''We didn't quite know what it meant.'' Jokes Volokhonsky: ''We were just these poor, ignorant provincials.''
NEXT Translations of a collection of Chekhov's short novels (due in August) and Tolstoy's ''War and Peace'' (due in 2007).

Originally posted Jun 25, 2004 Published in issue #771-772 Jun 25, 2004 Order article reprints