Daniel Hahn makes the words between languages a subject worth listening to. He is a writer, editor and translator whose work brings international fiction and children’s books to new readers. His festival programme offered several ways to join that conversation, from an interview about Shakespeare to a workshop where listeners could engage with the choices themselves.
Quick facts
Best known for
Literary translation and writing about the craft of translation
Genre or subject
Translation, Shakespeare, literary non-fiction and children’s literature
Latest book
If This Be Magic: The Unlikely Art of Shakespeare in Translation (2026), Canongate
Hahn translates chiefly from Portuguese, Spanish and French. His work ranges across novels, short fiction, non-fiction, plays and children’s books, and he also writes, reviews and edits. Readers encounter him through a finished English-language book, a guide to other reading or an account of what translators do as they make their decisions.
His translation of José Eduardo Agualusa’s The Book of Chameleons won the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize in 2007. His translation of the same author’s A General Theory of Oblivion was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize in 2016 and won the International Dublin Literary Award. Those books are part of a working life that has also included judging literary prizes and chairing the Society of Authors.
He has written about translation from the inside and edited reference books about children’s reading. His latest authored book, issued by Canongate in 2026, turns to Shakespeare and the art of making the plays work in other languages. For a listener who loves a familiar speech, the interest lies in hearing what survives a move into different words, rhythms and sounds.
Where to start with their books
Catching Fire: A Translation Diary
A diary gives you the translator’s working view of a book as it becomes English. Hahn wrote it alongside his translation of Diamela Eltit’s Never Did the Fire, so it is a close companion for readers curious about decisions usually hidden behind the finished text.
The Oxford Companion to Children’s Literature
Hahn produced a new edition of this reference work in March 2015. Dip into it when you want to follow a reading memory towards another author or book, or to explore the wider world behind a favourite children’s story.
The Ultimate Book Guide
Hahn worked with Leonie Flynn and Susan Reuben on this series of reading guides for children and teenagers; the first won the 2004 Blue Peter Book Award. It is a starting point for someone who likes an author conversation to lead to a longer reading list.
Festival appearances
For tickets, use the host festival’s official box office. Confirm the date, venue and access details before paying.
Edinburgh offered three sessions across two days. On 19 August, he joined Polly Barton and Anton Hur for In Other Words at the Courtyard Theatre, and led a Shakespeare translation workshop in Venue A. On 20 August he returned to the Courtyard Theatre for his own book conversation. The workshop gave readers a different way to engage with the subject from listening to the interview or panel.
Where to see them next
No 2027 appearances announced yet. Check the festival guides for programme dates.
Plan your trip
For a workshop, take something to write with and leave yourself time afterwards to keep thinking about the choices you tried. A tiny change of word can make a good conversation over coffee; you need not turn the day into a formal language lesson.
If you are going with someone who reads in another language, compare a familiar line before the visit. You may notice different rhythms or associations in the versions you know. That gives you a personal point of connection with a translator’s conversation, even if neither of you translates professionally.
The 2026 programmes featured Daniel Hahn at Cheltenham Literature Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Hay Festival, Henley Literary Festival, Oxford Literary Festival; follow those guides for event information and practical visit details.
Do I need to be a translator to enjoy his events?
Use the festival links on Daniel Hahn’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
What should I read before seeing him?
Use the festival links on Daniel Hahn’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
How can I book a Daniel Hahn workshop?
Use the host festival’s own box office and select the workshop ticket. Read any instructions about materials or preparation before travelling. The guide for that festival will help with the rest of the visit, including a base and a route to the venue.
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