Host Joe Williams speaks with Slovak author and translator Ivana Dobrakovová about living in Italy as a Slovak expat, the translation process as an author and as a translator, and her working relationship with Elena Ferrante, whose novels she translates into Slovak. We also hear a bilingual excerpt from Ivana's EUPL-awarded collection of stories, Mothers and Truckers, due out in English translation by Julia and Peter Sherwood later this year from Jantar Publishing.

Host Joe Williams speaks with Slovak author and translator Ivana Dobrakovov&aacute; about living in Italy as a Slovak expat, the translation process as an author and as a translator, and her working relationship with Elena Ferrante, whose novels she translates into Slovak. We also hear a bilingual excerpt from Ivana's EUPL-awarded collection of stories, Mothers and Truckers, due out in English translation by Julia and Peter Sherwood later this year from Jantar Publishing.

Trafika Europe Radio hosts podcasts of anything and everything literary and cultural related to the continent of Europe. As an accompaniment to our quarterly literary journal and blog, you can access amazing content and riveting literary excerpts. TER began in 2020 with various series, including Women in Translation, French Forays, Eco-Lit, Turkish Sofa, Spotlighting the EU Prize for Literature, and much more! As of 2024, we have remodeled our setup and have done away with the larger themes. Here, you will listen to interviews and exposés about topics from across all of Europe. We look forward to including you in the community! Check out Trafika Europe's website or our Patreon page to become a member for bonus content and materials. 

This playlist is our current playlist full of all new episodes! You can check out the Archive here. 

Europe's literary radio station, free online

Trafika Europe Radio hosts podcasts of anything and everything literary and cultural related to the continent of Europe. As an accompaniment to our quarterly literary journal and blog, you can access amazing content and riveting literary excerpts. TER began in 2020 with various series, including Women in Translation, French Forays, Eco-Lit, Turkish Sofa, Spotlighting the EU Prize for Literature, and much more! As of 2024, we have remodeled our setup and have done away with the larger themes. Here, you will listen to interviews and exposés about topics from across all of Europe. We look forward to including you in the community! Check out <a href="http://www.trafikaeurope.org">Trafika Europe's website</a> or our <a href="https://www.patreon.com/trafikaeurope">Patreon page</a> to become a member for bonus content and materials. 
This playlist is our current playlist full of all new episodes! You can check out <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/trafika-europe-radio/playlists/ter-the-archive">the Archive here</a>. 
Europe's literary radio station, free online

Trafika Europe Radio presents interviews and conversations about all things literature and culture in Europe. Europe's radio station, free online

Trafika Europe Radio

Ivana Dobrakovová: Mothers and Truckers—Women in Translation 27

In this episode, host Clayton McKee speaks with Polish poet Radosław Wiśniewski and poet/translator Anna Błasiak (from Poland, now based in the United Kingdom) about the poem "Psalm to Saint Sabina. In addition to the poem, the duo discusses poetics and publishing, including the launch of Anna Błasiak's Sideway Press. You can also listen to a bilingual reading of "Psalm..." which won Trafika Europe's first-ever poetry prize. 

You can purchase "Psalm to Saint Sabina" from Sideways Press here. You can see more about the press here.

You can read an excerpt of "Psalm to Saint Sabina" in Trafika Europe's First-Ever Literary Prizes issue.

In this episode, host Clayton McKee speaks with Polish poet Radosław Wiśniewski and poet/translator Anna Błasiak (from Poland, now based in the United Kingdom) about the poem "Psalm to Saint Sabina. In addition to the poem, the duo discusses poetics and publishing, including the launch of Anna Błasiak's Sideway Press. You can also listen to a bilingual reading of "Psalm..." which won Trafika Europe's first-ever poetry prize.&nbsp;
You can purchase "Psalm to Saint Sabina" from Sideways Press <a href="https://sidewayspress.com/portfolio/psalm-to-saint-sabina/">here</a>. You can see more about the press <a href="https://sidewayspress.com/portfolio/psalm-to-saint-sabina/">here</a>.
You can read an excerpt of "Psalm to Saint Sabina" in Trafika Europe's <a href="https://www.trafikaeurope.org/psalm-to-saint-sabina-wisniewski-blasiak">First-Ever Literary Prizes issue</a>.

Radosław Wiśniewski and Anna Błasiak on Psalm to Saint Sabina

In this episode, host Clayton McKee talks with poet and translator Marc Alan Di Martino about his translations of Mario Dell'Arco's poetry written originally in Romanesco. Marc collected much (not all!) of Dell'Arco's work in the collection Day Lasts Forever, published by World Poetry Books. You can read a sampling of his translation in Trafika Europe's All Poetry Issue. In February 2026, the collection won the Joseph Tusiani Italian Translation Prize. Read about it here.

You can read Di Martino's translation of Mauro Marè mentioned at the end of the interview at this link.

In this episode, host Clayton McKee talks with poet and translator Marc Alan Di Martino about his translations of Mario Dell'Arco's poetry written originally in Romanesco. Marc collected much (not all!) of Dell'Arco's work in the collection&nbsp;Day Lasts Forever, published by&nbsp;<a href="https://worldpoetrybooks.com/books/day-lasts-forever">World Poetry Books</a>. You can read a sampling of his translation in <a href="https://www.trafikaeurope.org/day-lasts-forever-dellarco-martino">Trafika Europe's All Poetry Issue</a>. In February 2026, the collection won the Joseph Tusiani Italian Translation Prize. Read about it <a href="https://oneartpoetry.com/2026/02/20/three-poems-by-mauro-mare-trans-marc-alan-di-martino/">here</a>.
You can read Di Martino's translation of Mauro Mar&egrave; mentioned at the end of the interview <a href="https://oneartpoetry.com/2026/02/20/three-poems-by-mauro-mare-trans-marc-alan-di-martino/">at this link</a>.

Interview with Poet and Translator Marc Alan Di Martino

In this episode, host Joe Williams speaks with translator Elina Alter about her translation of Russian author Alla Gorbunova's It's the End of the World, My Love. She discusses the novel through the lens of the translator, giving insight into the craft of literary translation. Stay tuned for our upcoming issue of the journal to read an excerpt of this work. Can't wait for the next issue to drop? You can check it out now in Deep Vellum's catalogue. 

In this episode, host Joe Williams speaks with translator Elina Alter about her translation of Russian author Alla Gorbunova's It's the End of the World, My Love. She discusses the novel through the lens of the translator, giving insight into the craft of literary translation. Stay tuned for our upcoming issue of the journal to read an excerpt of this work. Can't wait for the next issue to drop? You can check it out now in <a href="https://store.deepvellum.org/products/its-the-end-of-the-world-my-love">Deep Vellum's catalogue</a>.&nbsp;

Ivana Dobrakovová: Mothers and Truckers—Women in Translation 27

Trafika Europe Radio

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips