The French-speaking shipper who caused a "storm" on the internet became a novel translator

(Dan Tri) - Initially hesitant because he didn't have much experience in translation, Huu Phuoc - a French-speaking shipper who once caused a "storm" on the internet - was encouraged by his friends and completed his first translation work.

The shipper translates French books

Huynh Huu Phuoc, 26 years old, works as a delivery man and is the translator of the book "The Daughter " ( original title: Fille) by French writer Camille Laurens. Last November, the male shipper caused a "storm" on social media during a meeting with writer Marc Levy when he asked the author a question in French.

The opportunity to become a translator came to Huu Phuoc at the end of 2021. After being discharged from the hospital after recovering from Covid-19, a sister, also a translator, who often talked to Phuoc about literature, suggested that he try his hand in this field.

At first, the young man was hesitant because he did not have much experience in translation. He found the book of a contemporary writer like Camille Laurens to be "too much" for him. However, after being encouraged by his friends, Phuoc accepted.

Huu Phuoc at the meeting with writer Marc Levy in November 2022 (Photo: Nga Trinh).

Every day, he translates books and delivers goods to make a living. His physical and mental difficulties, and the treatment for anxiety and bipolar disorder, sometimes put him under pressure.

With the help of his translator sister and the editorial board of the publishing house, his passion became an invisible source of motivation that helped Phuoc complete his first work. After more than half a year, he submitted his first manuscript.

In early July, the Vietnamese Women's Publishing House released the book "Daughter" nationwide. Huu Phuoc chose the translator's name as JB. "My feelings are hard to describe in words, like a child receiving a gift. The joy that I haven't felt for a long time," the male translator said emotionally.

Cover of the book "Daughter", Huu Phuoc chose the translator's name as JB (Photo: Vietnamese Women Publishing House).

The book Daughter is a French literary genre, 260 pages long. The work gradually reveals the fate of women through the character Laurence Barraqué, who faces changes in French society over 40 years.

From a very early age, through language and her parents, Laurence understood that a girl's place in life was always inferior to that of a boy. By the 1990s, as a mother, she was grappling with the question "What does it mean to be a girl?" and what lessons she should or should not teach her beloved daughter.

Camille Laurens used three narratives to describe and emphasize the thoughts, feelings and transformation from a girl to a woman. This helps to authentically and uniquely express the experience of women in the 20th-21st century.

The Vietnamese translation by Huu Phuoc was sent by the Vietnamese Women's Publishing House to Professor of French Literature Nguyen Vinh Dao (University of Paris-Sorbonne, currently living in France) for review.

"The professor commented that the translation was quite clear and fluent. Overall, Phuoc's translation expressed the author's message," said a representative of the Publishing House.

The publisher's editor also said that the male shipper's translation "has many puns and metaphors that are translated quite skillfully".

Holding the book in his hand, Huu Phuoc said "the feeling is hard to describe in words" (Photo: Character provided).

Overcoming adversity

Huu Phuoc learned French from a young age and is a former student of Le Quy Don High School. At the age of 18, he passed the entrance exam to the French major of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education. At this time, due to family circumstances, he had to become independent by moving out to live in a rented house and working to earn money for living expenses.

To make ends meet, Phuoc had to do many extra jobs, from security guard, parking attendant, restaurant waiter to delivery man, to actively devote his time to studying. Every day, he worked 8-10 hours, usually coming home after 9pm.

By the third year, economic pressure made it impossible for him to pay the tuition. Having many respiratory diseases, every time Saigon turned cold, he had to be hospitalized and take expensive medicine.

Due to his tuition debt, the student was supported by teachers in the French department. However, after the first semester, his academic results were not good because he did not have time to study.

Realizing that he had let his teachers down, Phuoc decided to put his studies on hold to work and earn money, nurturing his dream of returning to school when he was able.

The young man travels around Saigon delivering food to earn money on an old cup motorbike (Photo: Character provided).

Not giving up, after dropping out of school, he continued to improve his knowledge by studying on his own whenever he had free time. The young man had a habit of reading books and considered it a hobby. Without much money, Phuoc filled the bookshelf with hundreds of books in his rented room by buying used books.

The book that is most closely associated with him is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. He said that each time he reads it, he will have different literary experiences and there are lessons that cannot be "realized" after just a few readings.

Phuoc really likes the translation of The Little Prince by Bui Giang, and also likes to read the original Tang poetry and Phu Sinh Luc Ky by Tham Phuc.

To "maintain his form" in French communication skills, Phuoc often buys French books and Vietnamese versions to read, then watches how translators translate to improve his knowledge.

After his sensational appearance at the meeting with writer Marc Levy, the young man became well-known. The community's support helped him improve his life, especially allowing him to return to university. He is on his way to completing his studies at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education.

In the future, Phuoc wants to spend more time cultivating knowledge, consolidating knowledge, and translating more literary works.

"For young people struggling with the harsh life out there, I want to tell them that each of us has our own time, don't compare yourself to anyone else. Try every day to be better than you were yesterday," he said with a smile.

Dantri.com.vn