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Howard Goldblatt

b. 1939

American translator

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About Howard Goldblatt

Born 1939. Howard Goldblatt is an American linguist, translator and sinologist.

Howard Goldblatt (, born 1939) is an American literary translator of numerous works of contemporary Chinese (mainland China & Taiwan) fiction, including The Taste of Apples by Huang Chunming and The Execution of Mayor Yin by Chen Ruoxi. Goldblatt also translated works of Chinese novelist and 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature winner Mo Yan, He was a research professor of Chinese at the University of Notre Dame from 2002 to 2011.

Biography Goldblatt encountered Chinese for the first time as a young man, during his tour of duty with the US Navy, sent to military base in Taiwan at the beginning of the 1960s. He stayed there and studied at the Mandarin Center for two more years before returning to the US. He then enrolled at the Chinese language program of the San Francisco State University. Goldblatt received a Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Long Beach, a Master of Arts from San Francisco State University in 1971, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Indiana University Bloomington in 1974.

Following criticism of Mo Yan's political stance after winning the Nobel Prize, Goldblatt wrote a defence of him in The Guardian.

He worked as a professor of Chinese literature at San Francisco State University, University of Colorado-Boulder and University of Notre Dame.

Works Selected translations

- American Literary Translators Association Translation of the Year

Edited volumes

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Important facts

Born
1939, California
Birth century
Nationality
Education
San Francisco State University, Indiana University, California State University, Long Beach, National Taiwan Normal University
Employers
San Francisco State University
Awards
Guggenheim Fellowship

Family & relationships

Spouse
Sylvia Li-chun Lin

People in Howard Goldblatt's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Howard Goldblatt's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Howard Goldblatt?

American translator

When was Howard Goldblatt born?

Howard Goldblatt was born in 1939 in California.

What is Howard Goldblatt's occupation?

Howard Goldblatt is a linguist, translator and sinologist.

What nationality is Howard Goldblatt?

Howard Goldblatt is American.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: Howard Goldblatt

Β· Wikidata: Q2647934

Β· DBpedia: Howard Goldblatt

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Howard Goldblatt. https://biography.guide/howard-goldblatt/

MLA: "Howard Goldblatt." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/howard-goldblatt/.

Chicago: "Howard Goldblatt." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/howard-goldblatt/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.

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