Book Review "Translation and History: A Textbook"

The construction of a translation history is considered the "primary task" of a modern theory of translation (Berman 1984, 12).As a relatively young branch of Translation Studies, the significance of translation history has gained widespread recognition and sparked considerable interest, becoming increasingly popular in recent years.In spite of the fact that we are reading more and more books on and about the translation history, there existed almost no such book that catered to the learning needs of the students.In that sense, Translation and History: A Textbook by Theo Hermans is a timely rarity.As a textbook, Translation and History provides beginners with the essentials they need for independent research: theories, concepts, methods, samples, suggestions, and even lessons usually gained through the author's bitter experiences over his long academic career.Consisting of six chapters, the book has a clear layout: Chapters 1 and 2 are devoted to basic historical concepts and research methodologies.Chapters 3, 4, and 5 deal with different types of translational historiography underpinned by historical theories and translation cases, and Chapter 6 provides readers with the author's original insight into translation as history.