Meet Laura

I translate into English, from Dutch, Italian and German. My literary interests are varied and my projects range from children’s picture books to adult novels and comics.

I’m very keen on literature for children and young adults, and I founded the Dutch chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in 2008.

My background is in languages and literature. I studied medieval and modern languages at St. Anne’s College, Oxford University, followed by a Master of Studies in European Literature. Then I went on to teach in various locations, including the universities of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Milan, before returning to university to take a Masters in English and Applied Linguistics at RCEAL and Trinity Hall, Cambridge University. I then lived in London for three years, where I took the postgraduate certificate in literary translation from Dutch into English at University College London in 2001-2002. The course reinforced my desire for a career in literary translation, which has enabled me to focus on my interest in literature and cultural exchange.

I’ve been a full-time literary translator since 2003, when I relocated to the Netherlands. I now live in a very tall, thin house on a canal in the centre of Amsterdam.