photo by Hal Gray
Alex Smith (left) has been recognized as a translator of a Japanese writer’s book. He his shown here with his Craftsbury editor and friend, Elye Alexander (right) on a visit from Japan to his parents in Greensboro.
by Hal Gray
GREENSBORO – The October 23 issue of TIME magazine mentions Alex Smith, son of Wilhelmina and David Smith, previous owners of Greensboro’s Highland Lodge. In a section entitled “The 100 Best Mystery & Thriller Books of All Time,” the magazine lists Keigo Higashino’s 2005 book “The Devotion of Suspect X.” A two-paragraph reference on the Japanese writer’s book ends with “… and was translated by Alexander O. Smith in 2011.” Smith and his Craftsbury friend, Elye Alexander, worked together on the book with Alexander helping to edit Smith’s English translation. The magazine’s mention of Smith as translator is significant: A good translation can be a vital boost in recognition of a story’s merit and appeal.
