Translating Love and Revolution: My Journey with Woodstock by Michelle Montebello

A New Encounter with Michelle Montebello’s Voice

There’s a quiet kind of magic that happens when you translate a story.
It’s that moment when another writer’s voice flows through you, and your task is to let it breathe again in a new language — without losing its soul.
That’s exactly how I felt while working on Woodstock, the beautiful new novel by Michelle Montebello, soon to be released in Italian.

After translating La Stazione di Quarantena (The Quarantine Station), a novel that deeply touched Italian readers with its emotional depth and historical sensitivity, I knew how powerful Michelle’s storytelling could be.
When I was offered the chance to translate Woodstock, I felt both honored and excited — like returning to a familiar voice, yet within a completely new landscape: the rebellious, poetic, and electrifying world of the late 1960s.

Translating the Music of an Era

Set against the backdrop of the legendary 1969 festival, Woodstock is much more than a love story.
It’s an anthem to freedom, change, and self-discovery — timeless themes that transcend generations.

Translating it felt like listening to distant music: a rhythm pulsing through words, colors, and emotions.
Every page was alive, every sentence carried a beat of that unforgettable era.

“Translation isn’t just about words,” I often remind myself. “It’s about emotion, rhythm, and silence — all the invisible things that make a story resonate.”

Working on Woodstock reminded me what literary translation truly means: being a bridge.
A bridge between cultures, voices, and hearts.
And in every bridge, there’s a part of me — my emotions, my choices, my understanding of the world.

The Art of Literary Translation

I often share insights into the art of translation — a delicate balance between accuracy and creativity, between honoring the author’s voice and speaking to new readers.

Woodstock reaffirmed for me that translation is not just linguistic work; it’s emotional craftsmanship.
It means letting time, music, and humanity pass through you, and shaping that current into words that feel both faithful and new.

A Message for Italian Readers

I can’t wait for Italian readers to dive into Woodstock and experience the warmth, courage, and tenderness of Michelle Montebello’s storytelling.