During the past decade I have had the opportunity to guest-teach and lecture to hundreds of students at Northampton High School (MA), Northwestern Connecticut Community College, the University of Massachusetts, Clark University and the University of Wisconsin.
I have also been a featured reader of my poetry and translations at “Writers Night Out” at Straw Dogs Writers, “Unbuttoned” at Easthampton City Arts, at the 2014 and 2015 Amherst Poetry Festivals, and at the Greenfield Word Festival. I have been moderator for bi-monthly Poetry Critique Meet-ups at the Northampton Center for the Arts since 2018.
I have also participated as guest speaker at events for the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA), The Scandinavia House, The Red Door Gallery, and the Danish American Heritage Society. I have given presentations in Danish as well, for Krabbesholm Højskole, Mors Biblioteksforenening, Poesiens Hus, and Torup Bogby.
I would be happy to speak to you about presenting at your classroom, translation or poetry event.
Reviews of previous lectures
When I arrived to class, you surprised me from the beginning. I loved how you started off by reading in Danish, then telling us the amazing story about you and your wife. You also got me thinking about how language changes over time and through different cultures. What you do is very impressive. Once again, thanks for coming to our class. —Erika Kotch, High School Student
Thank you so much for visiting our class! Benny Andersen’s poetry has a very uplifting sense to it, and I’m glad you brought that to our sullen early morning class. I was very inspired by how you learned Danish and the motivation behind it. —Clara Flynn, High School Student
Michael Favala Goldman treated my class to an hour and a half of delightful and stimulating musings on the art and science of translation. His talk struck a lovely balance between funny and moving, personal and universal, light and profound. My students were fully engaged and enchanted, as was I, and I hope to have him visit my classes again in the future.
– French Professor Beth Gale, Clark University
Michael’s lecture was truly a highlight—his bilingual reading of a selection of the Danish poetry he had translated (including Benny Andersen and Knud Sørensen) helped attune students’ ears to rhythm and sound in both the original language and in English. In addition to offering insights into the process of translation and giving the students some theoretical background, Michael also invited them to become translators themselves, working with a gloss translation to produce some writing of their own. They loved this activity, and I can’t wait to invite Michael to come and speak again next semester! His warmth and obvious passion for writing and translation is inspiring—for students and for teachers alike.
– Siobhan Marie Mei, Ph.D. Student and Instructor, Comparative Literature, University of Massachusetts Amherst
In the beginning of March I was visited for several days at the University of Wisconsin by the American translator and poet Michael Goldman.
About two years ago he contacted me about a review of his translations of poetry by Benny Andersen. I was very skeptical, because who could really translate the quirkiness of Benny Andersen? But when I received his material, I was quickly convinced that these were very good translations that accurately captured and retained the tone of the originals.
We have corresponded regularly since then, and this led to the visit where Michael guest taught classes and gave lectures. He talked about translation from Danish to English as well as special “problems” with translating Benny Andersen. He has expanded his repertoire which now also includes Marianne Koluda Hansen (poetry), Knud Sønderby (essays), and Knud Sørensen (poetry).
Michael is married to a Dane and speaks fine, fluent Danish. He is very willing to travel around the the US and the world, wherever there is interest in these translations. I can warmly recommend him as both a teacher and lecturer. — Prof. Nete Schmidt, Univ, of Wisconsin
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