Suzanne Jansen
DUTCH-ENGLISH TRANSLATOR
ABOUT ME
Literary Translation
Suzanne's translation practice is focused on literary translation from Dutch into English.
A keen reader of new Dutch writing she has translated, amongst others: Abelkader Benali, Anne Moraal, Ronald Giphart, Thomas Verborgt, and Simone Atangana Bekono. Examples of her output can be found below under Recent Projects.
Professional Experience
More than 30 years experience as a freelance translator in: literature, broadcast & print media, current affairs & politics, spoken word, public service, performing & visual arts, music, education, social sciences, popular culture. Suzanne is also an experienced interpreter, linguistic consultant and voice-over artist.
Credentials
Endorsed by the Dutch Foundation for Literature
Member of the Society of Authors and Chartered Institute of Linguists
College Certificate in Literary Translation (UCL)
Diploma in Translation (CIOL)
BA Drama & Classical Studies (University of London)
Background
Born and educated in the Netherlands, Suzanne moved to London aged 18 to study drama. Her first translation job, whilst in college, featured comic strips for Marvel Comics. Following her degree, she began her translating career alongside working in the performing arts. Totally bilingual, she is fully engaged with Dutch and Anglophone cultures.
Non-paid Activities
In a voluntary capacity, she co-organises cultural events at the Dutch Centre in London, and sits on the Appeals Panel for her allotments association. During the 1990s and early 2000s Suzanne was on the boards of the London Cycling Campaign and the Friends of Kennington Park.
Other activities and interests
To keep mind, body and soul together, Suzanne rides her bicycle, walks her dog, cultivates her allotment, visits the theatre, classical concerts and opera. She enjoys practising her other languages, German, Italian and French. She is also a keen photographer and took the background photo for this site showing grapes grown on her allotment.
RECENT PROJECTS
Japanese Philosophy
The Path of Refinement and Connection
Michel Dijkstra
Tuttle Publishing
Autumn 2026
320 Pages
ISBN 9789024433971
Non-Fiction
Philosophy, Eastern Culture, Japan
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Heal Yourself with Medical Mushrooms, Roots, Flowers and Herbs
Plant Power
Wouter and Joris Bijdendijk
Health, Complimentary Medicine, Cooking For Health, Ethnobotany, Pharmacognosy
'The text reads well, the author’s tone of voice and fluency are beautifully retained.'
Sabine Weeke
Editorial Director,
Findhorn Press
Findhorn Press
September 2025
284 Pages
ISBN 9798888502693
Non-Fiction
Who's Afraid of Simone de Beauvoir?
Ruud Welten
Tilburg University
Publication Date TBC
190 Pages
ISBN 9789024433605
Non-Fiction
Philosophy, Feminism, God, Love and Sex
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Confrontations
Simone Atangana Bekono
Serpent's Tail
January 2023
181 Pages
ISBN 9781800814752
Fiction
Literary Fiction, Biography, Memoir
‘I was really impressed with the clarity and beauty of Suzanne’s translation of Confrontations and felt very close to Salome’s voice and inner life.’
Leonora Craig Cohen, Editor, Serpent’s Tail
Butterfly Needs Light Tonight
Text: Naomi Queeckers
Illustrations: Jamina Van Maele
Sustainable Stories
July 2023
37 Pages
ISBN 9789464442236
Fiction
Children's Literature, Education, Sustainability, WHO
'Wow it looks fantastic! The rhyming works really well, and the emotion is beautifully conveyed in the words.''
Naomi Queeckers
The Number Bias
How Numbers Lead and Mislead Us
Sanne Blauw
Hodder & Stoughton
July 2020
208 Pages
ISBN 9781529342758
Non-Fiction
Economics, Finance,
Business & Management, Popular Pyschology
'The translation is fantastic. It’s a great read – lively, fluid and very thoughtfully done.’
Juliet Brooke
Editorial Director, Sceptre
Hunger
How Food Shaped the Course
of the First World War
Rick Blom
History, WW1, Society & Culture, Food & Society
'Thanks to her meticulous work
Suzanne has produced a wonderful translation.'
Rick Blom
Unicorn Publishing Group
November 2019
284 Pages
ISBN 9781912690190
Non-Fiction
Tuna Wars
Powers Around the Fish We Love to Conserve
Steven Adolf
Co-translation with Anna Asbury
Bluefin Tuna, Fish, Ocean, Economy, Industry, Legal, Consumers, Sustainability
'I’m over the moon with the quality of the translation.'
Steven Adolf
Springer Nature
November 2019
400 Pages
ISBN 9783030206413
Non-Fiction
Mismatch
How Our Stone Age Brain Deceives Us Every Day,
And What We Can Do About It
Ronald Giphart and Mark van Vugt
Evolutionary Psychology
Health & Personal Development
Self-help & Personal Development
Little, Brown
February 2018
352 Pages
ISBN 9781472139702
Non-Fiction
'Suzanne’s translation of Mismatch is excellent. I’m glad that she’s not only translated the contents wonderfully,
but also the particular literary style of the book. It seems to have created a new genre: literary popular science!'
Mark van Vugt
'Suzanne’s translation of the bestselling Dutch title Mismatch for the English language markets produced a book that was much more than a flat, thoughtless conversion.
She remained sensitive to the authors’ style at all times but worked closely with them and the publisher…'
Andrew MacAleer
Editorial Director, Little, Brown Group
2.3.74
A literary magazine for Grounded Science Fiction from the Netherlands and Flanders
Lebowski Publishers
Autumn 2019
51 Pages
Short Stories
They Will Find Us Here
by
Anne Eekhout
Ruby's Arm, 2055
by
Anne Schepers
Grounded Science Fiction, Futurology, Distopia
2.3.74
A literary magazine for Grounded Science Fiction from the Netherlands and Flanders
Machine
by
Simone Atangana Bekono
Cuisson
by
Joost Devriesere
Grounded Science Fiction, Eco Science Fiction, Post-Catastrophic Existence
Lebowski Publishers
Spring 2019
66 Pages
Short Stories