Valeria Matorina Translator from English and Polish Date of Birth: 16.01.1937 Country: Russia

1. Early Life and Education
2. Journey into Tolkien's World
3. The Rise of the "VAMovskie" Translations
4. Official Recognition
5. International Recognition and Friendship
6. Legacy and Impact

Valeria Matovina: A Renowned Translator of J.R.R. Tolkien's Masterpieces

Early Life and Education

Born in 1937 in Nizhny Novgorod, Valeria Matovina (also known as V.A.M.) spent her early years in various cities before settling in Horlivka, Ukraine. Inspired by her mother, a teacher at the city's pedagogical institute, she pursued a double degree in Philology and Mining Machine Technology.

Journey into Tolkien's World

Matovina's first encounter with Tolkien's work occurred in 1978 in Leningrad. Inspired by existing translations and the Polish translation by Maria Skibniewska, she began translating Tolkien's masterpiece, "The Hobbit." In the early 1980s, she obtained microfilms of the original texts, sparking her serious work on the project.

The Rise of the "VAMovskie" Translations

News of Matovina's translation of "The Lord of the Rings" spread rapidly, and in 1989, she was invited to participate in a role-playing game based on Tolkien's work. Her typewritten text was provided to the young publishing house "Amur" in Khabarovsk.

Official Recognition

From 1990 to 1992, Matovina's translations of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy were published by Amur. In 1994, a revised edition of "The Hobbit" was published by Interbook-Khortitsa in Zaporizhzhia. The final, fully revised trilogy was released by EKSMO in Moscow in 2003.

International Recognition and Friendship

Matovina's translations soon gained international acclaim. With the help of German friends, she established correspondence with the Tolkien Estate and Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien's son. Tolkien requested a copy of Matovina's translation for the Estate's collection, and their correspondence evolved into a close friendship.

Legacy and Impact

Matovina's translations are widely regarded as the most accurate and faithful to Tolkien's originals. Her deep understanding of both the source and target languages allowed her to capture the nuances and intricacies of Tolkien's writing. Matovina's work has inspired countless fantasy enthusiasts and solidified her place as a legendary translator in Russian literary history.