Famine turns to feast for Chinese readers

"If you look at the contributors to STPH's Classic Translations Series, many of them are also translators. It's a company tradition. Editors can do things they like-more than just editing books-such as writing or translating," Gu said.

In March, the company published The Dyer's Hand and Other Essays by W. H. Auden, which was well received by literary critics. The work is a collection of the author's essays, including his lectures as professor of poetry at Oxford University, in which the writer gives his opinions on poetry, art and life.

Gu Zhen said: "It's always fun to see how these literary masters talk about literature and art. Because they hate mediocracy ... especially in opinion, language and expression, they give very interesting interpretations."