Just then, Prince Andrei rocked up to Anna's joint. He was the pregnant sheila's hubby. Like his missus, he was pretty good looking himself.
These lines come from a 'bogan' translation of Leo Tolstoy's epic novel War & Peace, transformed by Ander Louis, a pen name for an IT professional from Melbourne. Louis's project takes Tolstoy's high society narrative and reinterprets it using Australian slang, drawing humor from targeting traditional characters with down-to-earth Aussie phrases.
Louis began this humorous translation in 2018 and through the past several years, his work remained a simple hobby. However, earlier this year, his rendition was discovered on social media, leading to a surge in demand for his translation, likening aristocracy to relatable Aussie characters. He expressed, I thought if it's making me laugh, maybe other people will too…. This quirky adaptation bridges cultural gaps, making literature more approachable for a broader audience.
While Louis acknowledges that 'bogan' initially had negative connotations, he embraces it as an affectionate term that resonates with many Australians. His translation features easy-to-understand idioms, relatable dialogue, and irreverent humor, a fresh take on a formidable text regarded as the 'Everest of literature'. As an avid reader of War & Peace himself, Louis's accidental expertise has led to what is now a potential book deal, bringing his fun and accessible literary interpretation to a wider audience.
