The Translator's Invisibility traces the history of translation from the seventeenth century to the present day. It shows how fluency prevailed over other translation strategies to shape the canon of foreign literatures in English, and investigates the cultural consequences of the domestic values which were simultaneously inscribed and masked in foreign texts during this period. Venuti locates alternative translation theories and practices in British, American and European cultures which aim to communicate linguistic and cultural differences instead of removing them.

The first edition, now ten years old, is still widely cited by academics in many disciplines and has had a huge influence on the whole field of Translation Studies. A new edition offers Venuti the chance to keep this influence alive, and to update and advance his argument.