Cast your mind back to 1981 – a year that gave rise to pioneering publications such as Angela Davis’ Women, Race & Class and childhood classics such as Jumanji. In the quaint riverside town of Cambridge, First Edition Translations enters the scene – an agency dedicated to top-quality translation of all things literature.
We’ve come a long way since then and have added a fair few strings to our bow, most notably pharmaceutical and medical specialisms. Yet literature has consistently remained a core part of our identity. It’s no wonder, then, that we’ve been a long-standing visitor to the globally renowned Frankfurter Buchmesse (FBM). In 2024, we decided to take it up a notch and join the event as a fully fledged exhibitor.
From Left to Right: Head of Production Kasia Bidston, Director and General Manager Ana Grilo, and Managing Director and CEO Jerry Froggett
In the run up to the big day, we teamed up with design agency flourishh to conceptualise our message “share your story with the world”, which we positioned front and centre on our banners as well as fold-up artwork posters to distribute to visitors.
Landing in Frankfurt with no fewer than eight pieces of luggage jam-packed with publications, our team members Ana and Kasia quickly set to work arranging the stand. Featured on display were an array of titles we have worked on such as Babur, Little Prince, Children’s Atlas of History, Big Mamma, and The Wild Game Cookbook – not to mention guides for prestigious sites such as the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and Windsor Castle.
Director Ana Grilo holding the fruits of our hard work
Besides delving into a wealth of publishing industry insights, we got the chance to meet clients old and new, including the heritage publisher Kulturalis. Its Managing Director Dr Neil Titman has been a long-established partner of ours and we were delighted when he asked us earlier this year to translate the Spanish publication Rebellious Forests into English, which both companies proudly showcased at the event.
From Left to Right: Director and General Manager Ana Grilo and Managing Director Jerry Froggett from First Edition,
Business Development Executive Katerina Siegl and Managing Director Dr Neil Titman from Kulturalis
Always keen to support our clients, our director Ana also attended the launch of Kulturalis’ first published book I Caught Sight of My Face at the Czech Community Stand and visited our customer Müller & Schindler.
Now back in the UK, the First Edition team is already looking forward to showcasing our talents once more at the 2025 event! If we missed you at this year’s FBM or if you’d just like to reach out with an enquiry, we’re always happy to hear from you at enquiries@firstedit.co.uk.