Au revoir, Alyson!
Alyson Waters edited 56 issues of Yale French Studies with unflagging excellence. Under her leadership, YFS explored a rich diversity of topics– from Surrealism to Francophone cinema, from Baudelaire to Marie Chauvet, from noeuds de mémoire to the bande dessinée. She helped editors develop their concepts for issues, vetted translations, made sure the journal kept a balance of periods, topics and authors, and led our editorial meetings with lucid good humor and discernment. Alyson has been more than an editor: she has been the curator of our intellectual life for 29 years.
Anyone who has been through a copy edit with Alyson understands that the qualities that have made her an award winning translator have also ensured that the articles appearing in YFS are free of Gallicisms, typos, and infelicities of any sort. She’s been a wonderful mentor to the graduate student assistants who have learned the art of editing from her.
We will miss her, though we take consolation in the prospect of her many new translations to come.