João Ubaldo Ribeiro is one of Brazil's most respected writers. A member of The Brazilian Academy of Letters, a distinction reserved for a mere 40 'immortals,' he is the author of such widely acclaimed works as Viva o Povo Brasileiro (An Invincible Memory) and Sergeant Getúlio. His latest novel, A Casa dos Buddhas Ditosos, however, has produced a storm of controversy in Brazil and abroad (it was banned by a major retailer in Portugal). As its English translator, the author feels the novel has been unjustly criticized -accusations including pandering and even pornography have been leveled against Ribeiro- and misunderstood. This presentation approaches the work from two points of view: content and problems attendant to the translation process.