Linda Asher, a distinguished translator and fiction editor whose work helped shape the literary landscape at The New Yorker for nearly two decades, died on September 15 in Manhattan. She was 93. Her daughter Rachel Asher confirmed her passing.

Ms. Asher was widely recognized for her editorial acumen in advancing the fiction department at The New Yorker, where she served from 1979 until 1997. She played a key role in introducing acclaimed writers such as Haruki Murakami, Louise Erdrich and A.S. Byatt to the magazine’s readership. Charles McGrath, a former deputy editor of The New Yorker, noted that Ms. Asher brought a distinctive intellectual rigor to her work and was instrumental in broadening the magazine’s literary horizons.

In addition to editing, Ms. Asher was an accomplished translator of French fiction, notably translating the works of Milan Kundera, Yasmina Reza, and Georges Simenon. She approached translation with a deep sensitivity to tone and style, emphasizing the importance of capturing the original text’s mood and voice. Her translations included Kundera’s influential essay collections “The Art of the Novel” (1988) and “Encounter” (2010), both praised for their clarity and fluency.

Ms. Asher’s expertise earned her the Thornton Wilder Prize for Translation from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2020, recognizing lifetime achievement. The award committee highlighted her exceptional ability to convey the nuanced intentions of original authors. She was also decorated as a Cavalier of the French Republic’s Order of Arts and Letters.

Born Linda Wofsey on November 27, 1932, in Stamford, Connecticut, she studied history at Smith College, spending a junior year in Paris—a formative experience that shaped her career focus on French literature. Before joining The New Yorker, Ms. Asher worked at Life magazine, Time-Life Books, Psychology Today, and as managing editor for a bioethics journal.

Her husband, Aaron Asher, also a noted editor and translator of Kundera’s work, died in 2008. The couple’s Manhattan home was known as a salon for prominent literary and artistic figures, including Philip Roth, Arthur Miller, and musicians Pinchas and Eugenia Zukerman.

Ms. Asher’s editorial influence extended beyond her tenure, as she continued translating extensively after leaving The New Yorker. She was widely respected for her insights, described by colleagues and authors as thorough and intellectually rigorous. Louise Erdrich, whose story “A Wedge of Shade” was accepted and edited by Ms. Asher, recalled the editor’s encouragement and keen editorial judgment.

Ms. Asher is survived by her daughters Rachel and Abigail, and four grandchildren. Her career bridged editing and translation, reflecting a lifelong dedication to literature across languages, cultures, and forms.