Michael Henry Heim (January 21, 1943 – September 29, 2012) was an eminent American literary translator and scholar, renowned for his translations from eight languages, including Russian, Czech, Serbo-Croatian, German, Dutch, French, Romanian, and Hungarian. His remarkable contributions brought to English-speaking audiences works by illustrious authors such as Anton Chekhov, Milan Kundera, and Günter Grass.

Heim completed his doctorate in Slavic languages and literature at Harvard University in 1971 and subsequently joined the faculty of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1972. A testament to his dedication to the field of translation, in 2003, alongside his wife, Heim invested their life savings of $734,000 to establish the PEN Translation Fund, aimed at promoting the translation of international literary works into English.

His expertise and fluency in multiple languages, including Czech, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, French, Italian, German, and Dutch, established him as a prolific figure in the translation community. His legacy endures in the myriad of translations he has left behind and in the recognition he received, such as the esteemed Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation in 2009.