Over the last 10 years, the field of translational control has been enriched by atomic resolution structures of ribosomal complexes and factors in different functional states, and increased in sophistication by wedding genetics, reconstituted systems, and structural biology to elucidate basic reactions and mRNA-specific control mechanisms. New regulatory principles have emerged, including repression by micro-RNAs (miRNAs) and mRNA sequestration in cytoplasmic granules, and the field has extended its reach into development, brain function, and human disease. Here we seek to highlight some of the exciting developments of the last decade from the perspectives of our own approaches and expertise; accordingly, many highly noteworthy achievements could not be mentioned and we refer interested readers to the numerous excellent reviews cited below.