I intend to read Innards - ever since you posted about it! But it’s not actually translated fiction. It is of course written by a South African author and it is always important to read books written by a variety of nationalities. But Innards was first published in English, so it’s not translated from another language. Therefore it wouldn’t qualify to be on this list.
STILL a wonderful and valuable recommendation though. ❣️
Ooo if it’s a mix of languages maybe it would count! Sorry that’s definitely info you could only gain from reading the book as it’s not sign posted anywhere. Eagerly awaiting any other great translated recs from you! You have some great ones!
Amazing! Thank you!! I look forward to what you think of it if you get round to it before me!
And there are not many translated books from so many countries :( Ofc they exist but they just don’t get picked up. Hopefully as it becomes more popular to read translated that’ll improve over time.
Yes especially colonised countries where native languages were almost eradicated :-( It was illegal for any Black people to speak their language during apartheid ... almost 50 years!
Yes PLEASE! I was actually googling for translated books from Puerto Rico the other day - but I would much rather a recommendation from you than the internet!
I forgot I owed you some recs here! Most translated books from Puerto Rico (from Puerto Ricans writing in Spanish and getting an English translation) are classics that I've seen. Here are some: Cruel World by Luis Negrón , When I Was a Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago. I'll include A Nation of Women by Luisa Capetillo as an indirect recommend from my bestie, Andrea B. Arango. I haven't read this one but I really want to this year.
Thank you Laleh! When I read them & add them to the list I’ll be sure to tag you and say you recommended them! Basti has been on my tbr for a little while so this was the perfect reminder I needed to order it. But I’ve never heard of the Cairo trilogy before so thank you!!! Have you read both? 💖
I’ve only read Basti! My Egyptian friend recommended the Cairo trilogy yesterday, actually, because I said I was trying to read more translated works. She really liked it!
LOVE this idea -- I’m planning to map my reads this year but it’ll be so much more fun if I commit to translated works like this. Can’t wait to see what you read and love!
Thank you Steph!!! Yes I love to hear that!! Mapping reads is so fun - I wasn’t sure whether to include another map or combine maps with authors from around the world whose work isn’t translated. But then I worried it might be too many maps 😅 (is there such a thing lmao) or that it would be misleading suggesting those works are translated when they’re not! I guess I could still do it and just clearly write after translated? Maybe people would enjoy that aspect to be added in too?
Because Ofc colonialism did destroy a lot of languages and there are a lot of countries in the world that speak interchangeably English and their native. Eg I’m reading a book by a Ghanaian author rn who grew up in Ghana but the language is English, just like in Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia etc etc. So it wouldn’t come under translated as it was published in English, but that doesn’t take away from his identity as a Ghanaian author. Writing this comment has me thinking I should change this map up a little bit to include this aspect too. What do you think?
**I should say the official lanaguge is ‘English’ bc Ofc there still remain so many people who will only speak the native language, especially in more rural areas. But English is the language of so much business, bureaucracy and education. They are such multi lingual countries but perhaps individuals who want to become authors are encouraged to publish in English.
Some of my favourite reads from the last few years have been translated fiction so this idea is right up my alley. Since this is something I already do subconsciously, being even more intentional when picking books from around the world will defo bode well for 2024 as a reading year.
If I stumble on a good book from any of your empty country slots I’ll be sure to pop back in to this post and recommend them to you!
I’m glad to hear you like the idea Chioma! And that it is something you already do! I agree it is super helpful to see where you read more or less translated lit from. I’d love to hear your book recs if and when you have some❣️
This has inspired me to read a book from every country in Africa! I’m ashamed to say I haven’t 🫨 I’d like to track mine in a similar way if thats ok with you? An older post I keep updating as I add books ❤️
I'm sorry I missed this comment Nicole - Of course that is okay with me! I look forward to seeing how you get on and getting some inspo from what you choose to read! <3
If you’d like to add some Indigenous Australian translated books to your TBR, ‘Two Sisters’ by Jukuna Mona Chuguna Ngarta and Jinny Bent is translated from Walmajarri which is the language of the Kimberley region in Western Australia ☺️
Wow thank you for this recommendation Jami! I haven't come across it before so will add to the list. I am yet to read any indigenous translated work so I appreciate you giving me a great place to start! <3
No worries! I was lucky enough to find this in an Indigenous owned bookstore in Northern WA when I was there. I am not sure if many (even any!?) other translated books of this language exist so I always feel it's a special book more people interested in translated books should know about :)
Thank you Jordan! If you read anything from here I’d love to know what you think! Thanks for the recs - many I’ve had my eye on for a while myself. Herrera has a new book coming out in November and I am so excited to read it, but I do need to read ‘signs’ from them! Fish Soup & I who have never known men are not new to me, but the rest are!!! I especially like the sound of ‘at night all blood is black’ - I’ll lyk if I read it soon! Thank you!
Please do let me know! And yes, some of my favorites from your list are Disoriental, Elena Knows, Drive Your Plow, The Details, and Ferrante. My first few reads this month will probably be Time of the Flies, Mina's Matchbook and The Empusium (the last two are translated galleys I was lucky to get ahold of).
Hi Martha, I love this map!! I've been thinking of incorporating something like this on my substack and now i've come across yours and I love it!
For Denmark, I would recommend Tove Ditlensen's "The Trouble With Happiness: And Other Stories" It's a short story collection that I really enjoyed and I've heard good things about her Copenhagen Trilogy.
Argentina: I recently read "Fever Dream" by Samanta Schweblin which is a horror but written in a way I couldn't put it down. Her short story collection "Seven Empty Houses" is one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
Chili: I'm sure you've heard of Roberto Bolano, I just started "The Savage Detectives" and i'm really enjoying it so far!
Japan: Saving my personal favorite for last, "Kitchen" by Banana Yoshimoto. The way she writes and describes things is truly an art form. I bought her latest, "The Premonition", but I'm saving it for a special day because I feel like the timing has to be right. Whatever that means..
I hope you get a chance to read at least one of these!
Hi Sarah, thank you so much for your comment! It is so funny you recommended both Ditlensen & Bolano a few days after I ordered both 'The Savage Detectives' and 'Childhood, youth and Dependency'! I look forward to reading them both. 'Kitchen' has been on my TBR for a while - although I will have to admit I have been trying to resit Japanese lit slightly as I have read so much of it - been trying to create some variety! But I know I will get round to reading it one day. Equally, 'Fever Dream' has been on my radar for a while, maybe I will read in October if it is horror! I hope you enjoy 'The Savage Detectives' - lmk what you think, I look forward to reading it in the coming months myself xxx
Hello Martha. My recommendation is for Turkey: Cold Nights of Childhood by Tezer Özlü (translated by Maureen Freely) and Mediterranean Waltz by Buket Uzuner.
Hello Irem - thank you so much for your recommendations! It comes at the perfect time as I just read my first Turkish translation (Every Fire You Tend) which will be in my next newsletter, but I didn't enjoy it? In many ways beautiful writing, but plot wise I really struggled with the narration style and understanding the thread of the novel. So I am looking for other translations from Turkey that hopefully I will enjoy more! I will let you know when I get the opportunity to read them.
I understand it could be a tough read. However, hopefully, if you read Tezer Ozlu you'll like her more. Thank you very much for your kind response. Greetings!
I did find it tough to read - but I am glad I tried! What did you think of it? I hope I will like Tezer Ozlu more too! Thank you very much for the interactions Irem - I appreciate you! Greetings xxx
No such thing as a late response, it's ok! But yes, you were right there. It was hard to read. I often find Tilted Axis Press hard to read - even though I do keep trying because they offer some of the only translations from some countries. I often wonder whether it is just the sheer challenge of translating languages that are so much more different (per say) to English, or cultural differences that do not lend themselves easily to be described in English. Perhaps the nuance is lost?
I'm from Belgium and I've seen some female authors being translated into English now. I'll try to find some recommendations for you, based on what you like to read :)
Thank you Conny - I would appreciate any recommendations you have for me! I have a copy of ‘I Have Never Known Men’ which I plan to read at some point - but otherwise I’ve never come across much translated work from Belgium!
Love this. I’m from The Netherlands, and there is a lot of translated fiction here in bookstores. I wanted to say that ‘What I’d Rather Not Think About’ by Jente Posthuma is actually from the Netherlands instead of Denmark, so you can check another country off your list 😊
Thank you for informing me of this Margje! I can't believe I incorrectly categorised Posthuma's work. It has since been rectified! Do you have a favourite translated book from The Netherlands?
This is a hard question for me, as I’ve always felt very drawn to English literature. Some of my favorite Dutch authors are Hanna Bervoets, Tatjana Almuli, Griet Op de Beeck (Belgium) and Ilse Josepha Lazaroms. Dutch author Yael van der Wouden is on this years shortlist for the Man Booker prize, so I’m curious to read that!
Love discovering your Substack!! I recommend checking out "Last Night in Nuuk" by Greenland's Niviaq Korneliussen, translated from the Danish by Anna Halager.
Thank you Jess - for the love and the recommendation! I haven't come across that book before, but it sounds really interested?! I'm excited to check it out soon.
Yes, the writing structure and format were super interesting, and it gave me a deeper understanding of life and culture for young people in Nuuk, Greenland. Interested to hear what you think if you decide to read it!
Oh please read my latest South African recommend (Innards) and you’ll tick off your South Africa bullet 💥🤗
I intend to read Innards - ever since you posted about it! But it’s not actually translated fiction. It is of course written by a South African author and it is always important to read books written by a variety of nationalities. But Innards was first published in English, so it’s not translated from another language. Therefore it wouldn’t qualify to be on this list.
STILL a wonderful and valuable recommendation though. ❣️
Unless of course I am wrong! But as far as I can tell, it was initially published in English.
Oh you are correct yes (although she uses a mix of all South African languages in the book) - I’ll have a think of a great translated one for you
Ooo if it’s a mix of languages maybe it would count! Sorry that’s definitely info you could only gain from reading the book as it’s not sign posted anywhere. Eagerly awaiting any other great translated recs from you! You have some great ones!
Found one! (sjoe there are not many 🫣) I will order it too --- The Rich Man of Pietermaritzburg - Sibusiso Nyembezi (translated from Zulu)
Amazing! Thank you!! I look forward to what you think of it if you get round to it before me!
And there are not many translated books from so many countries :( Ofc they exist but they just don’t get picked up. Hopefully as it becomes more popular to read translated that’ll improve over time.
Yes especially colonised countries where native languages were almost eradicated :-( It was illegal for any Black people to speak their language during apartheid ... almost 50 years!
Let me know if you need recommendations for books from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷✌🏽
Yes PLEASE! I was actually googling for translated books from Puerto Rico the other day - but I would much rather a recommendation from you than the internet!
I forgot I owed you some recs here! Most translated books from Puerto Rico (from Puerto Ricans writing in Spanish and getting an English translation) are classics that I've seen. Here are some: Cruel World by Luis Negrón , When I Was a Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago. I'll include A Nation of Women by Luisa Capetillo as an indirect recommend from my bestie, Andrea B. Arango. I haven't read this one but I really want to this year.
Recommending the Cairo trilogy for Egypt and Basti by Initizar Hussain for Pakistan! 💖
Thank you Laleh! When I read them & add them to the list I’ll be sure to tag you and say you recommended them! Basti has been on my tbr for a little while so this was the perfect reminder I needed to order it. But I’ve never heard of the Cairo trilogy before so thank you!!! Have you read both? 💖
I’ve only read Basti! My Egyptian friend recommended the Cairo trilogy yesterday, actually, because I said I was trying to read more translated works. She really liked it!
Thank you to your wonderful friend! Looking forward to reading Basti when I get the chance. What did you think of it?
LOVE this idea -- I’m planning to map my reads this year but it’ll be so much more fun if I commit to translated works like this. Can’t wait to see what you read and love!
Thank you Steph!!! Yes I love to hear that!! Mapping reads is so fun - I wasn’t sure whether to include another map or combine maps with authors from around the world whose work isn’t translated. But then I worried it might be too many maps 😅 (is there such a thing lmao) or that it would be misleading suggesting those works are translated when they’re not! I guess I could still do it and just clearly write after translated? Maybe people would enjoy that aspect to be added in too?
Because Ofc colonialism did destroy a lot of languages and there are a lot of countries in the world that speak interchangeably English and their native. Eg I’m reading a book by a Ghanaian author rn who grew up in Ghana but the language is English, just like in Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia etc etc. So it wouldn’t come under translated as it was published in English, but that doesn’t take away from his identity as a Ghanaian author. Writing this comment has me thinking I should change this map up a little bit to include this aspect too. What do you think?
**I should say the official lanaguge is ‘English’ bc Ofc there still remain so many people who will only speak the native language, especially in more rural areas. But English is the language of so much business, bureaucracy and education. They are such multi lingual countries but perhaps individuals who want to become authors are encouraged to publish in English.
Some of my favourite reads from the last few years have been translated fiction so this idea is right up my alley. Since this is something I already do subconsciously, being even more intentional when picking books from around the world will defo bode well for 2024 as a reading year.
If I stumble on a good book from any of your empty country slots I’ll be sure to pop back in to this post and recommend them to you!
I’m glad to hear you like the idea Chioma! And that it is something you already do! I agree it is super helpful to see where you read more or less translated lit from. I’d love to hear your book recs if and when you have some❣️
This has inspired me to read a book from every country in Africa! I’m ashamed to say I haven’t 🫨 I’d like to track mine in a similar way if thats ok with you? An older post I keep updating as I add books ❤️
I'm sorry I missed this comment Nicole - Of course that is okay with me! I look forward to seeing how you get on and getting some inspo from what you choose to read! <3
❤️
If you’d like to add some Indigenous Australian translated books to your TBR, ‘Two Sisters’ by Jukuna Mona Chuguna Ngarta and Jinny Bent is translated from Walmajarri which is the language of the Kimberley region in Western Australia ☺️
Wow thank you for this recommendation Jami! I haven't come across it before so will add to the list. I am yet to read any indigenous translated work so I appreciate you giving me a great place to start! <3
No worries! I was lucky enough to find this in an Indigenous owned bookstore in Northern WA when I was there. I am not sure if many (even any!?) other translated books of this language exist so I always feel it's a special book more people interested in translated books should know about :)
This is such a beautiful idea!
Thank you Nora - I think so too!
What a great list! I might borrow your map.
Some of my favorite translated reads include:
- Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Cespedes
-Abigail and The Door by Magda Szabo
-Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera
-At Night All Blood is Black by Diop
-Fish Soup by Margarita Garcia Robayo
-I Who Have Never Known Men by Harpman
-Aednan by Axelsson
Thank you Jordan! If you read anything from here I’d love to know what you think! Thanks for the recs - many I’ve had my eye on for a while myself. Herrera has a new book coming out in November and I am so excited to read it, but I do need to read ‘signs’ from them! Fish Soup & I who have never known men are not new to me, but the rest are!!! I especially like the sound of ‘at night all blood is black’ - I’ll lyk if I read it soon! Thank you!
Please do let me know! And yes, some of my favorites from your list are Disoriental, Elena Knows, Drive Your Plow, The Details, and Ferrante. My first few reads this month will probably be Time of the Flies, Mina's Matchbook and The Empusium (the last two are translated galleys I was lucky to get ahold of).
I have an ARC of The Euphemism too!!! I am also planning to read it in August, so I look forward to talking about it with you!
Perfect - can't wait!
🤝 buddy read !
*Empusium
I also hope you enjoy Time Of The Flies - lmk what you think once you’ve read x
Hi Martha, I love this map!! I've been thinking of incorporating something like this on my substack and now i've come across yours and I love it!
For Denmark, I would recommend Tove Ditlensen's "The Trouble With Happiness: And Other Stories" It's a short story collection that I really enjoyed and I've heard good things about her Copenhagen Trilogy.
Argentina: I recently read "Fever Dream" by Samanta Schweblin which is a horror but written in a way I couldn't put it down. Her short story collection "Seven Empty Houses" is one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
Chili: I'm sure you've heard of Roberto Bolano, I just started "The Savage Detectives" and i'm really enjoying it so far!
Japan: Saving my personal favorite for last, "Kitchen" by Banana Yoshimoto. The way she writes and describes things is truly an art form. I bought her latest, "The Premonition", but I'm saving it for a special day because I feel like the timing has to be right. Whatever that means..
I hope you get a chance to read at least one of these!
Hi Sarah, thank you so much for your comment! It is so funny you recommended both Ditlensen & Bolano a few days after I ordered both 'The Savage Detectives' and 'Childhood, youth and Dependency'! I look forward to reading them both. 'Kitchen' has been on my TBR for a while - although I will have to admit I have been trying to resit Japanese lit slightly as I have read so much of it - been trying to create some variety! But I know I will get round to reading it one day. Equally, 'Fever Dream' has been on my radar for a while, maybe I will read in October if it is horror! I hope you enjoy 'The Savage Detectives' - lmk what you think, I look forward to reading it in the coming months myself xxx
Hello Martha. My recommendation is for Turkey: Cold Nights of Childhood by Tezer Özlü (translated by Maureen Freely) and Mediterranean Waltz by Buket Uzuner.
Hello Irem - thank you so much for your recommendations! It comes at the perfect time as I just read my first Turkish translation (Every Fire You Tend) which will be in my next newsletter, but I didn't enjoy it? In many ways beautiful writing, but plot wise I really struggled with the narration style and understanding the thread of the novel. So I am looking for other translations from Turkey that hopefully I will enjoy more! I will let you know when I get the opportunity to read them.
I understand it could be a tough read. However, hopefully, if you read Tezer Ozlu you'll like her more. Thank you very much for your kind response. Greetings!
I did find it tough to read - but I am glad I tried! What did you think of it? I hope I will like Tezer Ozlu more too! Thank you very much for the interactions Irem - I appreciate you! Greetings xxx
Apologies for my late response Martha. I didn't read Sema Kaygusuz, probably I knew I'd find it hard to read as well.
No such thing as a late response, it's ok! But yes, you were right there. It was hard to read. I often find Tilted Axis Press hard to read - even though I do keep trying because they offer some of the only translations from some countries. I often wonder whether it is just the sheer challenge of translating languages that are so much more different (per say) to English, or cultural differences that do not lend themselves easily to be described in English. Perhaps the nuance is lost?
I'm from Belgium and I've seen some female authors being translated into English now. I'll try to find some recommendations for you, based on what you like to read :)
Thank you Conny - I would appreciate any recommendations you have for me! I have a copy of ‘I Have Never Known Men’ which I plan to read at some point - but otherwise I’ve never come across much translated work from Belgium!
Love this. I’m from The Netherlands, and there is a lot of translated fiction here in bookstores. I wanted to say that ‘What I’d Rather Not Think About’ by Jente Posthuma is actually from the Netherlands instead of Denmark, so you can check another country off your list 😊
Thank you for informing me of this Margje! I can't believe I incorrectly categorised Posthuma's work. It has since been rectified! Do you have a favourite translated book from The Netherlands?
This is a hard question for me, as I’ve always felt very drawn to English literature. Some of my favorite Dutch authors are Hanna Bervoets, Tatjana Almuli, Griet Op de Beeck (Belgium) and Ilse Josepha Lazaroms. Dutch author Yael van der Wouden is on this years shortlist for the Man Booker prize, so I’m curious to read that!
Love discovering your Substack!! I recommend checking out "Last Night in Nuuk" by Greenland's Niviaq Korneliussen, translated from the Danish by Anna Halager.
Thank you Jess - for the love and the recommendation! I haven't come across that book before, but it sounds really interested?! I'm excited to check it out soon.
Yes, the writing structure and format were super interesting, and it gave me a deeper understanding of life and culture for young people in Nuuk, Greenland. Interested to hear what you think if you decide to read it!