So far this year I haven’t read as many books in translation as I’d like. I typically have a reading goal of at least 10 books in translation a year and to date I’ve only read five, but there’s still time. While my shelves have quite a few books in translation I can’t help but take note of new releases and/or upcoming releases so I thought I’d share some of the titles that have caught my attention:
A Little Luck by Claudia Piñeiro; translated from the Spanish by Frances Riddle. 20 years after a shocking accident, Mary Lohan returns to the Buenos Aires suburb she escaped in a fugue of guilt and isolation but she is not the same. I have really enjoyed several of this author’s previous novels so I’m very excited about this one.
The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart by Chesil; translated from the Japanese by Takami Nieda. Seventeen-year-old Ginny recounts her adolescence growing up Zainichi, an ethnic Korean born in Japan, and the incident that forced her to leave years prior.
Upcoming:
The Simple Art of Killing a Woman by Patrícia Melo; translated from the Portuguese by Sophie Lewis. A young lawyer goes to a town near the Amazon and finds that crimes against women are just the tip of the iceberg of the problems that surround the community.
The Book Censor’s Library by Bothayna Al-Essa; translated from the Arabic by Tanya Abdelrahman and Sawad Hussain. A warning call and a love letter to stories and the delicious act of losing oneself in them.
The Bridesmaid by Savyon Liebrecht; translated from the Hebrew by Gilah Kahn-Hoffmann. The gripping story of a reunion between two family members that brings back a long-forgotten past and reveals secrets that will change their lives forever.
Let me know if you’ve read any of these authors or if some of these books sound good to you too!
I am always on the lookout for good books that have been translated from other languages, from other places in the world.
I like translated fiction, too, and never seem to read as much of it as I’d like. All of the titles you mention sound interesting. My favorite translated novel so far this year has been The Postcard by Anne Berest translated from French. My current read is good so far… What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama (Japanese).
I haven’t read any of these, but I like the sound of both The Color of the Sky and The Book Censor’s Library.
It’s been a long while since I read anything that’s been translated. Hope you love all on your list!