Found the perfect Challenge to help me nail the plan to read more in translation: The Introverted Reader’s Books in Translation 2014.
The goal is that at least 10% of the books I read this year aren’t originally written in English or Portuguese. Since in an average year I read about 80 books, I’ve chosen eight books to tackle, in eight different languages, already waiting on the TBR. I’ve left out French and Spanish because those I’ll try to read in the original.
- Corto Maltese: The Fable of Venice by Hugo Pratt (Italian)
- Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak (Russian)
- The Door by Magda Szabó (Hungarian)
- The Flea Palace by Elif Shafak (Turkish)
- Hanna’s Daughters by Marianne Fredriksson (Swedish)
- The Library of Shadows by Mikkel Birkegaard (Danish)
- Marcel by Erwin Mortier (Flemish)
- The Snowman by Jo Nesbø (Norwegian)
Are you planning to read in translation this year? Anything in common with my list?
9 comments
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January 6, 2014 at 5:45 pm
Kailana
I think I read Marianne Fredriksson a few years ago. It was way before blogging so I would have to look it up… I can picture her books in my head with different covers so she was memorable in that sense. haha.
January 6, 2014 at 6:42 pm
Tanya Patrice
I participated in this challenge last year and loved it! From the books you’ve chosen, I read The Snowman and loved it!!
January 6, 2014 at 7:25 pm
Alicia
I like the idea of reading books in translation. It is something I haven’t try yet but I would to do something sometime this year. I hope you enjoy the books that you have chosen that seem very interesting. Good choices! Good luck!
January 6, 2014 at 10:07 pm
Miguel St. Orberose
Fable of Venice is a masterpiece, the ending alone is made of pure whimsy, I’m sure its going to put a smile on your face.
January 7, 2014 at 12:57 am
Athira
You book choices are great! I didn’t even know there was a language called Flemish. Gotto read more books in translation!
January 7, 2014 at 2:46 am
Tony K + Steph H (@20YH)
I’ll be really interested to see what you think about Nesbo! Before we left on our trip, I had The Snowman on my shelf, but was never able to get into it. I think Scandinavian crime may just not be my thing.
No specific plans to read anything in translation, but I certainly don’t have plans to NOT read anything that wasn’t originally written in English either. I’m just leaving things up to whimsy and seeing where 2014 takes me books (and travel!) wise.
January 7, 2014 at 7:42 pm
Melwyk
I’m hoping to read more translations this year as well, though I haven’t been proactive about it and made a list — so thanks for these suggestions! I read Hanna’s Daughters quite a few years ago and remember really liking it.
January 11, 2014 at 2:26 pm
Joanna @ CreateYourWorld
What’s The Door? I’m loving the cover!
January 13, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Eva
Oh I’ve added The Door & Hanna’s Daughters to my European Challenge list. They both sound fabulous!