We’ve given you some of our favorite translated works. Now it’s time for our translated TBRs. We imagine ourselves spending the evening cozied up with our furchildren.
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But we all know we’ll be reading while running to our next thing or hiding in the corner reading at some Christmas party.
Without further ado, here’s what we’re excited about reading!
The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli
Translated by Christina MacSweeney
I’ve seen this book in stores for ages, but haven’t had a chance to pick it up. The Goodreads summary says, “Highway is a late-in-life world traveler, yarn spinner, collector, and legendary auctioneer. His most precious possessions are the teeth of the “notorious infamous” like Plato, Petrarch, and Virginia Woolf. Written in collaboration with the workers at a Jumex juice factory, Teeth is an elegant, witty, exhilarating romp through the industrial suburbs of Mexico City and Luiselli’s own literary influences.” I mean the protagonist likes Virginia Woolf. How could I not add it to my TBR? - A
Frantumaglia: A Writer’s Journey by Elena Ferrante
Translated by Ann Goldstein
Always looking to indulge my obsession with Elena Ferrante, I’lll be on the look out for this memoir by mysterious writer herself. In light of the recent hubbub about her true identity, I wonder how Elena Ferrante will write a memoir and remain anonymous? #ferrantefever- K
The Fox Was Ever the Hunter: A Novel by Herta Müller Translated by Philip Boehm
Set in Romania, an area I’ve never read about, The Fox Was Ever the Hunter is a story about follows four friends; Adina, Paul, Clara, and Pavel. One of them is a spy for the secret police. But who? Written by Nobel Prize-winning author Herta Müller, this novel promises to be a gripping, poetic read. - A
The Secrets of the Wild Wood by Toke Dragt
Translated by Laura Watkinson
After reading the first volume in the series, The Letter to the King, last Christmas, I knew I couldn’t stop there. I love children’s adventure stories. Set in a kingdom in a middle ages-like culture, Dragt’s world is a Dutch children’s classic. The first book tells the story of Tiuri, a young squire, who was given the urgent task of delivering a letter to the king in a neighboring kingdom. This second adventure tells the story of what happens when a knight goes missing and Tiuri is once again called in to save the day! - K
Memoirs of a Polar Bear by Yōko Tawada
Translated by Susan Bernofsky
Honestly, I’d never heard of this book until I started researching translated books by women. But listen to this blurb: “Three generations (grandmother, mother, son) of polar bears are famous as both circus performers and writers in East Germany: they are polar bears who move in human society, stars of the ring and of the literary world.” Sounds amazing, right? I think this would fit perfectly into my love of books about the circus. - A
The Gringo Champion by Aura Xilonen
Translated by Andrea Rosenberg
I can’t beat the this jacket blurb: “Liborio has to leave Mexico, a land that has taught him little more than a keen instinct for survival. He crosses the Rio Bravo, like so many others, to reach “the promised land.” And in a barrio like any other, in some gringo city, this illegal immigrant tells his story.” I hope to get my hands on this incredible story soon. *writes letter to Santa and crosses fingers* - K
Don’t forget, next month we announce the Reading Women Award winners! Stay tuned, friends!
