I’ve decide to look back and bring ten female writers in translations for International woman’s day today. There is a lack of women in translation that needs addressing but if we knew how many male female writers where published in each country we may then know better what in translation is the right amount if that makes sense.Anyway today also saw the Bailey prize longlist so if you fancy a walk on the other side of lit and want to try ten female writers in translation instead of the Bailey longlist here you go –
1.
Stones in a landslide by Maria Barbal
One my all time favourite books , this the story of Conxa a young girl sent to another village that seems another world in her eyes although only a few miles from her home we see here grow up in this wonderful Novella . My review
2 The Belly of the atlantic by Fatou Diome
An early review on the blog follows two siblings drawn from Africa to europe one the sister in france the footballing brother dreaming of playing top flight football in France for me this book is more relevant than when I reviewed it six years ago. My review
3 Exiles by Ciler Ilhan
A powerful collection of short stories that lay bare modern turkish life. I loved the way she weaved recurring themes and motifs into these stories .From american involvement in Turkey to Honour killing no subject is taboo in this collection . My review
4.
Innocence or Murder on a steep street by Heda Margolius Kovaly
A czech crime novel written by a writer who translated the best known Noir writers in Czech pays homage to them in this story better known for her non fiction work under a cruel star about her time under communism. my review
5
Thanks for not reading by Dubravka Ugresic
A collection of essays around the world of books takes the two-fold look back at the years under communism when writers where in one way gods to the modern-day when she sees Joan Collins opening London book fair and ask why the west has fallen for Celeb memoirs and fiction . My review
7
Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich
When she won the nobel last year few people had read her books I had managed to read this just before. Her style is to talk to every one involved in a situation and then writer their stories but it is the way she draws you into the lives affected and the wider picture of the fallout of the Chernobyl disaster. My Review
8.
The passion according to GH by Clarice Lispector
One of the writers I have really enjoyed the last few years is the late brazilian modernist writer Clarice lispector this follows one womans descent into madness over the course of one day. I have her stories to read soon and another novel so there is plenty of her to read out their. My review
9
The woman who fed the dog by Kristien Hemmerechts
The story is based on the wife of Marc Dutroux the most Well known serial killer in Belgium history one woman who saw but didn’t see what he was doing. The book lives you wondering whether see was a bystander or more. My review
10.
Decompression by Juli Zeh
A clever take on the love triangle story from the upcoming German writer Juli Zeh .My review
There is many more female writer in translation on the blog to find but here is a good selection of fiction and non-fiction.
Wonderful list Stu … including a few I’d love to read. Thanks for putting it together. I’m particularly interested in Barbel (I gave it to my brother on the basis of your review a few years ago), Ugresic and Lispector (who has been recommended by a few bloggers, including you).
Lispector worth reading if you have like woolf you would love her
You’ve got me, Stu. I do like Woolf. She is certainly on my radar.
Great collection, Stu! I might use it to start off a new list at Listopia, and then we can keep adding to it…
Great idea
This list is full of fantastic-looking reads. I wish I could read every one.
Thanks
Correction, there’s already a list there … so I’ve added these to it:)
Really good choices here – thank you.
Thanks Marina
Great list, although to be honest I’ve bookmarked it to read later as I didn’t get past your second choice, getting distracted by the football on the cover, (and that got me thinking about the FA Cup, and whether Leicester will win the League). Still, I’ve ordered it, so that’s something, and will return to the list when my head’s cleared! 🙂
Of the writers on your list, I’ve only read Lispector, but there are lots of great suggestions here. Thanks, Stu.
Welcome Jacqui
Great list! So many writers I’d like to read.
Brilliant idea and a fabulous list Stu, loved Stone in a Landslide, one of my favourite Peirene’s too. That’s the only one I’m familiar with, great to have this reference, thank you so much!
Thanks for sharing these recommendations
Nice list – maybe a bit short and hardly any classic on it. I know the names of several of the authors, but have only read two books by Juli Zeh so far which is easy for me because I’m a native speaker of German in a German-speaking country ;-).
Translations on the English-language book market are altogether a big desaster. It’s ever again shocking how many important writers are left out. On the female side I’d like to mention Croatian writer Zagorka (with a statue in Zagreb and all of her novels in the Library of Congress according to Wikipedia – untranslated to date) and Bolivian Adela Zamudio aka Soledad whose birthday on 11 October has become the “Day of Bolivian Women”. Their books are classics. Who knows what gems we’re missing!
Thank you – what a fantastic and enticing list!