Find yourself in Translation

We have a growing selection of books that are translated into English and there are some real gems here for the avid reader.

Tali Girls by Siamak Herawi and translated from Farsi by Sara Khalili, is a lovely small format title and the stories are based on the real lives, loves, horrors and dreams of three girls living in an Afghan village under Taliban rule. The stories are testaments of resilience and hope and a stark reminder of the suffering that women of all ages face under Taliban rule

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a delightful tale about a second hand bookshop in the suburbs of Tokyo. The book, written by Satoshi Yagisawa and traslated by Eric Ozawa, tells the hidden stories of the bookshop, through the eyes of Takako and her uncle Saturo, the owner who has devoted his life to the shop since his wife left five years ago. A delightful story of the healing power of books.

The last in our current collection in Scattered all over the Earth by Yoko Tawada. Set in a not wholly improbable future, where Japan has vanished into the sea, Hiruko thinks she might be the last Japanese person left alive. She sets off on a quest to find others who might still speak her mother tongue and meets new friends and has some crazy adventures. Lots to think about in this one including the concept of homeland and the meaning of language.

There’s one to look out for in 2024 too. We have been lucky enough to have a proof copy of Your Utopia by Bora Chung, author of Cursed Bunny, the 2023 must read translated title. The new collection doesn’t disappoint… pre-order before release date in February 2024