intriguing international fiction series

  • Read the World: Translated Fiction

    For many of us, if we want to read fiction written in a language other than English we need the help of a translator. This past week Frank Wynne, chair of the 2022 International Booker Prize, called for publishers around the world to not only recognize the work of translators with full book cover credit,… Continue reading

  • Books Set in Tokyo

    We are well into the second week of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and while many events are held indoors, catching glimpses of the city as triathletes, runners and more move through it has me craving deeper engagement with the people and places of Tokyo. So I have turned, naturally, to fiction. Here are a few… Continue reading

  • Intriguing Middle Eastern Fiction

    In a return to our intermittent series on interesting international fiction, enjoy this snapshot of titles by Middle Eastern novelists published in the US in the last year. Beginning in Turkey, check out Elif Shafak’s latest novel The Three Daughters of Eve, a story set over a single evening in contemporary Istanbul, as Peri attends… Continue reading

  • Australian mysteries

    Australian mysteries

    Australia has long produced some great mystery writers: Peter Temple, writing the Jack Irish series about a lawyer and gambler turned PI, as well as a number of standalone crime novels; Kerry Greenwood’s post-World War I series featuring private detective Phryne Fisher, to name just two. But in just the last year, authors from Down Under… Continue reading

  • Intriguing East Asian Fiction

    Did you hear the announcement earlier this year, that the National Book Foundation will be adding a new award for the first time in 36 years, honoring works in translation? With that news, it’s a good time to continue highlighting some interesting international fiction published in 2017-18, this time from East Asia – Japan, Korea… Continue reading

  • Intriguing European Fiction Nov 2017

    As part of our intermittent, ongoing series rounding up interesting international fiction, let’s take a tour of European fiction published this fall in the US.  The Dying Game by Asa Avdic (Sweden) In this psychological thriller set on a remote Swedish island, Anna is supposed to fake her death and then spy on the reactions… Continue reading

  • Intriguing Latin American Fiction

    Only about three percent of all books published in the United States are works in translation, and many of those books don’t necessarily garner a lot of mainstream press. As part of our ongoing series highlighting intriguing international fiction, here is a glimpse of some recent, interesting novels from Latin American authors. Continue reading

  • Intriguing African Fiction, 2016

    Sitting down to write about international fiction can be overwhelming simply because there is so much good stuff available, and any entry will inevitably leave so much out. Consider this a glimpse of interesting novels coming from outside our borders – in this case, coming from authors in countries throughout Africa. Nigeria’s literary scene is… Continue reading