Read Globally

It’s a big world out there, full of creativity all over the globe. We are always looking to expand our horizons and yours. To help us do that, here are six new novels in translation that were published during the first 3 months of 2021; each one a glimpse into another country.

My Grandmother's Braid by Alina Bronsky Translated from Russian by Tim Mohr

Alina Bronsky writes of family dysfunction and machinations with a droll and biting humor, a tremendous ear for dialog, and a generous heart that is forgiving of human weakness. Here the best-selling and internationally renowned author, while never abandoning her trademark and razor-sharp wit, tells a family story through a young boy's eyes.

Game of the Gods by Paolo Maurensig

Translated from Italian by Anne Milano Appel

Inspired by the unlikely true story of chess master Malik Mir Sultan Khan, Game of the Gods is a fascinating tale of karma and destiny. The exceptionally talented chess player Malik is turned into a human pawn in a game of warfare which will decide the outcome of World War II.

A Beast in Paradise by Cécile Coulon Translated from French by Tina Kover

A haunting novel about a lineage of women possessed by their land. Winner of the Le Monde Literary Prize, this French bestseller tells a feverish, whispered story about characters and places haunted by madness, desire, and liberty.

How to Order the Universe by María José Ferrada

Translated from Spanish by Elizabeth Bryer

María José Ferrada expertly captures a vanishing way of life and a father-daughter relationship on the brink of irreversible change. At once nostalgic, dangerous, sharply funny, and full of delight and wonder, How to Order the Universe is a richly imaginative debut and a rare work of magic and originality.

The High Rise Diver by Julia von Lucadou

Translated from German by Sharmila Cohen

For readers of The Handmaid’s Tale, The Circle, and Brave New World comes a chilling and distressingly plausible dystopia which creates a world in which performance is everything and one woman’s failure to achieve becomes another’s downfall.

There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura

Translated from Japanese by Polly Barton

This is the first time Kikuko Tsumura--winner of Japan's most prestigious literary award--has been translated into English. There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job is as witty as it is unsettling--a jolting look at the maladies of late capitalist life through the unique and fascinating lens of modern Japanese culture.