Just a few miscellaneous items today. First, I'm off to my library's quarterly book sale today. I'm not going to feel guilty about it as my library needs all the support they can get as mentioned here and here. As a matter of fact I feel it's my duty to spend big and add to their coffers! I'll let you know what I find!
The Slaves of Golconda are choosing a book to read October 29th. We're always happy to have new members, so please take a peek, and if you're interested add your name (and most importantly email address) in the comment area!
In light of yesterday's post I was contemplating just how many books I've read this year that are works in translation and what I might have on hand to read next. If I counted correctly I've read twelve books so far this year that were written in languages other than English: Norwegian, Swedish (two), Spanish (two), French (three), Italian, Icelandic, German (Austrian author), and in Dutch. Not too shabby really, but I really should read even more broadly--not just European and Scandinavian authors. At the moment I'm especially curious about books that are contemporary and specifically novels (as opposed to mysteries). Three of those I've read were classics and five were mysteries or crime novels.
So, what do I have on hand? A look at trusty Library Thing reveals two books by Naguib Mahfouz (the first two of the Cairo trilogy), and The Yacoubian Building, by Alaa Al Aswany--both authors are Egyptians. Books by Italian authors Natalia Ginzburg, Niccolo Ammaniti, Italo Calvino, and Malania Mazzucco. Lots of books originally written in French but most are classics or mysteries with the exceptions of Irene Nemirovsky and Milan Kundera (who is technically Czech but writes in French) and Andrei Makine (who is technically Russian but writes in French as well). I've got Chilean author Roberto Bolano's 2666 and a handful of other books originally written in Spanish but mostly by Arturo Perez-Reverte. One book by Polish author Bruno Schulz. A smattering of German authors (nearly all classics or a few mysteries). Some other authors as well, and lots of mysteries.
Really, I've got a reasonable (if small) selection. But what about authors that are being published today and are popular in their home countries. Do you ever wonder what other people are currently reading? What the literary bestseller in Poland or Russia or Iran or Brazil is? (Or even just a plain old popular read?). It's not that I don't already have plenty to read in English, but sometimes I wonder about the way others see the world. Am I not looking in the right places for these books? Have you read any good books lately that were translated from another language? Suggestions welcome.