In celebration of Ooligan Press’s first translated title, Continuum, being released, I have compiled a list of other must-read, translated titles for every kind of reader!
The Thief and the Dogs by Naguib Mahfouz. Originally written in Arabic.
This title is first on the list because it is considered a classic in both English and Arabic literature. Naguib Mahfouz was one of the first writers to introduce Arabic literature to the world, and each one of his titles is better than the last. I specifically chose The Thief and the Dogs for this list because when I was growing up, my mother talked about it constantly. She would say that she could taste the food being described and feel the pain portrayed on the pages, instantly giving me an emotional connection to the title. The Thief and the Dogs follows a tale of self destruction told in first and third person as a man released from prison becomes disillusioned with the world and people around him.
A Winter’s Promise (The Mirror Visitor Series) by Christelle Dabos. Originally written in French.
This title has an extremely special place in my heart. When I first began reading for fun in my twenties, I had no idea what type of stories I would be interested in. I went into a local bookstore and was recommended A Winter’s Promise. I was never a fantasy reader and never thought a translated title would change that for me. Three years later, I now have the entire Mirror Visitor series on my shelf! A Winter’s Promise follows Ophelia’s journey as she learns to navigate a new world after a forced engagement to Thorn, a highly ranked, bastard-born son. This title is an incredible introduction to young adult fantasy as Dobos includes common tropes from the genre, but does so in a unique and exciting new way.
Song for the Missing by Pierre Jarawan. Originally written in German.
Song for the Missing follows a Lebanese teenager after his recent return from Munich to Beirut. After the death of his parents, during the Lebanese Civil War, Amin was taken to live with his grandmother in Germany until it was safe to return home. Now, at the age of fourteen, Amin feels lost in an unknown city ruled by fear of the past. Jarawan takes his audience into the mind of a refugee returning to an unfamiliar home and the internal battle faced through it all.
The Book Jumper by Mechthilde Gläser. Originally written in German.
If you’re looking for a title to read with your little one, The Book Jumper is perfect for you. If you ever dreamed of physically entering the world of every story you read, then you may be a little jealous of the main protagonist Amy Lenox. Her goal? To protect the literary world and keep it in check. But this dream slowly turns into a nightmare as an intruder makes his way inside the stories and begins stealing from the classics, changing literary history in the process.