Friday Mood Recs: 7 books to read for Women in Translation month and beyond

Translated fiction for every type of reader

Hey, readers!

For the uninitiated, August is Women in Translation month and I know many readers who are using this month to prioritize exploring other cultures through the pages of books. Books in translation are something I’ve recently started to focus on more in my own reading life, and I’ve heard from more and more readers who are doing the same. But finding books in translation can be tricky. Sometimes it feels like the books that are most likely to be translated are the heavy, serious, literary ones. While that’s definitely the kind of book I like, I know they’re not for everyone. But translated literature belongs to all readers, whether you love deliciously frivolous novels, shockingly twisty tales, or deeply serious literature, today’s list has something for you!

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez, tr. by Megan McDowell. The stories in this collection range from eerie and gothic to darkly melancholic to full-on body horror. While some of these fall outside the typical boundaries of my taste, I was riveted page after page as Enriquez uses bold storytelling choices to comment on femininity, bodies, friendship, and passion. Whether you love horror or are just starting to dip your toes in, this is an excellent collection to add to your TBR.

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa, tr. by Stephen Snyder. The first Ogawa book I read was The Memory Police (a great read for fans of dystopian lit!) and so I was shocked by her range when I started reading this warm-hearted novel of friendship and found family. The novel follows a young woman and her son who take on the roles of housekeeper and companion to a brilliant math professor who can only retain 80 minutes of short-term memory. The bond that forms is sweet without being saccharine and Ogawa uses the motifs of memory and math to offer tiny glistening gems of life wisdom