Women in Translation Month 2026

 

August has become Women in Translation month in the book world and it does always come as a good reminder to me to make sure that I am reading books by men and women, as well as ones that are translated by men and women.

I read 10 books (or novellas) in translation in August, and 8 of these were by women which was pleasing to see. I did also read a novel written by someone who is also a translator.

The books I read were:

• The Little I Knew (Foundry Editions) by Chiara Valerio, tr. Ailsa Wood
• Co-Wives, Co-Widows (Dedalus Books) by Adrienne Yabouza, tr. Rachael McGill.
• The Summer Book (Sort Of Books) by Tove Jansson, tr. Thomas Teal
• I Don't Care (Penguin) by Agota Kristof, tr. Chis Andrews
• The Lady Bandit (Penguin) by Emilia Pardo Bazan, tr. Robert M. Fedorchek
• Now Let's Dance (Orion) by Karine Lambert, tr. Anthea Bell
• Repatriation (Foundry Editions) by Eva Guerra, tr. Clodagh Kinsella
• Like Water for Chocolate (Penguin) by Laura Esquivel, tr. Carol and Thomas Christensen

They were all good in very different ways but I think the one that surprised me the most was Like Water for Chocolate as in the past I've not really got on with magical realism as a genre but this one just captivated me.

Overall this year so far I've read 73 books in translation and even without picking female authors consciously (apart from in August) 40 of them have been by women which pleases me.