Celebrating Women in Translation Month with Essential Reads
This August, mark the celebration of Women in Translation Month with these nine must-read novels that blur voices, conventions, and genres, and challenge patriarchal violence and the disruption of war and revolution.
In celebration of Women in Translation Month, we highlight nine essential novels that showcase the power of women's voices in translation. These books, written by women from around the world, tackle themes of revolution, war, heartbreak, and sexual discovery, and blur the boundaries between reality and fiction.
Blurring Voices and Conventions
These novels showcase the art of translation, which fundamentally warps and re-interprets language. Some aspects of the original meaning may be lost in translation, but the beauty of translation lies in its ability to excavate new interpretations. The translators of these novels become secondary authorial voices, layered over the original like tracing paper.
| Book Title | Translator |
|---|---|
| A Breath of Life | Johnny Lorenz |
| Cold Nights of Childhood | Maureen Freely |
| Women Without Men | Faridoun Farrokh |
| Last Words From Montmartre | Ari Larissa Heinlich |
| Tomb of Sand | Daisy Rockwell |
| Murmurs From the Hills: Rwandan Tales | Mark Polizzotti |
| The Disappearing Act | Sasha Dugdale |
| Pact with the Devil on my own Skin | Soren Gauger |
| In Late Summer | Anđelka Raguž |
Challenging Patriarchal Violence and Disruption
Many of these authors contend with patriarchal violence and the disruption of war and revolution. Their characters have crossed boundaries either by choice or forced displacement, found themselves imprisoned or speaking from beyond the grave. These novels employ magical realism and allegory to challenge the idea of Muslim women as docile and submissive.
These novels are a testament to the power of women's voices in translation. They blur the boundaries between reality and fiction, and challenge patriarchal violence and the disruption of war and revolution. They are a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of human experience through the lens of women's voices.
Celebrating Women in Translation Month
Women in Translation Month is a celebration of the art of translation and the power of women's voices in literature. It was created in 2014 by Meytal Radzinski to address the under-appreciation of women writing in languages other than English. This month, we honor the translators who bring these novels to life, and the women authors who write with such depth and complexity.
These novels are a testament to the power of women's voices in translation. They are a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of human experience through the lens of women's voices. So, this August, join us in celebrating Women in Translation Month with these essential reads.
