Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦 : Zlata’s Diary by Zlata Filipović, tr. Christina Pribichevich-Zorić

Posted on by jessenana

In a Nutshell: Zlata’s Diary is the diary of Zlata Filipović, with entries from September 1991-December 1993, it starts just before her 10th birthday. It is a moving, sometimes funny and very sad account of her experience of the Bosnian war as it hit her home city of Sarajevo. Themes: War, friendship, politics, love, childhood and … Continue reading Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦 : Zlata’s Diary by Zlata Filipović, tr. Christina Pribichevich-Zorić

Nicaragua 🇳🇮: The Country Under My Skin: a memoir of love and war by Gioconda Belli, tr. by Kristina Cordero

Posted on by jessenana

In a Nutshell: This book is Belli’s account of the Nicaraguan revolution, of meetings with Fidel Castro and Gabriel García Marquez and exile in Costa Rica and of her own political and romantic awakenings. A brilliant book, I was gripped from the very first page. I have now thought to myself of all the people … Continue reading Nicaragua 🇳🇮: The Country Under My Skin: a memoir of love and war by Gioconda Belli, tr. by Kristina Cordero

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Let’s Play Gonggi

Posted on by Klem-Marí Cajigas

Many of us adults now look back on our decidedly low-tech childhood pastimes with fondness. I remember playing hopscotch, for example, and partaking in neighborhood baseball games. In my family literacy work, I often encourage parents and caregivers to share their "old-school" games with their children. After all, play is a child's work— and adults … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Let’s Play Gonggi

Mozambique 🇲🇿: Neighbours: The Story of a Murder by Lília Momplé, tr. Richard Bartlett and Isaura de Oliveira

Posted on by jessenana

My dad and step-mum are champions of this project and for my birthday this year, they gave me two books, one representing Namibia and this one. In a Nutshell: This 130 page novella is part of the AWS (African Writers Series). It is a sort of whodunnit, it takes place on the eve of Eid, starting at … Continue reading Mozambique 🇲🇿: Neighbours: The Story of a Murder by Lília Momplé, tr. Richard Bartlett and Isaura de Oliveira

Fiji 🇫🇯: A Privileged Life Denied by Sarote Fotfiri Erasito (tr. Sarote Fotfiri Erasito) in Poems from the Edge of Extinction: An Anthology of Poetry in Endangered Languages (Ed. Chris McCabe)

Posted on by jessenana

In 2021, I started a podcast interviewing a different woman each month asking her twenty questions. You can listen to the podcast here. As a thank you gift, I bought each woman a copy of this book. This is one of my favourite discoveries in this project, a wonderful anthology on the world’s languages/dialects that … Continue reading Fiji 🇫🇯: A Privileged Life Denied by Sarote Fotfiri Erasito (tr. Sarote Fotfiri Erasito) in Poems from the Edge of Extinction: An Anthology of Poetry in Endangered Languages (Ed. Chris McCabe)

Azerbaijan 🇦🇿: Days in the Caucasus by Banine, tr. by Anne Thompson-Ahmadova

Posted on by jessenana

In a Nutshell: Days in the Caucasus, originally published in Paris in 1945, is Banine’s memoir of her childhood in Baku, from when she was born (1905) until she left for Paris in 1923. It was translated into English in 2019. Parisian Days, the kind of sequel to Days in the Caucasus was published earlier … Continue reading Azerbaijan 🇦🇿: Days in the Caucasus by Banine, tr. by Anne Thompson-Ahmadova

Italy 🇮🇹: The Little Virtues by Natalia Ginzburg, tr. Dick Davis

Posted on by jessenana

Back in 2o19, I was living in Tanzania. The week before Christmas, my husband and I were visiting family and friends in the UK. On one of the final days of our trips, I went Christmas shopping, the final stop was in Daunt Books in Marylebone, London, I was just about to pay for my … Continue reading Italy 🇮🇹: The Little Virtues by Natalia Ginzburg, tr. Dick Davis

Georgia 🇬🇪: The Eighth Life (for Brilka) by Nino Haratischvili, tr. by Charlotte Collins and Ruth Martin

Posted on by jessenana

Observations: The Eighth Life (for Brilka) is the 2020 winner of the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation. For more about the prize, read here. I read this wonderful book whilst away on holiday with my husband, I was 3-4 months pregnant, we were on a road trip around Cambodia: visiting Chhlong/Kratie, Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri. This … Continue reading Georgia 🇬🇪: The Eighth Life (for Brilka) by Nino Haratischvili, tr. by Charlotte Collins and Ruth Martin

Welcome to #WITMonth 2023

Posted on by jessenana

Hello! It is great to be back as a guest curator this year for #WomenInTranslation (WIT) month. A bit about me, my name is Jess Andoh-Thayre. I am from Brixton, South London. I currently live in Cambodia. Before living here in Cambodia, I lived in Tanzania with my husband, who is a diplomat. I have … Continue reading Welcome to #WITMonth 2023

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Batu and the Search for the Golden Cup

Posted on by Nanette McGuinness

Looking for a summertime middle grade adventure tale? Curious to learn about faraway places?  Then Batu and the Search for the Golden Cup* will be just the ticket for you! Set in Kazakhstan, Batu and the Search for the Golden Cup is the opening book in a coming-of-age fantasy series set in today’s world but … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Batu and the Search for the Golden Cup