Uzbekistan 🇺🇿: The Dancer from Khiva by Bibish, tr. Andrew Bromfield

Posted on by jessenana

I finished this book whilst spending Christmas last year on Koh Rong Island, Cambodia. In a Nutshell: This memoir recounts Bibish’s childhood in Uzbekistan, getting married and time spent living in Russia with her husband and children. Themes: Love, loss, family, identity and the many hardships women worldwide have to endure. Warning: there is mention … Continue reading Uzbekistan 🇺🇿: The Dancer from Khiva by Bibish, tr. Andrew Bromfield

Belarus 🇧🇾: Last Witnesses: Unchildlike Stories by Svetlana Alexievich, tr. Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsky

Posted on by jessenana

In a Nutshell: This book was published in 1986 and it was translated into English and published a couple of years ago. It tells the story of the children, now adults, who survived the Nazi invasion on the eastern front of WW2. This book documents the memories of children who survived. Over 100 testimonies, which … Continue reading Belarus 🇧🇾: Last Witnesses: Unchildlike Stories by Svetlana Alexievich, tr. Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsky

Gabon 🇬🇦: Awu’s Story by Justine Mintsa, tr. Cheryl Toman

Posted on by jessenana

Some time last year, I tweeted that I was looking for books by women from certain African countries, someone recommended this book, and it doesn’t disappoint. In a Nutshell: Awu’s Story is a story of Awu and her marriage to Obame, and of old traditions in Northern Gabon grappling with the change of modern customs in … Continue reading Gabon 🇬🇦: Awu’s Story by Justine Mintsa, tr. Cheryl Toman

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

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

#WorldKidLitWednesday: Terminal 3

Posted on by Karthika G

Set against the backdrop of the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, this young adult graphic novel captures the aspirations of sportspersons from the region and what it costs to pursue their dreams. Dominantly rendered in hues of pastel reds and greens, Terminal 3 tells the story of 17-year-old Khwab Nazir, a young jiu-jitsu player. The book opens … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Terminal 3

#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

#IntlYALitMonth: given

Posted on by Julia E. Torres

given, Volume 1 is the first title in a series (stylized in all lower case) from mangaka (manga creator) Natsuki Kizu. On its surface, given is a story about four high school and college students forming an amateur band. Underpinning that ‘simple’ premise however, is a rich opening tale on grief, healing, and relationships. The … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth: given

#IntlYALitMonth: Thirty Talks Weird Love

Posted on by Julia E. Torres

Thirty Talks Weird Love If you could go back in time and visit your thirteen-year-old self, what would you say to them? Do you think they would listen? That is precisely what happens to thirteen-year-old Anamaria Aragón Sosa in this artful novel-in-verse by Alessandra Narváez Varela; Thirty Talks Weird Love. Set in Cuidad Juárez, Mexico … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth: Thirty Talks Weird Love

#IntlYALitMonth: The Blue Book of Nebo

Posted on by Julia E. Torres

The Blue Book of Nebo, by Manon Steffan Ros Originally published in Welsh in 2021 by Deep Vellum Publishing, Manon Steffan Ros is also remarkably to credit for the translation of her book to English. This is hardly surprising as a deep love of the Welsh language permeates the succinct prose. With spare and intense … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth: The Blue Book of Nebo