Task 3: Read a non-European novel in translation

[Book Riot]

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 3rd Read Harder task.

[Caro]

I want to know if for this task Turkey and Russia are consider a European or a non European country.

[Kelsey]

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 would be great for this one. If you're into sci-fi, I also really liked Waste Tide.

[Maryam]

If you're into Sci-Fi this series is awesome too Remembrance of Earth's Past Series

[Milena]

Maryam wrote: "If you're into Sci-Fi this series is awesome too Remembrance of Earth's Past Series "

Yes, I read the first one, so this will give me incentive to get to the next one in the series.

[Maryam]

Milena wrote: "Maryam wrote: "If you're into Sci-Fi this series is awesome too Remembrance of Earth's Past Series "

Yes, I read the first one, so this will give me incentive to get to the next one in the series."
This even can go toward the first task too, too long and intimidating lol , unfortunately, I've read all three already.

[Rayne]

I'm thinking of using The Kite Runner. I think it fits.

[Milena]

Maryam wrote: "Milena wrote: "Maryam wrote: "If you're into Sci-Fi this series is awesome too Remembrance of Earth's Past Series "

Yes, I read the first one, so this will give me incentive to get to the next one..."

I did find the first one intimidating, now that you mention it. But I also really liked it.

[Maryam]

Milena wrote: "Maryam wrote: "Milena wrote: "Maryam wrote: "If you're into Sci-Fi this series is awesome too Remembrance of Earth's Past Series "

Yes, I read the first one, so this will give me incentive to get ..."

I really like it too.

[Denise]

One Hundred Years of Solitude By Gabriel García Márquez. I've had the book for years. I guess it's time to read it.

[Bonnie G.]

Brooklyn wrote: "I'm thinking of using The Kite Runner. I think it fits."

The Kite Runner is written in English. Are you reading it translated into another language?

[Shannon]

Cixin Liu The Three-Body Problem and the rest of the series have been translated as well as Ball Lightning

[Aylin]

Caro wrote: "I want to know if for this task Turkey and Russia are consider a European or a non European country."

I'm from Turkey and wouldn't consider it European. I think I'll read something Russian.

[Katie]

For those looking for things from Latin America, maybe try The Bitch by Pilar Quintana or Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor.

[Hannah]

I'm probably going to read One Hundred Years of Solitude (I meant to read it this year but had a huge reading slump!). I'm also considering something by Haruki Murakami.

I can recommend The Murmur of Bees. The prose even translated was gorgeous. It's long and sweeping but in a great way. I'm a sucker for magic realism (it would tick a box in Popsugar as well!)

[Elise]

The Best Translated Book Awards (BTBA: https://bit.ly/3mTXydK) are a great place to look for inspiration, as well. Their nominees usually represent at least 4 different continents every year.

[Kerresa]

The Brothers Karamazov

It was on a list for my book club this year and I didn't get to it.

[Amy J.]

Hannah wrote: "I'm probably going to read One Hundred Years of Solitude (I meant to read it this year but had a huge reading slump!). I'm also considering something by Haruki Murakami.

I..."

oh excellent. I have this book (The murmur of bees) and I've been wanting to read it

[Carla]

I definitely recommend The Shadow of the Wind

Though now I'm realizing that Spain is part of Europe so it wouldn't count for this task.

[Britt]

I'm going to do Love in the Time of Cholera - I read One Hundred Years of Solitude this year & while it took me a while to get through it, it was absolutely worth it.

[Karen]

I'm going to choose one from this prize site: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/w...

Considering White Horse by Yan Ge.

[Alli]

I have two that I currently own, so I will use one of them for this prompt.

[Lauren]

- I love the original movie adaptation and the first American one. I have to try the original novel.

[[deleted user]]

Alli wrote: "I have two that I currently own, so I will use one of them for this prompt.
"

i read the Good Son this year, it's great!

[Heather]

The Aosawa Murders looks good, especially if you enjoyed The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

[Rachel]

I've been meaning to read The Vegetarian for a while, so hopefully I'll manage it in 2021! I also have Convenience Store Woman and Tokyo Ueno Station, and my book club is planning to read Hurricane Season and Tender Is the Flesh next year (we have a very organised book club!)

[Emily]

Heather wrote: "The Aosawa Murders looks good, especially if you enjoyed The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle."

Thank you so much for suggesting this! I absolutely loved Evelyn Hardcastle. I will keep this book in mind.

[Patty]

Shannon wrote: "Cixin Liu The Three-Body Problem and the rest of the series have been translated as well as Ball Lightning"

Co-sign "Three-Body Problem."

[Patty]

Also, something by Haruki Murakami, such as "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage."


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorle...

[Michelle]

If you get a chance to read anything by Sayaka Murata, I'd highly recommend you take it! I read both Earthlings and Convenience Store Woman and they've both really stuck with me.

[Kathryn]

I read Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen for a similar BR challenge. Will find another book by her.

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

Some mystery/thrillers I recently enjoyed from Japan and South Korea would fit this task:

Japan:
The Honjin Murders
The Master Key

South Korea:
The Investigation
The Plotters

[Elizabeth]

I'm likely to get to either Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata or The Hole by Hye-Young Pyun first, so it will probably be one of those. I'm looking to read more books in translation though, so I'll see where that takes me.

[Breige]

Some books I'd recommend for this task

Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
Kitchen
The Vegetarian
Convenience Store Woman
Like Water for Chocolate
Fever Dream

I'll probably read Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Café as I already have it

[Kate]

Does anyone have any recommendations of books by Thai or Indonesian authors? I’ve realised that I’ve never read anything from either country so would love to fill that gap this year.

[Nupur]

I'm going to read Cobalt Blue for this one.

I would recommend Convenience Store Woman for this prompt, translated from the Japanese.

[Jamie]

one hundred years of solitude - it's been on my shelf far too long

[JoDee]

Kate wrote: "Does anyone have any recommendations of books by Thai or Indonesian authors? I’ve realised that I’ve never read anything from either country so would love to fill that gap this year."

Bright
Beauty Is a Wound

Bright is by a Thai author and I loved this book.
Have been meaning to read the Indonesian Beauty is a Wound but haven't yet.

[Bonnie G.]

Kate wrote: "Does anyone have any recommendations of books by Thai or Indonesian authors? I’ve realised that I’ve never read anything from either country so would love to fill that gap this year."

Try The Blind Earthworm in the Labyrinth. Its a critique of traditional Thai family dynamics but also has juicy fun moments.

[Ilana]

I read Convenience Store Woman last year and loved it. I’m going with The Honjin Murders and/or The Inugami Curse both by Seishi Yokomizo

[Elizabeth]

Seconding all the recs for Convenience Store Woman, as it's probably one of my favorite books and the audiobook is fantastic.

I think I'm going to read The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong, or the graphic novel Moms by Yeon-Shin Ma.

[Caro]

Aylin wrote: "Caro wrote: "I want to know if for this task Turkey and Russia are consider a European or a non European country."

I'm from Turkey and wouldn't consider it European. I think I'll read something Ru..."

I am confuse... You consider Turkey European or not European? I am always in confusion because is located in Europe and Asia (geographically speaking) same goes to Russia.

[Erika]

Caro wrote: "Aylin wrote: "Caro wrote: "I want to know if for this task Turkey and Russia are consider a European or a non European country."

I'm from Turkey and wouldn't consider it European. I think I'll rea..."

Turkey is not considered European. While a small portion of it is situated in Europe, the majority is in Asia and Turkey is considered a Middle Eastern country

[Erika]

Also, came here to post that I plan to read 魔道祖師 一 Mo Dao Zu Shi Vol. 1 for this task.

Edit: Or maybe Tsuki no Sango by Kinoko Nasu

Edit the second: And I think I'm actually going to go with Deathbound Duke's Daughter: Volume 1 by Terasu Senoo

[Mandi]

Figured I'd end up going with Confessions since I never got around to it last time there was a book in translation prompt, but you all really sold me on Convenience Store Woman. Ironically, it would appear I added this to my TBR back in 2018 and forgot about it.

(edited to change to correct book since I don't want to lead anyone astray with one that is not actually a novel in translation)

[Bonnie G.]

Mandi wrote: "Figured I'd end up going with Never Let Me Go since I never got around to it last time there was a book in translation prompt, but you all really sold me on [book:Convenience Store Woma..."

Never Let Me Go is written in English so Convenience Store Woman is a great choice.

[Mandi]

Bonnie G. wrote: "Mandi wrote: "Figured I'd end up going with Never Let Me Go since I never got around to it last time there was a book in translation prompt, but you all really sold me on [book:Convenie..."
Well, that's mortifying and now I'll have to go check my old post to see what book I actually meant. Thank you for the correction!

[Bonnie G.]

Mandi wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "Mandi wrote: "Figured I'd end up going with Never Let Me Go since I never got around to it last time there was a book in translation prompt, but you all really sold me..."

OMG please don't be mortified! I totally did not mean that to be nasty. I am so sorry if it came off that way.

[Jessica]

My top options are
- Ring (which I only recently found out was a book first)
- Frankenstein in Baghdad
- The Aosawa Murders

[Mandi]

Bonnie G. wrote: "Mandi wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "Mandi wrote: "Figured I'd end up going with Never Let Me Go since I never got around to it last time there was a book in translation prompt, but you all ..."
Oh no, you have nothing to be sorry for. You didn't come off nasty at all! I genuinely appreciate being corrected rather than continuing to think/say something incorrect. I just felt stupid but now that I actually checked my 2018 challenge plan I know that the the book I was thinking of was Confessions.