Not Lost in Translation: 10 Books
This month’s feature “Not Lost in Translation” where we’re encouraging Perennial readers to discover (or rediscover) the classics — and even discover some modern ones — with these books, all of which have been translated from their original languages. Not Lost in Translation: 10 Books
Once upon a time, the world’s first great story was written in Greek. Slowly, many others followed — in French, Russian, Italian, and many other languages. Each one helped shape the idea of literature we have today, with remarkable tales set in southern Spain, monarchical France, or post-war Troy. Now translated by some of the world’s leading experts, here are 10 classic tales that were definitely not lost in translation.
Paula by Isabel Allende
“Listen, Paula. I am going to tell you a story so that when you wake up you will not feel so lost.” So begins Isabel Allende’s heart-rending memoir, written while her young daughter Paula lays in a coma. Narrated in the same magical manner of The House of the Spirits, Paula is a powerful story of the intimate secrets we pass along, the astounding anecdotes of our youth, and the childhood memories that shape us forever.
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Widely regarded as the world’s first modern novel and one of the best ever written, Don Quixote is the humorous yet tragic adventure of a noble knight-errant and his faithful squire in 16-century Spain. Recognized as its definitive translation, Edith Grossman’s translation of Don Quixote stays true to de Cervantes’ original masterpiece.
The Essential Tales of Chekhov by Anton Chekhov
Just as Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky altered the course of Russian fiction, Anton Chekov led that of short fiction. Featuring the great classics “The Lady with the Dog” and “The Darling,” this essential volume also boasts lesser known gems such as “A Blunder” and “Champagne.” With themes that are as relevant today as they were a century ago, The Essential Tales (edited and with an introduction by Richard Ford) offers a perfect balance of Chekov’s empathetic storytelling.
The Odyssey of Homer by Homer
Homer’s Odyssey remains one of the most influential texts in the Western canon, and a fundamental of all literary education. Richmond Lattimore’s translation of Greek hero Odysseus’s arduous journey home after the Trojan War is known for its expressiveness and remarkable closeness to Homer’s original text.
Berlin by Pierre Frei
It’s 1945, Berlin. The uneasy peace between the defeated Germans and the occupying Americans is tested by the discovery of a body near Uncle Tom’s Cabin military station. Soon, two men from both sides of the struggle realize they must join forces to solve this brutal killing. Set against the backdrop of a city struggling to come back to life, Berlin is an atmospheric whodunit of intertwined dramas and a compelling portrait of the legacy of war.
The Autumn of a Patriarch by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Hailed as one of the most complex works of Novel Prize-winning Gabriel García Márquez, The Autumn of the Patriarch is a brilliant tale of a Caribbean tyrant and the corruption of his boundless power. Having gifted the world with the incomparable One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera, García Márquez delivers a haunting — and unique — meditation on the best and worst in human nature.
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
We’ve all chanted the unforgettable motto: “one for all, all for one.” Now, you can relive Alexandre Dumas’s classic tale in its most vivid English translation. Country boy d′Artagnan is desperate to join the King′s elite band of bodyguards‚ the Musketeers. And when his fiery loyalties and incredible sword skill manage to impress Porthos‚ Aramis and Athos‚ the three musketeers and d′Artagnan become friends for life — until a deadly secret threatens to separate them.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Originally written in Portuguese, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is the most widely translated novel in the world, with the tally currently standing at 67 languages (in 150 countries). With over 60 million copies sold worldwide, this touching story of self-discovery is one that has retained all of its magic in translation.
I’m Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti
A phenomenal success in its native Italy, I’m Not Scared begins on a hot summer day, with the children of a small hamlet playing in the surrounding fields. But when 9-year-old Michele makes a shocking discovery, his entire life is forever changed.
Vita by Melania Mazzucco
When the steamship The Republic sails into Ellis Island, Diamante and Vita are thrust into the chaos and splendor of New York City, and a struggle to survive, grow up and, above all, become American. From journeys west in search of opportunity to journeys back to Italy in search of their roots, Vita is an epic tale of two children against the world, and biography of the immigrants who helped shape America.
