Kōbō Abe (1924-1993) — Japanese writer who produced surreal, existential works that were generally distanced from much of the particulars of Japanese history and culture. Despite being a recognized giant of world literature, and frequently mentioned as a Nobel Prize contender, a number of Abe's novels remain untranslated into English.

After 1996's KANGAROO NOTEBOOK, there were no further Abe novels translated into English for two decades. The drought ended in 2017 with a translation of the early BEASTS HEAD FOR HOME. And in March of 2026, a translation of THE TRAITOR is scheduled to appear.

Following is a list of Kōbō Abe novels in the order that they appeared in English translation (from earliest to latest).

THE WOMAN IN THE DUNES (1962 Japanese; 1964 English; translated by E. Dale Saunders)
THE FACE OF ANOTHER (1964 Japanese; 1966 English; translated by E. Dale Saunders)
THE RUINED MAP (1967 Japanese; 1969 English; translated by E. Dale Saunders)
INTER ICE AGE 4 (1959 Japanese; 1970 English; translated by E. Dale Saunders)
THE BOX MAN (1973 Japanese; 1974 English; translated by E. Dale Saunders)
SECRET RENDEZVOUS (1977 Japanese; 1979 English; translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter)
THE ARK SAKURA (1984 Japanese; 1988 English; translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter)
KANGAROO NOTEBOOK (1991 Japanese; 1996 English; translated by Maryellen Toman Mori)
BEASTS HEAD FOR HOME (1957 Japanese; 2017 English; translated by Richard F. Calichman)
THE TRAITOR (1964 Japanese; 2026 English; translated by Mark Gibeau)