Pick-a-Shelf discussion

Thanks, DG, I finally got to pick a shelf ;D

I've picked translated as this is a recent passion of mine especially when it comes to Indonesian literature. If you don't already know, I was born in Jakarta and lived there for the first 15 years of my life so I'm happy that their literature is getting some attention from the western world :) Also, I'll be going to Bali at the end of this month and I've only just found out that there's a writer's & reader's festival on the weekend we're there -I'm so EXCITED! :D

I only know 3 Indonesian lit that's been translated and I've read 2:

The Rainbow Troops: A Novel by Andrea Hirata -my review (there's a link at the bottom for the movie which included English subtitle)
Man Tiger: A Novel by Eka Kurniawan -my review ~if you like Haruki Murakami, I think you'd like this one
Beauty is a Wound by Eka Kurniawan ~on my wishlist!

There are a stack of other books on this shelf and ranged from classics to young adults (Crime and Punishment, Millenium trilogy, Inkworld trilogy, etc). There's Harry Potter too -though this would rather mean that it's been translated to other languages. My intention though is for books that've been translated from other languages to English. I hope you'd pick something popular and also something not so well known so you can recommend it and we can all add another book or two or five onto our tbr ;)

ooh, look what I found...

The Library of Shadows -looks like a Danish version of Shadows of the Wind ;)

I went from page 100 forward -a backward search!

and another one that looks interesting: There Once Lived a Mother Who Loved Her Children, Until They Moved Back In: Three Novellas About Family -that's 2 books to fit into Round 4 of Pursuit, yay!

The Son by jo nesbo.

Inkheartby Cornelia Funke. The author is german and many of her books have been translated. I looked her up and found she lives probably within an hour from me without traffic! Who knew.

Debi wrote: "The Son by jo nesbo.

Inkheartby Cornelia Funke. The author is german and many of her books have been translated. I looked her up and found she lives probably within a..."

That's so cool! I saw her at sydney writer's festival last year and she was talking about what she's working on -something involving folk tales from all over the world, it sounds really interesting... haven't look up her latest work yet but now that you reminded me... :)

I think I'll start with The Marco Effect by Jussi Adler-Olsen. I've read all the rest of the series, but somehow skipped this book #5!

I wonder if I can get Anna Karenina done?

Just in case I can't...The Redbreast, The Ice Princess, The Bookseller of Kabul or The Periodic Table

Bea wrote: "I wonder if I can get Anna Karenina done? "

You can! You can!

Bea wrote: "I wonder if I can get Anna Karenina done?

I did the audiobook recently. Not sure how I feel about it. Never sure if it is the book or narration when I am undecided on a book I have listened to.

It wasn't as heavy as I expected, so I think you can do it.

I already have All Quiet on the Western Front on my bedside to read.

Will keep looking ...

Perhaps also Memories of My Melancholy Whores

Oh, Amanda, All Quiet on the Western Front is such a beautiful and heartwrenching book! Be prepared to cry and to be shocked by the descriptions, though.

I read Inkheart in its original German version some months ago, but I didn't like it so much. I mean, it wasn't bad, not at all, and I absolutely loved the idea, but I found it a bit boring and slow-paced. Pity.

I have yet to decide what to read, this is also going to be interesting since I'm Italian, so translated literature means something different for me!

I love this shelf, very good choice, Tien!

So, here's what I already own:



and what's on my wishlist:



And this is only pages 1-5! As you can see, I love translated literature! :-)

ooh, Marina! Do you read many books in English? What we should ask you is recommendation on Italian books that've been translated to English :)

I have heard quite a number of people saying they're not that impressed with Inkheart which is a shame... I haven't read it but I've seen the movie and I really like the concept of it all.

I've really enjoyed 1Q84 & Suite Francaise. Didn't quite like Water Like Chocolate nor Doctor Zhivago. Veronika Decides to Die was pretty interesting & did like the twist! I didn't finish the 3 Musketeers though. Man, I loved the Disney movie, you know, but the book's so different... I couldn't get into it :(

Tien, yes I do, in fact I think this year I've been reading more books in English than in Italian! I usually like to read books in the language they were originally written in, which for me is only possible in four languages: Italian, German, English and French. The other books I read in translation, usually in Italian but sometimes in English if I can't find them in my mother tongue.

As for recommendations, I would definitely have to recommend Invisible Cities, which is one of my favorite books ever. I also read it in English some time ago as I was reading it for a "real life" English book club and I have to say the translation is really good. I would also recommend all books by Italo Calvino, for instance Our Ancestors: The Cloven Viscount, The Baron in the Trees, The Non-Existent Knight. Also, Elena Ferrante is all the rage these days, but I've only read The Days of Abandonment by her, which is in fact a really good book.

Tien wrote: "I have heard quite a number of people saying they're not that impressed with Inkheart which is a shame... I haven't read it but I've seen the movie and I really like the concept of it all."

I've read the first 2 books of the trilogy, and have to say I probably preferred the film, but the books weren't that bad, though perhaps longer than they needed to be.

Marina wrote: "As for recommendations, I would definitely have to recommend Invisible Cities, which is one of my favorite books ever. I also read it in English some time ago as I was reading it for a "real life" English book club and I have to say the translation is really good. I would also recommend all books by Italo Calvino, for instance Our Ancestors: The Cloven Viscount, The Baron in the Trees, The Non-Existent Knight. Also, Elena Ferrante is all the rage these days, but I've only read The Days of Abandonment by her, which is in fact a really good book. "

I've read Invisible Cities twice and enjoyed it, but wasn't as happy with Marcovaldo. I do like If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, but really want to get around to my copy of Italian Folktales one day.

Marina wrote: "Oh, Amanda, All Quiet on the Western Front is such a beautiful and heartwrenching book! Be prepared to cry and to be shocked by the descriptions, though.

I read Inkheart..."

I will have to keep that in mind, thanks Marina.

Tien wrote: "I've really enjoyed 1Q84 & Suite Francaise. Didn't quite like Water Like Chocolate nor Doctor Zhivago. Veronika Decides to Die was pretty interesting & did like the twist! I didn't finish the 3 Musketeers though. Man, I loved the Disney movie, you know, but the book's so different... I couldn't get into it :( "

I highly recommend anything by Haruki Murakami, one of my top 5 authors. I never finished Veronika ...

Amanda wrote: "I highly recommend anything by Haruki Murakami, one of my top 5 authors. "

I've only read Norwegian Wood by him and I liked it a lot, but it was ages ago. I need to read something else by this author. Thanks for the recommendation!

Tien wrote: "Thanks, DG, I finally got to pick a shelf ;D"

I was so amazed you've never picked that I asked if there was something in the rules, LOL!

I have this 3 but if I keep checking the shelf, I'm sure I'll have more (not including classics, which I never read for challenges and books which were originally written in English.)

Oh, D.G., do read Blindness, it's one of my favorite books! Have you ever read anything by Saramago? He has a writing style you can either love or hate, but the book is sooo beautiful.
On the other hand, I didn't like The Shadow of the Wind, but I do realize I am one of the few.

That's the one I'll probably end up reading, as I have it in audio.

I don't know if TSOTW counts for this as I have it in the original Spanish, so no translation. :)

Marina wrote: "I usually like tread books in the language they were originally written in, which for me is only possible in four languages: Italian, German, English and French.."

You're saying "only," and I'm thinking "Wow!" I'd love to be able to read in four. I struggle in Spanish, and usually have to have an English translation nearby. I'd struggle even more in German, and don't even try.

D.G. wrote: "That's the one I'll probably end up reading, as I have it in audio.

I don't know if TSOTW counts for this as I have it in the original Spanish, so no translation. :)"

If it's on the shelf, it counts. More power to you if you can read the original.

Another Spanish author I've really enjoyed that I haven't seen mentioned here is Arturo Pérez Reverte. I saw several of his on the list, but didn't focus at the time on which ones were there. I'd recommend especially The Seville Communion and The Flanders Panel. I gave both of them 4 stars.

Susan wrote: "You're saying "only," and I'm thinking "Wow!" I'd love to be able to read in four. I struggle in Spanish, and usually have to have an English translation nearby. I'd struggle even more in German, and don't even try. "

Haha, Susan, that's because I'm a translator and I know many translators or linguists who can easily read more languages than me. But still, I'm fine with that :-)

As regards Pérez Reverte, I've only read his The Club Dumas, which I really loved, I highly recommend it.

Wow! So many good choices.

I'll choose among these already on my TBR:
Metro 2033 -- I do want to read it, but it's nearly 500 pages, and I've been reading so many long ones recently.
The Strange Library
Faceless Killers
Jar City (#3 in a series -- too bad the first two aren't translated yet)
Ōoku: The Inner Chambers Vol 1

and these new ones that look worth exploring:
The Bat
Invisible Cities

I'll also go back some to Collected Fictions, by Borges, whom I love but find difficult, and therefore read sporadically.

Days of Abandonment also looks good, but perhaps too depressing for me to want to read right now. I've put it on my "considering" list for later.

Thanks for the recommendations, Marina.

You're welcome, Susan, any time.

Days of Abandonment is certainly depressing, so don't read it if you don't feel like it is the right moment in your life. I don't want anybody to get depressed!

You have never been able to be shelf picker, Tien? I didn't know that. But I have to say, I love this shelf. There are so many good books out there that were not originally written in English.

MY RECOMMEDATIONS
One of my top 10 books of all time (in fact, it is probably in my top 5) Is the Penguin Classics Edition of The Count of Monte Cristo. I have found that sometimes with translated works, the translator can make all the difference, and in the case of this edition of The Count, the translator did an amazing job of keeping to the original flow of the prose. Another all time fave of mine is The Shadow of the Wind, which is a beautifully written book. As for Russian Lit - The Gulag Archipelago 1918-1956 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is a favorite of mine.

Here is MY LIST to pick from:

Blindness - I started this book early on in my sojourn in this group (I forget what shelf it was for) and never got a chance to really get into it. I have been trying to get back to it ever since.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Daughter of Fortune
The Bat
The Ice Princess
The Iron King
Faceless Killers
The Housekeeper and the Professor This comes highly recommended
The Keeper of Lost Causes

Bea wrote: "I wonder if I can get Anna Karenina done?

Just in case I can't...The Redbreast, The Ice Princess, The Bookseller of Kabul or [book:The Per..."

I have tried to read Anna Karenina 3 times and I just could not get through it. Good luck to you if you try it. I know a lot of people think that it is a beautiful love story, but I felt it was just too depressing.

D.G. wrote: "That's the one I'll probably end up reading, as I have it in audio.

I don't know if TSOTW counts for this as I have it in the original Spanish, so no translation. :)"

It counts! And maybe it's better in Spanish...? who know... I know that it took me 2 tries; I DNF the first time around and the second time, I flew through it & loved it -it could be just timing...

Susan wrote: " More power to you if you can read the original. "

Spanish is my native language so no big accomplishment there. :)

If a book was originally written in Spanish, I try to read it in Spanish if I can get my hands on it. I haven't read a couple of books in Spanish in a couple of years though.

Marina wrote: "Oh, D.G., do read Blindness, it's one of my favorite books! Have you ever read anything by Saramago? He has a writing style you can either love or hate, but the book is sooo beautiful.
..."

I should read Blindness. I have it, and have loved anything I have read by Saramago previously.

I think I'm finally going to read The Master and Margarita for this shelf :)

While I'm waiting for others to arrive from my library requests, I've started Out, which I already own. I can't tell yet whether I'll like it or not. It's on the edge of being too gruesome for me.

I just put up the review thread for the November books. Sorry for the delay.

So - after making my list, it looks like I will actually be reading a book that is not on the list for my first translated book, lol. I will be reading The Glassblower by Petra Durst-Benning

Lyn (Readinghearts) wrote: "So - after making my list, it looks like I will actually be reading a book that is not on the list for my first translated book, lol. I will be reading The Glassblower by [author:Pe..."

That's on my TBR, too, Lyn. I'll be curious to see what you think of it. It looked to me like it might be good.

Susan wrote: "Lyn (Readinghearts) wrote: "So - after making my list, it looks like I will actually be reading a book that is not on the list for my first translated book, lol. I will be reading [book:The Glassbl..."

I have the first two in the trilogy, so I am really hoping that they are. I will post when I finish it.

I'm listening to The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Lahni wrote: "I'm listening to The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest"

I am listening to a book from the same series. The Girl Who Played with Fire

I am enjoying the audio version.

Matt wrote: "Lahni wrote: "I'm listening to The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest"

I am listening to a book from the same series. The Girl Who Played with Fire

I am enjoying the..."

I listened to that one and really enjoyed it! I think the narrator does a great job.

I just won a first to read book titled, love in lowercase by Francesc Miralles. Upon research I found out it was originally .It is also a translation. Who knew! Though I will not get it finished this month, I hope to come back to the translation review section and let you all know how it was.