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Hello Readers!
Once again, it is August and Women in Translation Month. This is an annual celebration of books from around the globe written by women that have been translated into English, and as a world lit lover, it’s one of my favorite times of year. August is when I discovered gems, like The Summer Book, The Wall, and Convenience Store Woman. It’s when I first read books by authors who have become favorites, such as Magda Szabo and Svetlana Alexievich. (More on Alexievich below.) It’s when, no matter how hot it is outside, I can shiver in the cold of the Polar night with Christiane Ritter.
Below are some great titles that have been published since last WIT Month for you and your patrons to enjoy. Shop the full Women in Translation list in Marketplace.
Books You Should Know About
Chernobyl Prayer by Svetlana Alexievich, translated by Arch Tait and Anna Gunin
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Some people wonder why a writer best known as an oral historian won the Nobel Prize for Literature, but if you’ve ever read Alexievich, you know. I first read her during WIT Month in 2021, when I listened to Secondhand Time, her history of the end of the Soviet Union. The following year, I listened to The Unwomanly Face of War about Soviet women in WWII. She is utterly remarkable, and now her chronicle of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster has received an expert new translation.
Butterfly Heart by Moa Backe Åstot, translated by Agnes Broomé
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Young Vilda is the daughter of a Swedish father and Sami mother, navigating the difficulties of adolescence, from an inattentive best friend to losing her grandfather. The arguments between Vilda and her younger sister and incidents like managing her first period feel incredibly real and universal. This is a lovely coming of age novel written for teens, but entirely relatable to adults.
We Were Forbidden by Jacqueline Harpman, translated by Ros Schwartz
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Few books in translation have been as hot in recent years as Harpman’s I Who Have Never Known Men. If you were one of the many who fell under that book’s spell, this new collection of three novellas should probably be at the top of your TBR. The stories run from speculative to historical fiction to contemporary relationships.
Watermelon Pool by Bonsoir Lune, translated by Frances Cha
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Have you ever found a watermelon so refreshing you wished you could dive right into it? Then this adorable picture book is for you! It’s summer and it’s hot, but that’s okay—the watermelon pool is open, and this year, there aren’t too many seeds getting in the way.
The Village on the Edge of the World by Herta Müller, translated by Kate McNaughton
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Our second Nobel Laureate on the list, Herta Müller’s latest sees her recounting her life as an ethnic German living in communist Romania. She struggled to write as she wished, constantly at odds with the censors. But these battles could often be overshadowed by the constant paranoia even among friends, the random interrogations, and the memories of a brutal childhood in her own home. Moving and blunt, this is a remarkable look behind the Iron Curtain at day-to-day life.
The Witch by Marie Ndiaye, translated by Jordan Stump
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A tale of feminist magical realism, Ndiaye’s latest novel was shortlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize. (She shouldn’t feel bad for not winning. The winner, Taiwan Travelogue, is another great novel by a woman in translation that I actually wrote about for Libby Life.) The novel follows Lucie, who comes from a long line of witches, as she begins to train her twin daughters in witchcraft against their father’s wishes. Their talent turns out to be more than anyone expected.
Hollow Inside by Asako Otani, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori
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I mentioned earlier I’m a big fan of Convenience Store Woman. If you are as well, here is another short, quirky novel brilliantly realized by the same translator, Ginny Tapley Takemori. Hirai and Suganuma are two single women, heading into middle age with no particular interest in marriage, so they decide to share an apartment. In her spare time, Suganuma prints 3D figurines of people’s deceased pets. But are more than just the figurines hollow inside, and if so, will either woman find a way to fill the void?
Autobiography of Cotton by Cristina Rivera Garza, translated by Christina MacSweeney
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A novel only Rivera Garza could write, this book is a dual timeline story exploring her family history. In the modern day, a woman researches the history of her family, who were cotton workers in the 1930s along the US-Mexico border. Their lives intersected with the author José Revueltas, as well as the broader labor movement. At once journalistic and intimate, Rivera Garza’s unique prose is compelling.
If you’re interested in exploring more titles that center around world literature, you may like our literature in translation Readers’ Advisory List, which is updated quarterly.
New and Noteworthy in Translation
For more great lists, check out the Recommended Lists section of the Resource Center, home of all the great lists maintained by OverDrive’s staff librarians. Lists include bestsellers, favorite genres, kids and teens, LOTE content, seasonal favorites, and more!
Hot Lists
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Thank you for joining us on this week’s round up for Women in Translation Month! Reach out to your Digital Content Librarian or Account Manager for more information on how to provide the best content for your community.
About the author: Shelia did everything from answering questions at the Reference Desk to tech training to running a classic lit book club in her 17 years in public libraries. Now she helps other public libraries make the most of their OverDrive collections. In her spare time, she’s either writing or reading, usually with an opera playing in the background. If you ever run into her, ask Shelia about #WITMonth.