Found in translation
Literature in translation shows us how much we have in common with those in other countries — and how radically different people’s imaginations can be
Literature in translation shows us how much we have in common with those in other countries — and how wonderfully, radically different people’s imaginations can be. Here are five literary works that have recently been published for the first time in English; they’ve been championed by critics and excited readers too.
The Story of the Lost Child, Elena Ferrante (translated by Ann Goldstein)
Nine books and twenty-four years into her career, Ferrante (we still don’t know the author’s real identity) is becoming a literary household name on the strength of her Neapolitan Novels and this, the series’ fourth book, has just been longlisted for the Booker International. Her tales of female friendship, class conflict, and domestic strife strike chords with readers in many languages, and speculation about her identity is a global parlour game. At a time when authors supposedly need to sell themselves, her popularity is a curious and happy exception.