resources for reading the world
Here are a few helpful resources to support you if you are interested in starting to read the world yourself!
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My List of Suggested Reads
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As I have been doing research for the challenge, I have been keeping track of the books I have found for each country in a spreadsheet. Click here to access via Google Sheets.
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'Reading the World' by Ann Morgan
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When I first decided to start the challenge, Ann's website was one of the first resources I found. She also completed the challenge in the space of a single year in 2012. Her website features a list of suggested reads for each country and she has also written a book about her world-reading journey.
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Read Around the World Challenge - Tracker and Suggestions
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The Read Around the World Challenge website offers a free platform to track your challenge progress on a map of the globe, as well as providing book suggestions from other readers for each country.
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Woman In Translation Project
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Less than 31% of books translated into English are written by women and only a minority of these are from non-European countries. 'The Women In Translation project seeks to rectify the imbalance in world literature, promoting women writers from across all walks of life, all languages, and all experiences'. Women in Translation month (every August) was started by Meytal Radzinski in 2014, and aims to promote women writers and translators, encouraging the reading community to support, read and discuss translated works by women writers. They have a fantastic list of translated books written by women on the resources section of their website.
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Narrative Muse
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The Narrative muse website is run by a community of passionate book lovers and provides personalised recommendations for your next read based on your preferences; their database includes a carefully curated list of books written by women and gender diverse people from all around the world. You can tailor your recommendations for the regions of the world you are most interested in. (They also offer recommendations for finding your next diverse TV show/movie as well!)
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Asymptote Journal
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The Asymptote Journal is 'the premier site for world literature in translation'. The magazine has featured work from 128 countries and 115 languages, including fiction, poetry, non-fiction, drama and interviews.
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Brittle Paper
Brittle Paper is an online magazine dedicated to African literature. They post updates on the latest news in African literature and their website also includes a helpful guide to novels from Africa as well as yearly top 100s and more specific book lists focussing on particular regions, languages or themes.
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Publishers of International Literature (UK)
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Here are some great publishers, most of whom are small independent or non-profit businesses, who publish international and translated books available in the UK:
And Other Stories - a not-for-profit publisher of inspiring contemporary writing, including many translations; they are committed to achieving gender parity in publishing.
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Charco Press - specialists in translating and publishing excellent contemporary Latin American literature for the English-speaking world.
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Comma Press - a not-for-profit publisher specialising in short fiction from the UK and beyond, including many anthologies.
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Dedalus Africa - an offshoot of Dedalus Books publishing translated works from Africa, including many 'firsts' from under-represented countries.
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Fitzcarraldo Editions - an independent publisher specialising in contemporary fiction and long-form essays, including plenty of translated works.
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Lolli Editions - an independent publisher aiming to introduce innovative writers from Europe and beyond to the Anglaphone world.
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Neem Tree Press - a publishing house focussing on writing from around the globe as well as Britain, including middle-grade and young adult books.
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Peirene Press - an award-winning independent publisher of new voices and great books from around the world.
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Peepal Tree Press - a publisher specialising in the best of international writing from the Caribbean and its diasporas.
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Scribe Publications - an independent publisher publishing both non-fiction and fiction, including the best in international and translated fiction.
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Tilted Axis Press - a not-for-profit publisher publishing mainly translated works from Asian writers.
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V&Q Books - publishes contemporary and literary fiction from German writers translated to English.
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3TimesRebel - a new publisher focussing on translating women writers from minority languages.
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