Category Archives: World Literature

**Books translated from the original language to English**

Pereira Maintains – Antonio Tabucchi, translated by Patrick Creagh

Posted on August 17, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) When I picked up Pereira Maintains at Paperback Exchange in Florence, Italy, I had no idea how relevant this novel would feel today. Set in Portugal in the summer of 1938, during the rise of fascism … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Fiction, Italian Literature | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Almost Blue -Carlo Lucarelli (Author) , Oonagh Stransky (Translator)

Posted on August 7, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)     “That’s why I’m listening to the city tonight, with Chet Baker playing softly in the background.” Another book I picked up while visiting Bologna, Italy, was Almost Blue by Carlo Lucarelli at Feltrinelli Librerie. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Italian Literature | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Toulouse Noir – Charles Henri Lavielle (Editor), David and Nicole Ball (translators)

Posted on August 4, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) I’ve now read thirteen books in the Akashic Noir series, and one thing I’ve learned is that you don’t need to know a city to appreciate its stories. In fact, I’ve enjoyed several collections set in … Continue reading →

Posted in French Literature, Short stories | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Buyer Beware – Catherine Ryan Howard

Posted on July 28, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Set on the outskirts of Dublin in 2025, Buyer Beware follows Ellie as she moves into the first home she’s ever owned. Unfortunately, it’s cold, filthy, and falling apart, and with little money to spare, she can … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Irish Literature, Reviewers' Top Picks | Tagged , | Comments Off on Buyer Beware – Catherine Ryan Howard

Happy Life – David Foenkinos (Author), Sam Taylor (Translator)

Posted on July 14, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Eric Kherson is forty years old, divorced, has little contact with his son, and is struggling to find meaning in his life. He makes a good living but feels disconnected from both his personal life and … Continue reading →

Posted in French Literature, Modern Literary Fiction | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Happy Life – David Foenkinos (Author), Sam Taylor (Translator)

Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop – Alba Donati (Author), Elena Pala (Translator)

Posted on July 10, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “People want stories; it doesn’t matter who wrote them, they need stories to take their mind off things, stories to identify with or to take them elsewhere. Stories that won’t hurt, that will heal a wound, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Italian Literature | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop – Alba Donati (Author), Elena Pala (Translator)

The Shy Assassin – Clara Usón, translated by Lily Meyer

Posted on May 1, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading The Shy Assassin by Clara Usón, but it completely surprised me. What begins as a curiosity about the mysterious death of Spanish “erotic” actress Sandra Mozarowsky … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, More fiction, Spanish Literature | Tagged , | Comments Off on The Shy Assassin – Clara Usón, translated by Lily Meyer

Another UnderratedRead Revisited: Affections: A Novel – Rodrigo Hasbún , Translated by Sophie Hughes

Posted on April 23, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Affections is an intriguing work of historical fiction based on true events following the once- close Ertl family. Hans, the patriarch, was a Nazi propaganda cinematographer, and the family fled Munich and arrived in La Paz, … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Fiction, Latin American Literature | Tagged , | Comments Off on Another UnderratedRead Revisited: Affections: A Novel – Rodrigo Hasbún , Translated by Sophie Hughes

The Presence of Men – Francesca Marciano

Posted on April 20, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) This novella immediately drew me in with its quiet emotional depth and evocative Italian setting. Starting over after divorce captures what it really means to rebuild a life. —messy, uncertain, and deeply personal. . Lara used … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Italian Literature, World Literature | Tagged , | Comments Off on The Presence of Men – Francesca Marciano

My Dreadful Body – Egana Djabbarova (Author), Lisa C. Hayden (Translator)

Posted on April 14, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Author Egana Djabbarova shares a story about identity, illness, and cultural expectations in her novel, My Dreadful Body. Set between Russia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, it follows a Muslim woman who feels like she belongs nowhere—not in … Continue reading →

Posted in Slavic Literature, World Literature | Tagged , , | Comments Off on My Dreadful Body – Egana Djabbarova (Author), Lisa C. Hayden (Translator)