There's nothing better to take you around the world than the literature of different countries. From Italian to Indonesian, Georgian to Japanese, Pakistani to Palestinian, we're gradually covering literature from around the world. If you'd like to read recent novels from around the world, but don't much mind which country, we also cover the International Booker Prize, awarded annually for the best novel translated into English. Our list of the best books by Nobel Prize in Literature winners is also refreshingly global in scope.
Turning to specifics, in European literature we have recommendations of: The best classic French novels, the best contemporary Scandinavian literature, the best Italian novels, landmark Scottish literature, the best Belgian novel, and the best literature depicting the real Greece. Further east we have the best of Georgian literature.
In Asian literature, we have recommendations of the best modern Japanese literature, Indonesian literature, some of the classics of Chinese literature, as well as Chinese dissident literature. We also have the best Indian novels.
In African literature we have Nigerian novels, novels from Francophone Africa and the best South African fiction.
In Middle Eastern literature we have the best contemporary Egyptian fiction and best Israeli fiction as well as the classics of Arabic literature.
In Latin American literature, we have recommendations of the best Cuban novels, Mexican novels, Colombian novels as well as the best novels from Latin America as a whole.
For Australasia, we have the best Australian novels and Australian crime fiction.
We also have selections specifically on the best of English literature, American literature, and Russian literature. Discover the latest books in our selection of new in world literature.
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1
Recollections of Things to Come
by Elena Garro, translated by Ruth L.C. Simms, illustrated by Alberto Beltrán -
2
Cartucho
by Nellie Campobello, translated by Doris Meyer -
3
Balún Canán
by Castellanos Rosario -
4
Pedro Páramo
by Juan Rulfo, translated by Margaret Sayers Peden -
5
Aura
by Carlos Fuentes, translated by Lysander Kemp
Five of the Best Classic Mexican Novels, recommended by Ave Barrera
Five of the Best Classic Mexican Novels, recommended by Ave Barrera
We asked the award-winning Mexican novelist Ave Barrera—whose latest book, The Forgery, has recently been translated into English—to recommend five classic Mexican novels. Here she discusses her choices, which include books by Juan Rulfo, Elena Garro and Nellie Campobello.
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1
Phoolsunghi
by Pandey Kapil, translated by Gautam Choubey -
2
The Bronze Sword of Tengphakhri Tehsildar
by Indira Goswami, translated by Aruni Kashyap -
3
The Upheaval
by Pundalik Naik, translated by Vidya Pai -
4
Battles of Our Own
by Jagadish Mohanty, translated by Himansu S. Mohapatra and Paul St-Pierre -
5
Sarasvatichandra
by Govardhanram Madhavram Tripathi, translated by Tridip Suhrud
The Best South Asian Novels in Translation, recommended by Jenny Bhatt
The Best South Asian Novels in Translation, recommended by Jenny Bhatt
The writer and translator Jenny Bhatt selects five key works of South Asian literature, all historical novels available in English translation, that showcase the richness and diversity of the region’s lesser known languages: from a modernist classic decrying the depradations of the coal mining industry to a ‘loose, baggy monster’ of a Victorian novel exploring utopian ideals.
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1
Voroshilovgrad
Serhiy Zhadan, Reilly Costigan-Humes & Isaac Stackhouse Wheeler (translators) -
2
Cassandra: A Dramatic Poem
by Lesia Ukrainka & Nina Murray (translator) -
3
The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister
by Olesya Khromeychuk -
4
The Moscoviad
by Yuri Andrukhovych, Vitaly Chernetsky (translator) -
5
The Torture Camp on Paradise Street
by Stanislav Aseyev, Nina Murray & Zenia Tomkins (translators)
The Best Ukrainian Literature, recommended by Sasha Dovzhyk
The Best Ukrainian Literature, recommended by Sasha Dovzhyk
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, many people around the world have become more familiar with the country’s recent history, but many of us still don’t know much about its literary traditions. Academic and activist Sasha Dovzhyk introduces five works of Ukrainian literature, from an early 20th-century dramatic poem to devastating first-person accounts of the war that started in 2014.
The Best Recent Novels from Francophone Africa, recommended by Mutt-Lon
The award-winning Cameroonian novelist Mutt-Lon selects five of the best recent novels from Francophone Africa, including Mohamed Mbougar Sarr’s Prix Goncourt-winning La plus secrète mémoire des hommes. These novels, he notes—as with many others from West and Central Africa—are united by a common search for identity in post-colonial Africa.
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1
Death in Spring
by Mercè Rodoreda, Martha Tennent (translator) -
2
Learning to Talk to Plants
by Marta Orriols, Mara Faye Lethem (translator) -
3
The Art of Wearing a Trench Coat
by Sergi Pàmies, Adrian Nathan West (translator) -
4
Permafrost
by Eva Baltasar & Julia Sanches (translator) -
5
When I Sing, Mountains Dance
by Irene Solà & Mara Faye Lethem (translator)
The Best Catalan Fiction, recommended by Gala Sicart
The Best Catalan Fiction, recommended by Gala Sicart
For a long time, Catalan fiction was eclipsed by books in Spanish but these days it’s flourishing, says translator and editor Gala Sicart. Here, she recommends four of the best contemporary Catalan novels and one book of short stories, from the classic Mercè Rodoreda to her 21st-century equivalent.
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1
At Night All Blood Is Black
by David Diop, translated by Anna Moschovakis -
2
The Dangers of Smoking in Bed: Stories
by Mariana Enríquez, translated by Megan McDowell -
3
When We Cease to Understand the World
by Benjamin Labatut, translated by Adrian Nathan West -
4
The Employees: A workplace novel of the 22nd century
by Olga Ravn, translated by Martin Aitken -
5
In Memory of Memory
by Maria Stepanova, by Sasha Dugdale -
6
The War of the Poor
by Éric Vuillard, translated by Mark Polizzotti
The Best of World Literature: The 2021 International Booker Prize Shortlist, recommended by Lucy Hughes-Hallett
The Best of World Literature: The 2021 International Booker Prize Shortlist, recommended by Lucy Hughes-Hallett
Every year the International Booker Prize judges read dozens of novels from around the world, which are newly translated into English. Here Lucy Hughes-Hallett—award-winning author and chair of this year’s judging panel—talks us through the six books that made their 2021 shortlist of the best world literature.
The Best Vietnamese Novels, recommended by Sherry Buchanan
Vietnam has had a tumultuous history and its literature is one powerful way of trying to understand it better. Journalist, author and publisher Sherry Buchanan—who has spent two decades introducing Vietnam’s culture to English-speaking audiences—talks us through the best Vietnamese novels available in English, spanning the years from French colonialism to the 2016 Pulitzer Prize.
The Best Russian Novels, recommended by Orlando Figes
They’re among the finest novels ever written, often vast in their scope and ambitious in their subject matter. Some are long, others can be read in an afternoon. They’re also one of the best ways of understanding Russian history. Historian Orlando Figes, author of The Story of Russia, recommends his favourite Russian novels, from the 19th century to today.
The Best Contemporary Indonesian Literature, recommended by Dee Lestari
There’s never been a better time to be an Indonesian writer, says the singer-songwriter and bestselling author of Supernova Dee Lestari, as she recommends five fascinating works of contemporary Indonesian literature.
The best books on The Harlem Renaissance, recommended by William J. Maxwell
It was a golden age for American culture, a flourishing of Black literature, music and the arts that exploded in the 1910s and lasted through to the Great Depression. It was focused on Harlem, the area of New York City above Central Park, but its origins and its impact were much, much broader. William J. Maxwell, Professor of English and African American Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, recommends some of the best books on the Harlem Renaissance.
Five of the Best European Classics, recommended by David Campbell
Europe may be made up of many cultures but its component parts share an artistic and literary sensibility, says Everyman’s Library publisher David Campbell. Here, he recommends five European classics that everyone should read at least once in their life, including “the greatest novel ever written” and some lesser-known masterpieces.
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1
The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree
by Shokoofeh Azar, translated by Anonymous -
2
The Adventures of China Iron
by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated by Fiona Mackintosh and Iona Macintyre -
3
Tyll
by Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross Benjamin -
4
Hurricane Season
by Fernanda Melchor, translated by Sophie Hughes -
5
The Memory Police
by Yōko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder -
6
The Discomfort of Evening
by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, translated by Michele Hutchison
The Best Fiction in Translation: The 2020 International Booker Prize, recommended by Ted Hodgkinson
The Best Fiction in Translation: The 2020 International Booker Prize, recommended by Ted Hodgkinson
Broaden your reading horizons. Much of the most exciting, playful and inventive new fiction can be read in translation, says Ted Hodgkinson, chair of the judging panel for the 2020 International Booker Prize. Here he talks us through their shortlist of six novels.
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1
The Murderer's Ape
Jakob Wegelius, translated by Peter Graves -
2
Maresi
Maria Turtschaninoff, translated by Annie Prime -
3
The Cat Who Came in off the Roof
Annie M.G. Schmidt, translated by David Colmer -
4
Reckless: The Petrified Flesh
Cornelia Funke, translated by Oliver Latsch -
5
The Letter for the King
Tonke Dragt, translated by Laura Watkinson -
6
The Beast Player
Nahoko Uehashi, translated by by Cathy Hirano
The Best Kids’ Books in Translation, recommended by Adam Freudenheim
The Best Kids’ Books in Translation, recommended by Adam Freudenheim
There is no shortage of great kids’ books written in English, but reading books in translation can open up whole new worlds and surprising perspectives. Adam Freudenheim, managing director of Pushkin Press, talks us through some of his favourites among the many books he’s published for kids, translated from other languages.
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1
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones -
2
Celestial Bodies
by Jokha Alharthi, translated by Marilyn Booth -
3
The Years
by Annie Ernaux & translator - Alison Strayer -
4
The Pine Islands
by Jen Calleja & Marion Poschmann -
5
The Shape of the Ruins
by Juan Gabriel Vásquez, translated by Anne McLean -
6
The Remainder
by Alia Trabucco Zerán & Sophie Hughes (translator)
The Best Novels in Translation: the 2019 Booker International Prize, recommended by Bettany Hughes
The Best Novels in Translation: the 2019 Booker International Prize, recommended by Bettany Hughes
Bettany Hughes, author of Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities and chair of this year’s Booker International Prize judging panel, talks us through the six books they have shortlisted for the title of best novel in translation.
Best Contemporary Egyptian Literature, recommended by Humphrey Davies
One of the leading translators of contemporary Egyptian literature, Humphrey Davies, gives us his top choices.
The Best Goethe Books, recommended by David E. Wellbery
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) has been described as ‘the last true polymath to walk the earth’. A defining figure in German literature, Goethe coined the concept of world literature. And his literary and dramatic achievements are matched by his scientific work. David E. Wellbery, Professor of Germanic Studies at the University of Chicago and recipient of the Golden Goethe Medal, introduces us to the life and work of Goethe. He explores why figures such as Beethoven and Napoleon were magnetised to him, how Rousseau influenced Faust, and why Goethe’s Faust does not sell his soul to the devil.
The Best Native American Literature, recommended by Megan Tusler
“There’s a lot more diversity within Native American literature than many imagine,” according to Megan Tusler. The University of Chicago academic and cohost of the Better Read than Dead podcast recommends five fantastic novels which avoid “the authenticity shuffle” and demonstrate the range of literary production by American Indians.
Classics of Arabic Literature, recommended by Robert Irwin
The distinguished Arabist, novelist and historian Robert Irwin selects five classics of Arabic literature, from the Life and Work of Jahiz (aka ‘goggle eyes’) to a strange and complex Sudanese masterpiece
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1
The Knight in the Panther Skin
by Lyn Coffin (translator) & Shota Rustaveli -
2
Kvachi
by Donald Rayfield (Translator) & Mikheil Javakhishvili -
3
A Man Was Going Down the Road
by Donald Rayfield (Translator) & Otar Chiladze -
4
The Lame Doll
by Ani Kopaliani (translator), Besik Kharanauli & Timothy Kercher (translator) -
5
The Cushion
by Elizabeth Heighway (translator), Irakli Samsonadze & Philip Price (translator)
The Best of Georgian Literature, recommended by Gvantsa Jobava
The Best of Georgian Literature, recommended by Gvantsa Jobava
How does a country left in ruins by 70 years of Soviet oppression rebuild its literature? It starts from scratch and breaks all the rules. Gvantsa Jobava reveals the riches of Georgian literature, from 12th-century feminist epics to radical, experimental accounts of a post-Independence underworld
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1
Har døden taget noget fra dig så giv det tilbage, Carls bog
by Naja Marie Aidt -
2
Yahya Hassan: Digte
by Yahya Hassan -
3
Det är natten
by Karolina Ramqvist -
4
Wilful Disregard: A Novel About Love
by Lena Andersson and Sarah Death (translator) -
5
Moonstone: The Boy Who Never Was
by Sjón, translated by Victoria Cribb
Dorthe Nors on the best Contemporary Scandinavian Literature
Dorthe Nors on the best Contemporary Scandinavian Literature
Minimalism is big with the Danes while Icelanders favour magical realism; the Swedes keep it classical while the Norwegians get emotional. Man Booker International shortlistee Dorthe Nors takes us on a tour of the most exciting voices in contemporary Scandinavian literature.
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1
Gisli Sursson’s Saga
by Various -
2
Growth of the Soil
by Knut Hamsun and Sverre Lyngstad (translator) -
3
Shyness and Dignity
by Dag Solstad and Sverre Lyngstad (translator) -
4
Beatles
by Don Bartlett (translator) & Lars Saabye Christensen -
5
My Struggle
by Karl Ove Knausgård and Don Bartlett (translator)
Essential Norwegian Fiction, recommended by Roy Jacobsen
Essential Norwegian Fiction, recommended by Roy Jacobsen
Sagas old and new, from Gisli Sursson’s trials to Knausgård’s struggle, form the backbone of Roy Jacobsen’s selection of essential fiction from Norway, a country that is like ‘a black and not very polished diamond’, and where writers and readers seek out the human, ‘no matter how awkward, grandiose, sentimental, nostalgic, embarrassing, hyperbolic, stupid, hilarious or dangerous it may be’
Landmarks of Scottish Literature, recommended by James Robertson
Scottish culture is best understood as related to, but distinct from, that of Britain or England, says the acclaimed novelist James Robertson. Here, he selects five landmark works of Scottish literature, from Sir Walter Scott’s sweeping, panoramic social novels of the 18th century, through Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, to Nan Shepherd’s beloved nature writing.
The Best Modern Japanese Literature, recommended by Linda Flores
To the western eye, Japan often appears as a surprising combination of very advanced development, and extreme cultural peculiarity. Linda Flores, Associate Professor of modern Japanese literature at the University of Oxford, guides us through this discovery with five great works of modern Japanese literature.
The Best Contemporary Israeli Fiction, recommended by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen
The Middle East is so dominated by war and politics that all literature must be viewed through this prism, says Israeli novelist Ayelet Gundar-Goshen. She recommends the best Israeli novels.
The Best Italian Novels, recommended by Tim Parks
In the decades following Italian unification, its authors started writing in the new common language: Italian. Italy-based novelist Tim Parks introduces us to some of the best novels by some of Italy’s greatest writers.
The Best Italian Literature, recommended by Dacia Maraini
One of Italy’s greatest living authors, Dacia Maraini, nominates her choices for the best works of Italian literature.
The Best Transnational Literature, recommended by Mohsin Hamid
Beleaguered ‘citizens of nowhere’ will be pleased to know they have their own literary genre. For anyone who has ever wondered where they belong, or why, when you leave your home country, it’s never the same when you return, here are the best five books to read—including some by the greatest authors of the 20th century.
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1
Ib's Endless Search for Satisfaction
by Roshan Ali -
2
My Father's Garden
by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar -
3
Trial by Silence
by Perumal Murugan, translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan -
4
A Lonely Harvest
by Perumal Murugan, translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan -
5
The Far Field: A Novel
by Madhuri Vijay -
6
There's Gunpowder in the Air
by Manoranjan Byapari, translated by Arunava Sinha
The Best Indian Novels of 2019, recommended by Rana Dasgupta
The Best Indian Novels of 2019, recommended by Rana Dasgupta
India has a thriving literary community working in 22 official languages plus English, says Rana Dasgupta, the literary director of the JCB Prize: a major award for the best new novel by an Indian author. Here, he talks us through their 2019 shortlist.
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1
La Bibliothèque invisible
by Stéphane Mahieu -
2
Mirabiblia: Catalogo ragionato di libri introvabili
by Paolo Albani & Paolo della Bella -
3
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
by Laurence Sterne -
4
Nueva Enciclopedia
by Alberto Savinio -
5
The Afternoon of Mr. Andesmas
by Marguerite Duras
Enrique Vila-Matas on Books that Shaped Him
Enrique Vila-Matas on Books that Shaped Him
‘I like to show some restraint when it comes to making things up…’ The Spanish novelist Enrique Vila-Matas discusses the role of risk in writing, the ‘crisis of the novel’, and five books that have shaped his own work. (You can also read this interview in the original Spanish.)
Massimo Carlotto recommends the best Italian Crime Fiction
Journalists are no longer able to properly investigate organised crime in modern Italy — leaving it to crime fiction writers to pick up the slack, says the acclaimed Italian novelist, Massimo Carlotto. Here he chooses five noir novels that explore the reality of Italian corruption in highly original ways.
Border Stories, recommended by Claudia Sadowski-Smith
National borders are fertile territory for fiction, says literature professor Claudia Sadowski-Smith. She recommends five novels about migration and border crossings.
The best books on Translation, recommended by Edith Grossman
The award-winning literary translator Edith Grossman discusses books on and of translation that inspired her, and considers the trade-off that every translator faces, between fidelity and meaning
Memoirs of the Armenian Genocide, recommended by Thomas de Waal
More than 100 years after the Armenian genocide, author Tom de Waal chooses books that sidestep the politics and bring us back to the human story. He picks the best memoirs of the Armenian genocide.
Ma Jian on Chinese Dissident Literature
Writers in China are afraid to criticise the state and society, says London-based author Ma Jian. From the 3rd century BC to 2008, these five exceptional works show how it’s done.
South Asian Literature, recommended by Ahmede Hussain
The acclaimed author recommends the most exciting new writing out of India and South Asia, including accounts of 9/11 from a Pakistani perspective and an emigré’s return to an unfamiliar Bangladesh.
The best books on Cuba, recommended by Oscar Hijuelos
In 2011, two years before his death, Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Oscar Hijuelos told us about books that evoke the land of his parents, from a noirish take on contemporary Havana to the cabaret scene of pre-Castro Cuba
The Best South African Fiction, recommended by Imraan Coovadia
The South African novelist gives us an unvarnished view of the writer’s life, and explains how literature told the story of apartheid and why comedy is the easiest way to talk about race
The Best Latin American Novels, recommended by John King
From magical realism to political upheaval, John King, Professor Emeritus at Warwick University, recommends five essential works of Latin American fiction – and reveals what Jorge Luis Borges was like in person.
The Greatest French Novels, recommended by David Bellos
Booker Prize-winning translator David Bellos says Les Misérables is the greatest novel of all time. When it came out, “it was an event bigger than the launch of Titanic and Avatar put together.” He picks the five greatest French novels.
Edwidge Danticat on Haitian Literature
The acclaimed Haitian author chooses five must-reads from the riches of Haitian literature – including 19th-century poems by a ruler’s daughter.
Susan Abulhawa on Palestinian Writing
Acclaimed novelist and author of Mornings in Jenin chooses five books about Palestine by Palestinian writers. She says what she sees among the young people in Palestine is humbling, ‘they have such remarkable spirit’
The Best Australian Novels, recommended by Nicholas Jose
Australia is a highly urban place and yet the imagination of its writers goes to remote places and times, says Australian novelist Nicholas Jose. He picks the best Australian novels.
Georgina Godwin on Memoirs of Zimbabwe
Via five engrossing memoirs, the Zimbabwe-born journalist Georgina Godwin talks wistfully about her country; amongst the older generation, she says, there is a feeling that Rhodesia was sold down the river by Britain and things needn’t have turned out the way they did.