Celebrating National Translation Day: Amazing books that have been translated into English (from variety of languages)

Ove’s the grumpy old man next door, but can his grumpiness survive the young family that moves in? What follows is a heartwarming tale involving some cats, comedy, and unexpected friendships.

This contemporary novel has massive popularity in Sweden and abroad and will draw you in with its humor while simultaneously breaking and warming your heart.

There’s even been two film adaptations, A Man Called Ove (2015) and, more recently, the Tom Hanks film, A Man Called Otto (2022).

After burning out, Yeongju realizes it’s time to leave it all behind. She divorces her husband, leaves her high-demand job, and finally pursues her dream of opening a bookstore.

This is a story about starting over and being true to yourself . About finding healing and acceptance in your life, and of course, books.

Janina is content with her isolated life in her remote Polish village. She studies astrology, translates William Blake’s poetry, and does enough work to get by.

When a neighbor turns up dead, she finds she can’t help but stick her nose into it, but who wants to listen to the crazy reclusive grouch who prefers animals to humans?

This is a dark fairy tale thriller that won the Nobel Prize in literature in 2018.

This is the first published book in the popular Witcher series!

Come learn more about Geralt the Witcher with this collection of short stories. The series has inspired video games and a hit TV series, but did you know it was originally written in Polish?

Witchers have magic powers, which are enhanced by their rigorous training and a mysterious potion. They’re hired for tasks regular humans can’t do, and at least in Geralt’s case, he fights to protect the innocent.

As Rinatro’s grandfather likes to say, books have tremendous power. After his grandfather’s death, Rinatro finds himself faced with the decision to close their beloved second-hand bookshop, Natsuki Books.

Thankfully, there’s a talking tabby cat that needs Rintaro’s help. Can they save both the books and Rinatro? This is a heartwarming tale about loss and life, which will surely resonate with book lovers everywhere.

This is a creepy and captivating coming-of-age horror story like none other.

Gaspar’s mom dies mysteriously, setting him and his father on a journey that leaves them tangled up with an evil cult, also known as his mother’s family.

The story is split between London and Argentina and doesn’t sugarcoat the brutal reality of the 1970s dictatorship in Argentina. Part ghost story, part family story, this is a dark and captivating blend not for those faint of heart.

Reflecting on what it means to be a human through the lens of different kinds of beasts, this short story follows a cryptozoologist who documents beasts of all types in a fictional Chinese city.

It’s a dark and speculative tale described as both whimsical and daring, a true mashup of fantasy and literary. 

Are you familiar with China’s Cultural Revolution? If so, think again. This take on it includes a secret military project that’s trying to make contact with aliens.

The first in a three-book series, this story cleverly weaves together the foundation for a science fiction adventure of epic proportions. There’s an in-story video game, which may not be just a game, with secret missions, untold pasts, lots of secrets, and lots of scheming.

As perhaps can be expected given the time period, it’s not a light read, and there are a lot of dark undertones, but definitely one worth giving a try.

A nine-time winner of China’s Galaxy award and one-time Hugo winner , we can look forward to more of his work being translated to English in the future.

There’s a Netflix series that was released in March 2024, but I definitely recommend reading the book first.

I’d be remiss to discuss translated books without highlighting Scandinavian crime and thriller novels. One of Norway’s biggest names is Jo Nesbø.

Snowman is part of the Harry Hole police detective series and was even made into a movie. The unfortunate side effect of this story is that it might make you think differently about snowmen.

Taking place in Oslo in November, Hole must investigate the disappearance of what looks to be a dozen women who all disappeared on the first day of snowfall.