It’s Women in Translation Month!
It’s Women in Translation Month! Like it says on the Women in Translation website, “Every August, readers from all continents around the world (except Antarctica, but we’ll get those penguins yet!) gather in spirit (and sometimes in person) to read, review, and discuss works by women writers in translation.” I first started observing #WITmonth back in 2016 and have loved it ever since. So today, we’re looking at two different nonfiction titles by women in translation. But first, bookish goods!
Bookish Goods
Woman Reading Sticker by LittleWolfStickerCo
Some days, you just need a sticker of a woman reading. I love these black-and-white illustrations of a Victorian bookworm. $3
New Releases
Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels by Ellen Ruppel Shell
Microhistory and true crime lovers will both love this fascinating story of the history of eels and the black market fueled by selling them illegally. Eels cannot be bred in captivity, and Ellen Ruppell Shell describes the extremely lucrative black market industry that has risen up around selling young eels illegally.
On a Move: Philadelphia’s Notorious Bombing and a Native Son’s Lifelong Battle for Justice by Mike Africa Jr. with D. Watkins
In May of 1985, Philadelphia police dropped a bomb on a residential neighborhood. Mike Africa Jr. chronicles how the police were pushing back against MOVE, a Black-led organization seeking liberation for people under all forms of oppression. Africa Jr. details his parents’ involvement in MOVE and the childhood he spent witnessing the aftermath of the bombing.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Frantumaglia: A Writer’s Journey by Elena Ferrante, Translated from Italian by Ann Goldstein
As a fan of My Brilliant Friend, I knew I wanted to read Ferrante’s nonfiction. So a few years ago, I picked up Frantumaglia, which contains a lot of essays that came out before the success of Ferrante’s Neapolitan quartet. These essays discuss the reception of her novel, the film adaptations, and her thoughts about written and visual arts. Since Elena Ferrante is a pseudonym, these essays often feel like secret missives as Ferrante guards her identity while still engaging with her readers’ reactions to her work. I’ve read most of Ferrante’s novels and found it fascinating to see the publishing process from Ferrante’s perspective.
The Way Through the Woods by Long Litt Woon, Translated by Barbara J. Haveland
Long Litt Woon moved from Malaysia to Norway, married her husband, and made a life for herself as an anthropologist. But when Long’s husband dies, she doesn’t know how to move through life without her spouse. Then, she discovers the mushroom community, which helps bring her new joy. As Long works through her grief, she discovers a new passion that helps her through her days. The book is filled with all sorts of mushroom facts, giving readers a detailed account of what mushrooming looks like in Norway.
You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, on TikTok @kendrawinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles on Book Riot.
Happy reading, Friends!
~ Kendra
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