Kate Webster – who translated Glimmer: From the Outskirts of Greenland by Ilona Wiśniewska from Polish – shares her thoughts on the importance of Women in Translation month and recommends some of her favourite books written and translated by women.

Women in Translation Month is so valuable because it draws attention to vital voices that might not otherwise be heard among the clamour of a male-dominated market. Certainly if we consider Polish literature – especially the classics – far more men than women have been translated into English. I’m keen to hear what women from around the world want to say, and I’m increasingly guided by that in both my reading and my translation work.

 

Here are Kate’s recommendations: 

 

We Do Not Part by Han Kang, translated by e. yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morris 

A magical, light-filled book that weaves historical trauma into a pacey but dream-like contemporary quest to save a bird. You don’t always know whether things are actually happening, whether they’re real, and the result is eerie and compelling. The language is just exquisite.

 

On The Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle, translated by Barbara J. Haveland 

Based on the seemingly simple premise of a woman who gets caught in time and relives the same day over and over again, this is truly thought-provoking. A couple of chapters in, I couldn't believe this idea could stretch to a whole book – a whole series, even! – but there’s so much to explore in the small world that Balle sketches out in intricate detail.

 

The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein 

I just love Ferrante’s novels and wish I could read them all again for the first time. They’re so evocative, and this story is chilling and satisfying in equal measure, exploring the strains of motherhood and unfulfilled potential.

 

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, translated by Mattias Ripa and Blake Ferris 

This is a brave depiction of an ordinary girl and her family that sheds light on modern Iranian history. Graphic novels have so much to offer, both in storytelling and in challenging the status quo; the illustrations add an amazing extra dimension, often making the content more accessible and enhancing the power of the text.