6 Recommended non-English Language Books
This week’s blog post is devoted to 6 non-English language works of fiction, all of which I read in English. They are presented in chronological order. Click on the links to read my reviews.
Candide by Voltaire (1759)
Candide came about as a direct result of Voltaire’s anger at the reaction within elements of The Church to The Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755, and what he viewed as the absurd theorising about why bad things happen to good people…(more)
Author’s nationality: French
My Rating: Amusing
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1877)
Tolstoy’s opus is set against a backdrop of the emancipation of the serfs, the Pan Slavism movement, political change and technological advancement. The story follows three interrelated families — the Oblonskys, Levins and Karenins…(more)
Author’s nationality: Russian
My Rating: Good
The Metamorphosis and Other Stories by Franz Kafka (Metamorphosis: 1915)
Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find that he has been transformed into a beetle. This awkward situation is exacerbated when Gregor’s boss turns up at his house seeking an explanation for his non-attendance at work that day…(more)
Author’s nationality: Czech
My Rating: Quite good
Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse (1927)
Steppenwolf is a complex and influential book that achieved cult status in the 1960’s when it was embraced by the counter-culture as a reaction against the modern world. The psychological impact of this highly original and thought provoking…(more)
Author’s nationality: German
My Rating: Quite good
The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth (1932)
Joseph Roth’s most famous and acclaimed novel is in essence a meditation on the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The author successfully captures the pomp, pageantry and formality of the dwindling years of the Habsburg dynasty…(more)
Author’s nationality: Austro-Hungarian
My Rating: Excellent
Death And The Penguin by Andrey Kurkov (1996)
Death And The Penguin is a bizarre and bleak tragicomedy that combines political and social commentary. The book can be viewed as a satire of the corrupt and organised crime ridden society that replaced communism…(more)
Author’s nationality: Ukrainian
My Rating: Quite good
Read Steppenwolf in German at school, didn’t like it much. Death And The Penguin was real popular in the UK a few years back. Having to face your boss when you’ve just been turned into a beetle sure is an awkward situation.
Death And The Penguin sure was popular over here a while back. Steppenwolf is a very unusual book, which I’m not sure I fully understood. I’ve also read Siddhartha by the same author.
You always amaze me Guy. I never finished Steppenwolf. I gave it a fifty page try and quit. Maybe I’m old enough now.
You probably are John, but you could always give it another few years to be sure. I found Steppenwolf difficult, but interesting.
honey,how are you
good, thank you.
Some great reviews here Guy. The only one I’ve read is Anna Karenina. I found it very slow moving and cumbersome, but I was only a teenager when I read it. Perhaps I would appreciate it more now.
Anna Karenina is certainly very slow moving Heather, but I think you would quite like it now.