Celebrate Book Lovers Day with Global Reads
Raina Mansfield
This Book Lovers Day, immerse yourself in the wonder of reading by exploring new titles. We’re excited to share some standout collections and collaborations that highlight literature’s diversity and richness. From powerful narratives by Roseway Publishing to the lyrical poetry of Sundial House, plus eye-opening Asian and Russian literature in translation, our catalog offers something for every reader. Take a moment on August 9th to dive into a book that speaks to you, and join us in celebrating the joy of storytelling!
Russian literature lovers are already familiar with our treasure trove. But if you’re looking for a recommendation, consider The Talnikov Family by Avdotya Panaeva, translated by Fiona Bell, portrays a tumultuous upbringing in 1820s St. Petersburg with equal parts wit and rage; City Folk and Country Folk by Sofia Khvoshchinskaya, translated by Nora Seligman Favorov, a satire of Russia’s aristocracy in the 1860s; Homeward from Heaven by Boris Poplavsky, translated by Bryan Karetnyk, which details the escapades, malaise, and love affairs of a bohemian group of Russian expatriates in France; and The Narrow Cage and Other Modern Fairy Tales by Vasily Eroshenko, translated by Adam Kuplowsky, a collection of stories translated from Japanese and Esperanto, now available in English for the first time.
Our catalog features a rich selection of Asian literature in translation published by Columbia University Press and by the Chinese University of Hong Kong Press. Our offerings include The Membranes by Chi Ta-wei, translated by Ari Larissa Heinrich, a dystopian novel set in T City where dermal care technician Momo’s reunion with her estranged mother leads to a journey of self-discovery; Suncranes and Other Stories, translated by Simon Wickhamsmith, a collection of Mongolian short stories; and There a Petal Silently Falls by Ch’oe Yun, translated by Bruce Fulton and Ju-Chan Fulton, which offers three stories that delve into the psychological and spiritual realities of post–World War II Korea.
Among the Chinese University of Hong Long Press’s many great books is the whimsical Carnival of Animals, edited by Fuk-yan Ho and translated by Jennifer Feeley, which features animal poems by the poet Xi Xi that are written as though the author is able to directly communicate with animals. Young readers will enjoy the My Favourite Chinese Stories series, which brings beautifully illustrated stories from Chinese mythology and classical Chinese literature to English-speaking audiences.
Sundial House, which was launched by Columbia University’s Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures, is dedicated to showcasing the works of Iberian and Latin American authors in translation and bilingual editions. For Book Lovers Day, we recommend four of their stunning poetry anthologies: Desolación by Gabriela Mistral, translated by Alejandra C. Quintana Arocho, Inés Bellina, and Anne Freeland, which explores themes of childhood, grief, motherhood, and nature;Constellation, a collection of contemporary Latin American poetry edited by Elvira Blanco and featuring Santiago Acosta and Ansilta Grizas; Music for Bamboo Strings, a bilingual collection by Cuban-American poet Carlos Pintado has been masterfully translated by Lawrence Schimel; and The Book of Conjurations, Irizelma Robles’s fourth poetry collection translated by Roque Raquel Salas Rivera.
Roseway Publishing, an imprint of Fernwood Publishing, is dedicated to literary works rooted in struggles for social justice. Some of our favorites are Thyme Travellers, edited by Sonia Sulaiman, a collection of stories from leading Palestinian speculative fiction writers; Sugar Kids, a novel by Taslim Burkowicz, which follows Baby, a teenager exploring her gender and sexual identity in Vancouver’s 1990s rave scene after being kicked out of her home; Jude and Diana by Sharon Robart-Johnson pays tribute to enslaved people by re-creating the fullness of sisters Jude and Diana’s survival and, emphasizing their joys alongside their hardship; and This House Is Not a Home by Katłı̨̀ą, a poignant novel following a Dene family forced into homelessness and assimilation in colonial society.
This is just a sampling of the books our catalog has to offer. Follow us throughout the year to discover more global literature!
