What we’re about
Did you know that there are over 7,100 languages in the world today, but only 3% of the books that reach American readers each year are translated? There's a lot of great stuff out there to discover! If you're an adventurous reader looking to expand your knowledge about the world, then this book club is for you. We exclusively read works in translation, picking something from a different country every month and meeting to discuss our thoughts in a friendly and accessible environment.
For a full list of what we've read and where we've been so far, click here.
Upcoming events (2)
See all- May Meeting: I WAS NEVER THE FIRST LADYMadison Public Library - Central, Madison, WI
For May we'll be reading I WAS NEVER THE FIRST LADY by Wendy Guerra, translated by Achy Obejas!
Nadia Guerra’s mother, Albis Torres, left when Nadia was just ten years old. Growing up, the proponents of revolution promised a better future. Now that she’s an adult, Nadia finds that life in Havana hasn’t quite matched its promise; instead it has stifled her rebellious and artistic desires. Each night she DJs a radio show government censors block from broadcasting. Frustrated, Nadia finds hope and a way out when she wins a scholarship to study in Russia.
Leaving Cuba offers her the chance to find her long lost mother and her real father. But as she embarks on a journey east, Nadia soon begins to question everything she thought she knew and understood about her past.
As Nadia discovers more about her family, her fate becomes entwined with that of Celia Sanchez, an icon of the Cuban Revolution—a resistance fighter, ingenious spy, and the rumored lover of Fidel Castro. A tale of revolutionary ideals and promise, Celia’s story interweaves with Nadia’s search for meaning, and eventually reveals secrets Nadia could never have dreamed.Please consider obtaining your copy from one of Madison's wonderful independent bookstores or from Bookshop.org! There are also used copies available from several online retailers.
- June Meeting: SHOCKED EARTHMadison Public Library - Central, Madison, WI
For June we'll be reading SHOCKED EARTH by Saskia Goldschmidt, translated by Antoinette Fawcett!
Femke, her mother Trijn and her grandfather have very different ideas about how to run their family farm. Tensions between mother and daughter are growing; Femke wants to switch to sustainable growing principles, while her mother considers this an attack on tradition. To make matters worse, their home province of Groningen is experiencing a series of earthquakes caused by a gas extraction operation near their farm. While the cracks and splinters in their farmhouse increase, the authorities and the state-owned gas company refuse to offer the local farming community any help.
In SHOCKED EARTH, Saskia Goldschmidt investigates what it means to have your principles at odds with your closest kin. And how to keep standing when the world as you know it is slowly falling apart.
Please consider obtaining your copy from one of Madison's wonderful independent bookstores or from Bookshop.org! There are also used copies available from several online retailers.
