Our narrator’s grandparents and father are legendary. Family members and friends tell stories of how […]
What We Become, by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
When Max Costa signed up as a ballroom dancer for the Cap Polonio in 1928, he […]
Clinch, by Martin Holmén
Even though I finished Martin Holmén’s Clinch (translated by Henning Koch), I’m still not sure if I […]
Grand Hotel, by Vicki Baum
Last semester, when I worked with a World War II history class, I quickly learned […]
The Rabbit Back Literature Society, by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen
I imagine that authors dread the question “Where do you get your ideas?” as much […]
Choose Your Own Language
Last week, Tim Parks published a fascinating piece about authors who write in languages they […]
The Queue, by Basma Abdel Aziz
The government of an unnamed country has come to a complete standstill in Basma Abdel […]
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery
What is life for? And how should we live? Muriel Barbery’s The Elegance of the Hedgehog […]
Memories, by Teffi
Most of the leading lights of Russian literature—especially before the Russian Revolution—that most people know […]
The Confidant, by Hélène Grémillon
One of the most challenging ethical dilemmas I’ve ever come across is two parents battling […]