Championing the wonders of translated fiction, one review at a time. Slightly older and more haggard than the photos suggest. Bitter at most things, really.https://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mtszi4bpl22jToday's #WITMonth journey takes us to Berlin, via Buenos Aires, with Vlady Kociancich’s excellent 'The Eighth Wonder' (translated by Jessica Sequeira, courtesy of Seven Stories Press), a novel where nothing is quite as it seems... https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/08/24/the-eighth-wonder-by-vlady-kociancich-review/24 Aug 2026 09:46 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtszi4bpl22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mtlnj56v722eA new arrival, out on 29/9 from Scribe Publications - Anjet Daanje's 'The Song of Stork and Dromedary', translated by David McKay. Looking forward to this after loving 'The Remembered Soldier' last year :)21 Aug 2026 11:23 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtlnj56v722ehttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mtiuia6hks2hMy latest #WITMonth wasn't really my thing, but it's certainly not the worst book I've read this year - Michiko Aoyama's 'What You are Looking for is in the Library' (tr. Alison Watts): https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/08/20/what-you-are-looking-for-is-in-the-library-by-michiko-aoyama-review/20 Aug 2026 08:50 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtiuia6hks2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mtbiroex3s2fMy fifth post for this year's #WITMonth takes us back to Japan, and back to the thirteenth century, for Lady Nijō’s 'A Tale Unasked' (tr. Meredith McKinney), a story of a woman at court, and of her rather eventful life... https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/08/17/a-tale-unasked-by-lady-nijo-review/17 Aug 2026 10:32 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtbiroex3s2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3msxdkltnec2nUp today for #WITMonth, poetry and essays with Maria Stepanova's 'The Voice Over' (courtesy of Columbia University Press - from *many* translators!): https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/08/13/the-voice-over-by-maria-stepanova-review/13 Aug 2026 09:32 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxdkltnec2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3msprdfc6ns2dToday's #WITMonth post looks at Birgit Vanderbeke's 'Ich freue mich, dass ich geboren bin' (available in Jamie Bulloch's translation from Peirene Press as 'You Would Have Missed Me'): https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/08/10/ich-freue-mich-dass-ich-geboren-bin-you-would-have-missed-me-by-birgit-vanderbeke-review/10 Aug 2026 09:17 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3msprdfc6ns2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mskseucbjs2gCatching up with reviews, so today for #WITMonth it was a reread of Banana Yoshimoto's collection 'Lizard' (translated by Ann Sherif). A bit hit-and-miss - see my 2013 review here :) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/lizard-by-banana-yoshimoto-review/08 Aug 2026 09:52 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mskseucbjs2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3msfoutowmc2vReview number two for #WITMonth sees us staying in Japan with Chiyo Uno's 'The Story of a Single Woman' (tr. Rebecca Copeland, now published by Pushkin Press): https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/08/06/the-story-of-a-single-woman-by-chiyo-uno-review/06 Aug 2026 09:06 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3msfoutowmc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mryvmi4was2uMy usual monthly wrap-up post, with all the links and stats for July:) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/08/01/july-2026-wrap-up/01 Aug 2026 07:02 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mryvmi4was2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mru4gkqzdc26More Natsume Sōseki on the blog - en français... My review of 'Une journée de début d’automne' (tr. Elisabeth Suetsugu), a collection of seven entertaining short pieces by the great man :) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/07/30/une-journee-de-debut-dautomne-a-day-at-the-start-of-autumn-by-natusme-soseki-review/30 Jul 2026 09:21 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mru4gkqzdc26https://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mrmpuy6vgc27Anyone for knights, giants and various magical animals? Then take a look at my latest review, on the collection of Welsh stories/myths that is 'The Mabinogion' (translated by Sioned Davies): https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/07/27/the-mabinogion-translated-by-sioned-davies-review/27 Jul 2026 10:48 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrmpuy6vgc27https://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mrchmv2tyc2yAs we move ever closer to the end of the Tamakazura saga, today's chapter of 'The Tale of Genji' has me examining a few conversations - and a strangely loose translation... https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/07/23/the-tale-of-genji-30-fujibakama/23 Jul 2026 08:54 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrchmv2tyc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mr5gonkcjk27Just finished a reread of Augusto Higa Oshiro's 'The Enlightenment of Katzuo Nakamatsu' (tr. Jennifer Shyue: Archipelago Books), a wonderful story of a Peruvian man's rapid decline (told in a leisurely manner) into old age - see my 2023 review here :) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2023/05/11/the-enlightenment-of-katzuo-nakamatsu-by-augusto-higa-oshiro-review/21 Jul 2026 08:53 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5gonkcjk27https://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mr32sqwffs2nA review of a lovely book of short fiction and poetry by a J-Lit giant - my take on Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's 'Hell of Solitude' (translated by Ryan Choi, courtesy of Prototype Publishings): https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/07/20/hell-of-solitude-by-ryunosuke-akutagawa-review/20 Jul 2026 10:16 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr32sqwffs2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mqt74zi7h22iAnother Genji-themed post today, but with a twist - my review of Lynne K. Miyake's 'The Tale of Genji through Contemporary Manga', courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing :) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/07/17/the-tale-of-genji-through-contemporary-manga-by-lynne-k-miyake-review/17 Jul 2026 07:12 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqt74zi7h22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mqjcnq2e522cAnother review from the Dalkey Archive Press and LTI Korea Library of Korean Literature today, as I take a look at Song Sokze's 'The Amusing Life' (translated by Se-Un Kim) - more than forty short pieces that examine the lighter side of life :) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/07/13/the-amusing-life-by-song-sokze-review/13 Jul 2026 08:48 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqjcnq2e522chttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mqebzixlrc2jJust enjoyed a leisurely reread of Kamal Ben Hamada's 'La compagnie des Tripolitaines' (available from Peirene Press as 'Under The Tripoli Sky' in Adriana Hunter's translation).11 Jul 2026 08:53 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqebzixlrc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mq7b3qvuc22iTime for a look at Chapter 29 of 'The Tale of Genji', 'Miyuki', in which we have a royal procession, a coming-of-age ceremony and a spot of daytime drinking with two old friends ;) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/07/09/the-tale-of-genji-29-miyuki/09 Jul 2026 08:53 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7b3qvuc22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mq2cabjef22zAround a month ago, I enjoyed a leisurely reread of Anri Yasuda's excellent 'Beauty Matters: Modern Japanese Literature and the Question of Aesthetics, 1890-1930' (link to my review in the comments).07 Jul 2026 09:30 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq2cabjef22zhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mpxw476txk2vNo pigeons were harmed during the writing of this book - Can Xue's 'The Enchanting Lives of Others' (translated by Annelise Finegan, courtesy of Yale University Press), a story of love and literature ;) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/07/06/the-enchanting-lives-of-others-by-can-xue-review/06 Jul 2026 10:48 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpxw476txk2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mpqhtgod2c23Another evening spent perusing the latest copy of @ltikorea.bsky.social's Korean Literature Now magazine, with a focus on folk tales. Lots of enjoyable essays, reviews and original content.03 Jul 2026 11:44 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpqhtgod2c23https://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mpo2ewkip22lThe June monthly wrap-up post, with stats and links to all of last month's reviews (including the monthly pick...): https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/07/02/june-2026-wrap-up/02 Jul 2026 12:38 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpo2ewkip22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mpny326lj22pJust enjoyed (to put it mildly) a rewatch of the film 'Shaolin Soccer', and if you've ever thought "I'd love to watch something that combines terrible dialogue, OTT kung fu sequences and a football match against an evil team on steroids", well... you know what to do ;)02 Jul 2026 11:57 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpny326lj22phttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mpioj4q2xk2vAlways nice when you shoot off a hopeful email, get no reply, and are then surprised by a book landing in your letterbox! Here's today's arrival, Lynne K. Miyake's 'The Tale of Genji through Contemporary Manga' (courtesy of Bloomsbury Australia), one I hope to get to before too long :)30 Jun 2026 09:22 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpioj4q2xk2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mpg66dopnc26My latest review looks at Sally O'Reilly's 'Hagtale' (courtesy of Scribe Publications), a two-strand novel that takes a new look at an old tale... https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/06/29/hagtale-by-sally-oreilly-review/29 Jun 2026 09:25 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpg66dopnc26https://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3mp4af2fc322vSomething a little spooky for #TranslationThurs as I take a look at Ueda Akinari's 1776 collection of stories, 'Tales of Moonlight and Rain' (translated by Anthony H. Chambers, published by Columbia University Press): https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/06/25/tales-of-moonlight-and-rain-by-ueda-akinari-review/25 Jun 2026 10:38 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp4af2fc322vhttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3moui7teo3s2oA fun tale about (wo)man's best friend - see my review of Virginia Woolf's 'Flush', two biographies in one, and a whole lot more :) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/06/22/flush-by-virginia-woolf-review/22 Jun 2026 08:36 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3moui7teo3s2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/tonysreadinglist.bsky.social/post/3momuz63yoc2uGiven the focus on the World Cup, it's probably not the best time to be dropping 2K words on a Genji chapter, but if you're up for a look at Chapter 28, 'Nowaki', please come this way ;) https://tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/06/19/the-tale-of-genji-28-nowaki/19 Jun 2026 08:04 +0000at://did:plc:imkteq37zael3ryfgnu3osfr/app.bsky.feed.post/3momuz63yoc2u