Do you read historical fiction in translation from another language? If yes, do you have favourites that you could recommend? Is there a particular figure in history that you would like to read about from different nationalities perspectives?
Lets talk historical fiction in translation!
Marg: I have a couple of books here that I want to read, most notably The Time in Between by Maria Duenas. One series that I have read and enjoyed, and really need to get back to is the Angelique series by Sergeanne Golon. I think I am up to book 5 or 6 but it has been a little while since I last read one! I am a bit concerned that I am going to get to the last book that has been translated into English and know that there are still a few books that haven't yet been translated.
Kelly: I was thinking I didn't have an answer to this question, but then it dawned on me: Isabel Allende. Her books are not all historical fiction, but she has a few and I really enjoy her. I get on these kicks where I read a historical fiction book and then I want to read everything I can on the subject. Unfortunately, I never seem to find the time for it!
Being Portuguese, most of my historical fiction is foreign. We do have good authors but I found myself reading translations or even the original English book of English speaking authors. I'm now reading The Other Boleyn Girl and have a soft spot for books set in the Napoleonic Wars and 19th century England.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any Portuguese HF authors that have made it into English. It would be interesting to read something from them.
DeleteSomeone asked me the same thing yesterday. I don't think many Portuguese authors are published outside Portuguese speaking countries but it seems Equador by Miguel Sousa Tavares has been translated. I haven't read it yet and it dweels, if I'm not mistaken, it the last years of the Portuguese monarchy (beginning of the 20th century).
DeleteThere's always Saramago and his Baltasar and Blimunda.
DeleteLikewise, there are very few historical fiction books by Finnish authors. Most of them old "adventures for boys", which I used to read as a teenager (though I'm a girl, I loved swashbuckling and similar adventures). I also read fluently in English, and have started to read in French recently. Translation does somewhat matter, and of course topics are different. I've understood the 30 years war is a very minor matter for the English speaking writers and readers, but in Finland it's a classical theme of historical fiction.
ReplyDeleteThough what I've read mostly these days (working on my own novel - just a hobby), is genuine historical texts. There are the biggest differences! It also matters unfortunately whether one can read in the original language or not, as many of the texts have never been translated, or translations are extremely hard to find. I love getting a glimpse of how people used to think, as all texts tell more about the time during which they were written, than about time about which they were written.
Such texts prove though, that there are sentences, which don't translate well at all. I have also tried to translate my own novel into English for a French friend (my French isn't nearly good enough for the task). I bet being a native speaker that would be a whole lot easier, but yet I feel things just don't always sound the same. Like how I'm supposed to translate "tutoyer" and "vous-dire", saying "you" and "thee" (?), while trying to write modern text? It does translate into French, as you see, but not so well into English... At least with my skills. Also in Finnish one could always have a play with the genders, as our "he/she" is neutral "hän", not differentiating.
Thanks Elina. The comment you made about the 30 Year War is exactly what fascinates me! There must be lots of other fascinating historical events that are barely covered but really important in other cultures.
DeleteI can not think of any books that I have read from a translation. I would be interested in reading any from an Italian perspective, so if anyone can think of any please leave a comment.
ReplyDeleteJulie, you can always put a recs wanted post here at some point if you want!
DeleteI love the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy, translated from Norwegian. I actually like both translations (the Vintage and the Penguin Classics) but I know some people prefer the latter. I actually like the more archaic take of the Vintage version.
ReplyDeleteI can only think of one other HF I've read recently in translation (from Albanian) and the translation was so awkward, it made the book very hard to read.
The translation is always a big question. It can either help or very much hinder the reading experience.
DeleteThe novel I finished yesterday, Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Prisoner of Heaven, is a translation from Spanish, and an excellent one at that. The translator must have had an enormously good time with that one, since it's so witty. And earlier this year, I read Rebecca Gable's The Settlers of Catan, a Viking historical novel that veers into the fantasy realm (originally published in German). I wish there were more translations of foreign historical novels into English.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Julie that the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy is worth seeking out.
I forgot about Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I need to read The Prisoner of Heaven.
DeleteThank you for this post also! I am enjoying your blog very much! I would never have come across such great books on my own.
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