Noa Rabits is completing her MA in Publishing at Kingston University and working with The Reading Agency as their Marketing and Communications Intern. In this blog Noa shares some reflections on the positive impacts of reading translated and original language books.
When was the last time your book club left the UK? Not physically, but through stories.
In today’s increasingly connected world, it’s easier than ever to read stories from beyond our own borders, and yet, most UK readers still overwhelmingly read books written in English and set in familiar cultural contexts. According to the Booker Prize’s Generation TF report, only 2-3% of books published in the UK each year are translated works.
Reading books by international authors, particularly in translation, not only broadens our horizons but also fosters empathy, sparks curiosity and strengthens our understanding of the world. When you read a translated book, you’re not only reading the author’s voice but the layered collaboration between author and translator, a bilingual act of storytelling if you may.
If translators hadn’t undertaken that labour, I would have been someone who’d never had the opportunity to read Hemingway or Conan Doyle. It’s terrible to even contemplate.
– Cheon Myeong-kwan
If your book club is ready to branch out, reading books by international authors is one of the most meaningful and enjoyable way to widen your literary horizons.
Why Read Around the World?
As readers, it’s easy to fall into the familiar. Stepping into stories from different languages and cultures can:
Help us challenge stereotypes and misconceptions
Build empathy through first-person perspectives on global experiences
Offer alternative ways of storytelling, identity, memory and language
Introduce us to different customs, histories, people and politics we may never otherwise encounter
As English Pen explains “Literature knows no frontiers, and must remain a common currency among people.”
The value of reading books from lesser-known languages is even more profound. As highlighted by Clevobooks, this isn’t just about diverse stories, it’s about preserving cultural identity. Languages are disappearing at an alarming rate: one is lost every two weeks. By reading and supporting literature in translation from underrepresented communities, readers help give voice to stories that might otherwise vanish.
Reading Translated Fiction
Despite its richness, translated fiction remains a niche market in the UK. According to The Booker Prize’s Generation TF article, many readers wrongly perceive translated book as ‘difficult’ or ‘highbrow’.
In reality, as highlighted by the International Booker Prize, many translated books are vivid, gripping, funny and emotionally powerful.
That’s where book clubs play a crucial part. By reading even one translated book a year, your group can help make international voices more mainstream and break down the myth that world literature is only for academic or elite readers.
Translated VS Original Language Reading
If you are multilingual, you might choose to read books in their original language, others may prefer translated versions. Both translated and original versions offer different experiences with unique advantages and limitations.
Reading in Translation
Makes literature accessible to wider audiences
Showcases the creative role of the translator
Builds cultural bridges between readers
May introduce subtle shifts in tone or meaning
Reading in Original Language
Preserves linguistic nuance, rhythm and idioms
Offers direct engagement with author’s intent
Deepens language skills and cultural fluency
May require extra time or effort to understand
In Why You Should Read Books from Other Cultures and Languages, the author reminds us that reading across languages expands our emotional and intellectual vocabulary, helping us better articulate thoughts and feelings in any language.
In my case, as someone who speaks both Hungarian and English, I’ve found that reading in both languages shapes my reading experience in different ways.
I prefer reading in Hungarian, my mother tongue, because it helps me stay connected to the language. Living in the UK, I use English daily and over time, I’ve noticed my Hungarian slipping. Reading in Hungarian helps preserve my vocabulary and cultural fluency and it’s a beautiful literary language that feels rich and expressive.
However, I also enjoy reading in English, especially when I want to engage directly with an author’s original style or humour. Interestingly, when I read in Hungarian, most of the books are translations of global authors. It’s rare that I read from Hungarian authors. On the flip side, when reading in English, I tend to stick to writers from the UK, US or other English-speaking countries. That contrast made me realise how reading habits and availability shape our literary worlds and how important it is to actively seek out translated voices, no matter what language you read in.
Recent International Booker Prize Winners to Try
Looking to get started? Here are a few award-winning picks from the International Booker Prize.
Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi (2025 winner) is a collection of short stories, the 12 stories chronicle the lives of women in patriarchal communities in southern India.
Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Michael Hofmann (2024 winner) is a heart-breaking story of two lovers, their love and control set in East Germany as the country crumbles.
Time Shelter by Georgy Gospodinov, translated by Angela Rodel (2023 winner) is a Bulgarian novel about a clinic where Alzheimer’s patients relive past decades and happy moments, and what happens when whole societies start doing the same.
Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell (2022 winner) is a playful, genre-bending Hindi novel about an 80-year-old woman who journeys across borders – literal and emotional – to (re)discover her identity and voice.
For more suggestions, try The International Booker Prize Library or The World Bookshelf.
Ideas for Your Book Club
World Book Club Map: use a world map to mark each country your club reads from
Translation-themed meeting: discuss how the translation may have influenced the tone or meaning
Literary passport challenge: each member recommends a book from a different language
Global Food Night: pair your book discussion with a dish from the book’s cultural setting
Get involved in Women in Translation month, use it to encourage your book club to read a translated book by a woman. Their website has lots of reading lists for inspiration.
Whether it’s one translated novel or a whole year of international picks, reading globally brings your club closer to the rich, varied and beautifully interconnected world of stories.
Explore our Book Club Hub for more ideas for your reading group.
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