Africa is obviously a large and diverse continent. Unfortunately there is not (as yet) an equally large amount of English translated African books. And of that comparatively small amount, even less of it is written by women. However, below is a selection of some of the best translated African books written by women, from novels …
Book Lists
You don’t need me to tell you that the isekai genre has quickly taken over the world of anime during the past few years. Some of it is good, some great, but much of it is bad. That said, even the bad stuff can be enjoyed as a guilty pleasure. Most of the isekai anime …
The medium of manga (and comic books in general) is in a unique position to deliver horror to its readers like no other medium can, blurring the lines between prose that fuels the imagination and films that fling the terror at you in full force. You only need to flick through some of the best …
Since reading Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, I’ve been a big fan of the graphic memoir. Using drawing as a medium to deliver a message isn’t a new concept but I’m so grateful for the slew of comics in the last couple of years that deal with the more difficult concepts in life. Essential Asian Graphic …
Representation saves lives. For non-cisgender people, finding fiction and nonfiction that speaks to our feelings and lived experiences is important, uplifting, and validating. As a non-binary reader and writer, feeling seen and inspired by non-binary books has changed everything for me, and it can do the same for you. Essential Non-Binary Books to Read What …
If there’s one nation that loves its cats, it’s… well, probably Ancient Egypt, but they’re gone. So, now, it’s Japan. Japan and cats go together like Murakami and Kafka. In Japanese culture and mythology, cats have been revered for centuries. The most famous example of this is the maneki-neko or beckoning cat — a statue, often …
Women writers are at the forefront of historical fiction today. The best contemporary historical novels are being written by incredible women authors. Some of these are historical romance novels; others are gothic fiction; others still are supernatural horror stories. One thing they all have in common, however, is that they’re written by varied and talented …
The world wars are a fertile creative ground for literature. The politics, drama, trauma, and action of World Wars 1 & 2 provide the perfect backdrop for big themes and philosophical questions. This is evident by the sheer number of best books on World War 1 & 2 that are out there for us to …
If you’re wondering where to start with Japanese literature, these are the best Japanese books across sci-fi, mystery, literary fiction, and more. Japanese literature is everywhere. The nation’s stories and novels get turned into manga, anime, and movies. Their authors are as famous and legendary as Hollywood’s actors and directors. And Japanese literature is big …
Reading international literature has its obvious benefits. The biggest and boldest of them being a lesson in empathy: learning how other cultures approach life, make their art, and tell their stories. We often think about international literature in terms of literary fiction; books that are grounded within the culture they come from. But what about …