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At the End of the Matinee
by Keiichiro Hirano, translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter
Japan
A delicate, timeless, award-winning ode to love's fragility and its resilience.
“Deftly translated into English by Juliet Winters Carpenter, At the End of the Matinee by Japanese author Keiichiro Hirano is an extraordinary and compelling read throughout. Destined to be acknowledged as a literary classic, At the End of the Matinee is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Cultural Heritage, Family Life, and Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.” —Midwest Book Review
by Zhang Ling, translated by Shelly Bryant
China
An epic and intimate novel about the devastation of war, forgiveness, redemption, and the enduring power of love.
“[A] unique premise of ghostly rendezvous among soldiers, combined with first loves for all three men…Clever use of newspaper accounts, military reports, and letters to loved ones advance the plot and complement the dialogue effectively and interestingly…superb…highly recommended.” —Historical Novel Society
by Enjeela Ahmadi-Miller
Afghanistan
An emotional and sweeping memoir of love, family, and survival in the violent, changing landscape of Afghanistan in the early 1980s.
“Full of vivid detail and emotion, this compelling memoir captures the ache of a young child desperate for safety and security.” —Kirkus Reviews
by Natalia Borges Polesso, translated by Julia Sanches
Brazil
An exquisite collection of stories exploring the complexity of love between women.
“Less a collection of stories than a collage of vibrant snapshots, Polesso’s entrancing compilation—awarded Brazil’s most prestigious literary prizes—offers pithy-poetic glimpses into the lives of women of various ages who love and desire other women." —Oprah Magazine
by Szczepan Twardoch, translated by Sean Gasper Bye
Poland
The ferociously original story of a city ignited by hate and a man in thrall to power.
“Streaked with magic realism and dream logic, the novel slides eerily between reality and illusion, 1930s Poland and 1980s Israel, where Moyshe has morphed into a retired Israeli army officer typing out his Warsaw memories. Driven by a ruthless energy, the first of Twardoch's novels to be available in an English translation is astonishing and heartbreaking in equal measure. It never runs out of revelation. A wickedly enthralling novel by one of Poland’s emerging literary stars." —Kirkus Reviews
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by Marc Levy, translated by Chris Murray
France
Alice Pendelbury believes everything in her life is pretty much in order, but she has yet to meet the most important person in her life...
“Levy is always great at surprising readers with twists and turns in his stories . . . The journey is enjoyable and leads to many smiles." —Le Parisien
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by Alexander Münninghoff, Kristen Gehrman
Netherlands
A prize-winning Dutch journalist's unsparing memoir of growing up amid the excesses, triumphs, and devastation of post–World War II Europe.
"In a family history as moving as it is fascinating, Münninghoff delivers a bewitchingly honest and brave examination of the forces that shaped his father during the tumultuous events of twentieth-century Europe, painting a portrait of how an ordinary man became complicit in evil." —Liza Darnton, Editor
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by Noa C. Walker, translated by Lisa Reinhardt
Germany
A moving, hopeful story about the power of love and the power of living a life filled with joy.
About the Author
Noa C. Walker is a child of the late 1960s. She loves the mountains as well as the seaside, which is why she can often be found with her laptop near the Bavarian Alps or by the North Sea. She enjoys watching people in cafés, busy streets, and squares, and from time to time her observations end up in her novels.
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by Johary Ravaloson, translated by Allison M. Charette
Madagascar
A young man comes of age amidst the enchanted origin myths of his island country.
“Delicate and captivating.” —The New Yorker
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by María Wernicke, translated by Lawrence Schimel
Argentina
In this touching story of family and loss, a young girl imagines a passageway in her yard that takes her to a place of safety and love.
“In Schimel’s translation, Wernicke’s words are few but well chosen and expertly paced, the sentences split among the pages allowing for unhurried absorption of meaning. Her curved figures are solid, with cream-colored skin; straight, black hair; and short lines for eyes. No mouths are visible, a decision that adds to the contemplative aura. Subtle patterns add interest, and red—ultimately applied to the mother—signals warmth and love…A gentle model for living while missing a loved one.” —Kirkus Reviews
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