That on its own wouldn’t necessarily guarantee a high rate of translation. But German-speaking countries are also ranked fifth in publication of new books, so that one tenth of all books, including ebooks, in the world are being published in German [link is to download HTML document]. So, this is not one of the lists that I really had to struggle to find books for — we’re lucky to have a wealth of books translated from German into English. Still, we need more of them, particularly from modern-day women writers and authors of color. I found so many wondrous-looking books on my search that aren’t being translated yet — I want debut novel Ministry of Dreams by nonbinary Iranian journalist Hengameh Yaghoobifarah, and Ada’s Raum by Sharon Dodua Otoo, and At Night All Is Quiet in Tehran by Shida Bazyar, and Rose Stem by Angela Stiedele, in my hands and ready to be read. There’s an entire database, New Books in German, that highlights German-language books from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland that are waiting to be translated into English — translators and editors can get financial support for the translations through their partner organizations. The books I’ve gathered for this list touch on dislocation, disillusionment, and disenfranchisement. They dive into small moments of human connection and the realities of politics today in Germany — from the refugee crisis to the impact of globalization to the still-pervasive existence of the far-right. A melancholy of memory and loss haunts our characters. Wide, quirky casts of characters build the scenes. They are personal favorites and stunning recent releases. I hope you enjoy. Please note that while I took great care to list content warnings where I could, things can fall through the cracks. Please do additional research on the recommended titles if needed. Want more books in translation content? I have lists for you of books in translation from Catalonia, Argentina, France, Mexico, Central Africa, Japan, Southeastern Europe, Brazil, China, and Western Africa. If you have recommendations or requests for future lists of books in translation, or if you want me to know about a book I missed, please let me know on Twitter. Content warnings for death, grief. Content warnings for violence, war. Content warnings for Islamophobia, xenophobia, prejudice, racism. Content warnings for xenophonia, Islamophobia, racism, ethnic and racist violence, use of racial slurs. Content warnings for death, grief. Content warnings for poverty, death of a parent. Tawada is a Japanese writer working and living in Berlin. This novel is doubly translated — Tawada wrote it first in Japanese and then translated it herself into German. That version was then translated into English. Content warnings for animal cruelty / death. Content warnings for racism, online harassment. Content warnings for ableism, imperialism, exotification, animal cruelty. Content warnings for racism, Islamophobia, use of the n-word, suicide / suicidal ideation, anxiety, anti-Indigenous language. Content warnings for suicide, misogyny, transphobia, animal death, child death, substance abuse, stalking, fatphobia, transphobia, adult/minor relationship, sexual assault. Content warnings for alcoholism / substance abuse, animal cruelty, xenophobia, depression, deportation, ableism, violence, misogyny.
