Our name is a real giveaway – we love a good book and have translated a long list of them since our early beginnings back in 1980. In celebration of this year’s World Book Day, our team members reveal their top page-turners!
Melanie: Siddhartha by German author and poet Hermann Hesse
Hesse is probably my favourite author of all time, and all of his books have left a huge impact on me. When I re-read Siddhartha recently, I was mesmerised all over again by the journey of a young man who sets out from home to find spiritual enlightenment and the true meaning of life.
The book is set in ancient India during the time of Gautama Buddha, and we follow Siddhartha as he experiences homelessness and hunger, but also wealth and success. He finally gives up his personal belongings and wealthy lifestyle, as this has not only led to a lack of spiritual fulfilment, but also to profound unhappiness. In many ways, Siddhartha ends up becoming the Buddha himself.
Although written over 100 years ago, this publication still remains highly relevant. Indeed, everyone has to find their own way and carve their own path in life through personal experiences in order to reach fulfilment.
Ana: Code Name Verity by American author Elizabeth Wein
I am a huge fan of World War II stories, female spies, tales of friendship, and epistolary novels. Code Name Verity combines all four as if it were written just for me. Set in 1943 in England and France, it follows Maddie and her best friend Queenie (Verity) – an unlikely pair of best friends. Maddie is an English commoner who works as a pilot for the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) with a passion for flying and mechanics. Queenie, on the other hand, is a Scottish aristocrat and a spy with a way with words who works with the Special Operations Executive (SOE).
Captured by the Gestapo, Queenie writes a confession of sorts, which forms the narrative of this book. I also love books with unreliable narrators, and there’s always a degree of unreliability in epistolary novels. But in this case, it’s a spy narrating a story under duress – what is true and what is a lie? With vivid, well-crafted characters and prose so gripping it feels like your emotions are being wrung out, there’s only one thing left to say: If you choose to read this book, make sure to have a full box of tissues nearby.
Kasia: The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life by Hungarian author Dr Edith Eger
This book, the second penned by Holocaust survivor Dr Eger, guides readers through how to relish life and heal past pain. It serves as a hands-on personal development toolkit, discussing imprisoning emotional states such as grief, stress or guilt and outlining how we can change the way we think and act in order to free ourselves from such emotions and damaging patterns. As someone who attaches great importance to personal development and empowerment, this book truly resonated with me.
Laura: The Mad Women’s Ball by French author and journalist Victoria Mas
This debut novel had me positively gripped, and I’m clearly not the only one. The work was quickly translated into a string of other languages and has even been adapted into a feature film. Set in an asylum in 19th-century Paris, the story predominantly centres around two very different women – Eugénie and Geneviève – who are both trapped in their own way. The work, immersed in descriptive prose typical for French fiction, looks at the questionable way in which women in this period were declared hysterical or mentally ill as a means of oppressive control.
Svetlana: Our House by British novelist Louise Candlish
I’m fond of this author, as I find the themes featured in her work very relatable to our modern lives. Our House is based around the folly of the UK real estate market, where a London family find themselves owning a multi-million property as a result of spiralling inflation. One day the mother returns home to find someone moving in. At first certain there has been a mistake, she comes to the frightening realisation that it is not: Her house has been sold without her knowledge and her husband has gone missing. As she sets out to find out what’s happened, the book takes you on a journey of secrets, lies and plot twists using multiple narratives. The novel has also been turned into a four-part television drama series.
Book Translation Services
Whether it is fiction, non-fiction, audiobooks, or eBooks, our expert team ensures that each book translation captures the specific nuances and requirements of your project. We have had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed clients such as Arcturus, Cambridge University Press, DK, Kulturalis, Müller und Schindler, Octopus, Quarto, Rebel Girls, Royal Collection, Scala Arts & Heritage, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Van Gogh Museum, and VEMAG, among many others.
Get in touch
If you’re looking to translate your own publication, we’d be delighted to discuss your requirements. You can send us an email under enquiries@firstedit.co.uk. If you are at the upcoming London Book Fair this March, you can also meet our Director Ana in person to have a chat.