Good books to read in translation

kandwo · 10-09-2026, 02:12 AM

I'm looking for good books to read in translation. My goal is to practice and improve my different languages by reading.

What I'm looking for falls into two categories, as far as I can see:

1. Books with really good translations. Many classics fall into this category, seeing as they tend to get translated by the best in the field. Some other popular books, such as the Harry Potter series, could also be mentioned here. These books could have good/creative prose, which is done justice in translation due to the knowledge and effort of the translator.

2. Books with simple/bad prose. It could be anything from literary works written in a simple style to something bland like Brandon Sanderson (who himself claims to keep the prose as simple as possible) to badly written works such as Twilight, 50 Shades of Gray, etc. These tend to inevitably improve in translation.

I would be happy to hear your thoughts!

The most likely candidates would probably be relatively popular works since they are more often translated in general.

If you have any experience with reading a specific translation or particular translator that would also be very welcome.

Personally, I'm mostly interested in reading in major European languages, but don't hesitate to mention translations in other ones, too

nana77 · 10-09-2026, 04:46 PM

I might suggest this one: https://brooklynrail.org/2022/02/boo...angers-I-Know/
I didn't read the english version, but it seems to differ a little from the original one, so comparing them would be a nice plus (imho).

Maxbet · Yesterday, 12:40 PM

One book I'd suggest is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It's short, available in many languages, and the writing is relatively accessible without being simplistic.
What's particularly interesting is how different translators handle some of its more poetic passages.
Animal Farm by George Orwell might also be a good choice if you're looking for something with fairly straightforward prose.
Are there any particular languages you're focusing on right now?

10-09-2026, 02:12 AM	#1
kandwo Fanatic Posts: 522 Karma: 11708254 Join Date: Dec 2020 Device: Boox, Bigme, Hisense, Kobo	Good books to read in translation I'm looking for good books to read in translation. My goal is to practice and improve my different languages by reading. What I'm looking for falls into two categories, as far as I can see: 1. Books with really good translations. Many classics fall into this category, seeing as they tend to get translated by the best in the field. Some other popular books, such as the Harry Potter series, could also be mentioned here. These books could have good/creative prose, which is done justice in translation due to the knowledge and effort of the translator. 2. Books with simple/bad prose. It could be anything from literary works written in a simple style to something bland like Brandon Sanderson (who himself claims to keep the prose as simple as possible) to badly written works such as Twilight, 50 Shades of Gray, etc. These tend to inevitably improve in translation. I would be happy to hear your thoughts! The most likely candidates would probably be relatively popular works since they are more often translated in general. If you have any experience with reading a specific translation or particular translator that would also be very welcome. Personally, I'm mostly interested in reading in major European languages, but don't hesitate to mention translations in other ones, too

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10-09-2026, 04:46 PM	#2
nana77 Wizard Posts: 3,160 Karma: 4444444 Join Date: May 2025 Device: Kobo Forma, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	I might suggest this one: https://brooklynrail.org/2022/02/boo...angers-I-Know/ I didn't read the english version, but it seems to differ a little from the original one, so comparing them would be a nice plus (imho).

Yesterday, 12:40 PM	#3
Maxbet Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2026 Location: Brazil Device: none	One book I'd suggest is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It's short, available in many languages, and the writing is relatively accessible without being simplistic. What's particularly interesting is how different translators handle some of its more poetic passages. Animal Farm by George Orwell might also be a good choice if you're looking for something with fairly straightforward prose. Are there any particular languages you're focusing on right now?