Translation, Transformation and Transcendence

Translation work plays a crucial role in fostering language justice. In a world where language barriers pose significant challenges, translation allows stories to transcend borders, driving progress and empowerment. Through translation, narratives shift from a national language into an international one, breaking barriers and opening doors into new cultures and worlds.

Here are nine books written and translated by women to add to your reading list. By highlighting the contributions and perspectives of female authors and translators across cultures, we challenge prevailing assumptions and biases that have led to the lack of representation and recognition for women writers in translated literature. Each of these books bring forth important female perspectives for a more international, intersectional and inclusive understanding of our world.

1. Memory in the Flesh (2000) by Ahlam Mosteghanemi, translated by Baria Ahmar Sreih

Originally published in Arabic as ذاكرة الجسد (Dhākirat al-Jasad)
Translated into: English, French, Kurdish and more

Ahlam Mosteghanemi created history with Memory in the Flesh as the first female Algerian writer to write in Arabic instead of French. The choice to write in Arabic is informed by the story being told, of Algeria’s resistance to foreign oppression and its challenges in a postcolonial environment. Mosteghanemi was awarded the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature for her use of realistic male narration in her novel, challenging and broadening the scope of gender perspectives in literature, and making her work a groundbreaking contribution to contemporary Arabic fiction.

2. Tomb of Sand (2021) by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell

Originally published in Hindi as रेत समाधि (Ret Samadhi)
Translated into: English, French, German and more

Geetanjali Shree is the first Hindi author to have won the International Booker Prize (2022), and Tomb of Sand also received the 2022 Warwick Prize for Women in Translation. The book follows the transformative journey of 80-year-old Ma, who grapples with depression after her husband’s death. Shree’s writing is timeless in its reflection of a woman’s inner life and her invisibility. The book evolves into Ma travelling from India to Pakistan to rediscover and reclaim her own identity.

3. Ru (2012) by Kim Thúy, translated by Sheila Fischman

Originally published in French
Translated into: English, French, Italian and more

“Ru” translates to “lullaby” in Vietnamese and “small stream” in French, also referring to a “flow.” Kim Thúy’s Ru follows the flow of the unforgettable journey of a girl, turned mother, immigrating from Vietnam, and her life as a refugee. Thúy’s literary technique adopts the double meaning of its title, following the unpredictable flow of a river but eventually finding its calm in the new life that emerges as a result of the journey.

4. Your Wish Is My Command (2023) by Deena Mohamed, translated by the author herself

Originally published in Arabic as شبيك لبيك (Shubeik Lubeik)
Translated into: English

Deena Mohamed is known for creating Qahera, a webcomic about a hijabi superhero. Your Wish is my Command is her first graphic novel, featuring three volumes from 2017 to 2021, and it won the Grand Prize at the 2017 Cairo Comix festival. Mohamed brings life and magic to a familiar Cairo in a fantastically imaginative tale where wishes are for sale.

Feeling inspired to read Shubeik Lubeik in its original language? Partner up with one of NaTakallam’s Arabic tutors! We offer language sessions in six Arabic dialects, including Deena Mohamed’s native Egyptian.

5. What Have You Left Behind? (2022) by Bushra Al-Maqtari, translated by Sawad Hussain

Originally published in Arabic as ما الذي تركت ورائي (Mā Aladhī Taraktu Warāʾī)
Translated into: German, English and French

Bushra Al-Maqtari amplifies underheard voices in What Have You Left Behind with her collection of over 400 firsthand accounts of the Yemeni Civil War. Through these testimonies, the author presents the book as an act of witnessing, to not forget the resilience of the Yemeni people and their lives.

Interested in hearing more Yemeni voices? Visit The Yemen Listening Project, a bilingual collection of over 100 stories about culture beyond conflict and what life is really like beyond the headlines of humanitarian crisis – with translation and Arabic copyediting by NaTakallam. You can also connect directly with NaTakallam’s Yemeni Arabic Language Partners.

6. The Journey: An Egyptian Woman Student’s American Memoirs (2018) by Radwa Ashour, translated by Michelle Hartman

Originally published in Arabic as الرحلة: أيام طالبة مصرية في أمريكا (Ar-Riḥla: Ayyām Ṭāliba Miṣriyya fī Amrīkā)
Translated into: English

This book is Radwa Ashour’s memoir of her intellectual journey as a graduate student in the United States. The autobiographical account looks at the differences and similarities between life in Egypt and in America, in holding on to her identity whilst navigating a new environment. In her memoir, Ashour also touches upon the people who inspired her in the US, especially members of the African American community.

7. Disoriental (2018) by Négar Djavadi, translated by Tina Kover

Originally published in French as Désorientale
Translated into: English, Spanish, Italian and more

Disoriental, Négar Djavadi’s debut novel, explores its main characters’ exile to Paris from Iran. Djavadi explores the struggles of integration into French society while providing an account of Iranian history. The book travels with the main character into her burdens with history, family, identity and her country.

Did you know that the French and Persian languages share a long historical relationship? For example, “مرسی” (mersi) in Persian means “thank you,” as in the French “merci.” You can learn both languages and explore the links between them with NaTakallam’s native tutors.

8. August (2017) by Romina Paula, translated by Jennifer Croft

Originally published in Spanish as Agosto
Translated into: English and French

The novel revolves around a young woman, Emilia, who returns to her hometown in Patagonia to scatter the ashes of her best friend. The book navigates devastating loss with a narrator that feels extremely open and familiar to readers. The author brilliantly makes the novel feel like a conversation between the two female best friends as Emilia attempts to understand and work through her grief.

If you wish to learn more about Patagonian and South American culture, start a conversation with NaTakallam’s Spanish Language Partners from Latin America.

9. Minor Detail (2020) by Adania Shibli, translated by Elisabeth Jaquette

Originally published in Arabic as تفصيل ثانوي (Tafṣīl Thānawī)
Translated into: English, German, Italian and more

Set in Palestine, Minor Detail intertwines two narratives across different time periods. The book begins with a girl and an unforgettable incident in the summer of 1949. Many decades later, a woman in Ramallah becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about this “minor detail” in history. Shibli’s haunting novel explores themes of memory, trauma, and the enduring effects of violence, offering a poignant meditation on personal and collective histories and the ongoing struggle for justice and recognition.

Discover Palestine’s rich literary tradition with these 15 must-read books by Palestinian women. And as you delve into the stories of Palestinian women, why not further your exploration by learning the language that carries their voices? Sign up for Arabic language learning with Palestinian tutors today.

Celebrating Women in Translation Month, NaTakallam is proud to have a women-led and female-majority translation and interpretation department, offering services in 100+ languages, powered by team members from conflict-affected backgrounds.

Whether you’re looking for document translation, event interpretation, website localization, or other products, explore our award-winning services and request a quote today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lenora Dsouza is an intern at NaTakallam and is currently pursuing her Masters degree in International Security at Sciences Po Paris. She is passionate about learning new cultures through travelling and language.