It often happens that we read a book without even knowing that we are reading a translated version and what is strange is that, some books would probably have never been popular if not translated. Let’s read about 10 books that found worldwide success after being translated.
10 Books that Found Worldwide Success After Being Translated:
The Little Prince (originally written in French)
Original title – Le Petit Prince
Author – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Publication date – 1943
About – It is about a youthful prince who visits several planets in space, as well as planet Earth. This novella deals with several themes like friendship, loneliness, loss, and love.
1Q84 (originally written in Japanese)
Original title – ichi-kew-hachi-yon
Author – Haruki Murakami
Publication date – 2009 (Book 1 and 2) 2010 (Book 3)
About – It is about a fictional year of the year 1984 in equivalent with a real one. It is about Aomame who starts to become aware of odd changes happening in the world. She is rapidly caught up in a conspire engaging her childhood affection, Tengo, and a religious cult named Sakigake. She then goes onboard on a voyage to discover the definition of ‘real’.
The Alchemist (originally written in Portuguese)
Original title – O Alquimista
Author – Paulo Coelho
Publication date – 1988
About – It is about a youthful Andalusian shepherd on his voyage to Egyptian pyramids, after having a frequent vision of discovering a treasure there. The focal theme of this story is about listening to your spirit and following your dream.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (originally written in Swedish)
Original title – Män som hatar kvinnor
Author – Stieg Larsson
Publication date – 2005
About – It is a psychological thriller-based novel. This story is about excessive brutality against women, especially sexual violence.
The Shadow of the Wind (originally written in Spanish)
Original title – La Sombra Del Viento
Author – Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Publication date – 2001
About – This novel has a unique theme, it depicts the influence and significance of literature and how it is capable of creating nexus between people and changing lives.
The Name of the Rose (originally written in Italian)
Original title – Il Nome Della Rosa
Author – Umberto Eco
Publication date – 1980
About – It is a murder mystery located in an Italian monastery around the year 1327. It is consists of theology, metaphysics, medieval studies, biblical analysis, and literary theory.
The Neverending Story (originally written in German)
Original title – Die unendliche Geschichte
Author – Michael Ende
Publication date – 1979
About – Bastian is the significant character of the story and his stories in the book deal with bravery, empathy, and self-confidence.
The House of the Spirits (originally written in Spanish)
Original title – La casa de Los espiritus
Author – Isabel Allende
Publication date – 1982
About – The author started writing letters to her hundred-year-old grandfather after she died, which later turned out as the manuscript of The House of Spirits. This novel is highly influenced by One Hundred Years of Solitude written by Gabriel García Márquez.
The Three-Body Problem (originally written in Chinese)
Original title – sān tǐ
Author – Liu Cixin
Publication date – 2008
About – It is a trilogy, and the other two novels are The Dark Forest and Death’s End. It is one of the most admired sci-fi novels in China. This story deals with several themes like human affairs, morality, and technology.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog (originally written in French)
Original title – L’Élégance du hérisson
Author – Muriel Barbery
Publication date – 2006
About – The focal characters of this story are Paloma Josse, a 12-year-old suicidal, intellectual girl who conceals her intelligence to shun elimination in school, and Renée Michel, a concierge who has managed the construction for 27 years. Renée is self-taught in philosophy and literature, but she hides it for her present job. It is fascinating to know how these two characters cross paths and help each other through their conflict, which is a significant theme of this story.
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