Translingualism

Description
Books by authors who write in more than one language or in a language other than their primary or childhood one. Also books about the phenomenon of translingualism/exophony (why do writers "switch" languages...). Please limit this to one representative title per author.
1
En attendant Godot
de Samuel Beckett
12,928 membres
161 critiques
3.9
4 Members
Dilara86, spiphany, ahef1963, mspixieears
Explications
mspixieears: originally written in French while author was living there
2
Les cerfs-volants de Kaboul
de Khaled Hosseini
52,799 membres
1,300 critiques
4.2
2 Members
spiphany, ahef1963
3
Sur la route
de Jack Kerouac
27,930 membres
387 critiques
½ 3.6
2 Members
spiphany, mspixieears
Explications
spiphany: Kerouac was of Québécois background and wrote several novellas in French (including an early version of On the Road) before turning to English in his later work
4
La Nuit
de Elie Wiesel
27,575 membres
573 critiques
½ 4.3
2 Members
spiphany, ahef1963
Explications
spiphany: An early version of "Night" was published in Yiddish; Wiesel later wrote a shorter version in French.
5
Au cœur des ténèbres
de Joseph Conrad
23,589 membres
389 critiques
½ 3.6
2 Members
ahef1963, mspixieears
6
Feu pâle
de Vladimir Nabokov
7,942 membres
139 critiques
4.2
2 Members
Dilara86, spiphany
7
La lenteur
de Milan Kundera
2,263 membres
30 critiques
½ 3.6
2 Members
Dilara86, spiphany
Explications
spiphany: This is the first of Kundera's novels written in French; his previous works were in Czech
8
Le testament français
de Andreï Makine
1,554 membres
34 critiques
3.8
2 Members
Dilara86, spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Russian-born Makine at first had to pretend that his French novels had been based on Russian manuscripts because the publishers didn't believe that he could have composed them in French
9
Wizard of the Crow
de Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
925 membres
17 critiques
4.2
2 Members
Dilara86, spiphany
Explications
Dilara86: Translated from Kikuyu into English by the author
10
Assommons les pauvres !
de Shumona Sinha
37 membres
2 critiques
½ 3.3
2 Members
Dilara86, spiphany
Explications
Dilara86: Indian author who writes in French
11
L'enfant élu
de Galsan Tschinag
15 membres
4
2 Members
Dilara86, spiphany
Explications
Dilara86: Ethnic Tuvan Mongolian author who writes in German.
12
Balzac et la petite tailleuse chinoise
de Dai Sijie
6,935 membres
235 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
13
Les Bienveillantes
de Jonathan Littell
2,904 membres
97 critiques
3.9
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: American and French author. His first novel, Bad Voltage, was written in English; Les Bienveillantes (The Kindly Ones) in French
14
Sept contes gothiques
de Isak Dinesen
2,396 membres
32 critiques
4
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Danish writer who lived in Kenya for nearly two decades. She wrote in English and self-translated into Danish.
15
Salomé
de Oscar Wilde
1,579 membres
29 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Although Wilde was an Anglo-Irish writer and published almost exclusively in English, he chose to write "Salomé" in French.
16
Manuscrit trouvé à Saragosse
de Jan Potocki
1,576 membres
32 critiques
4.1
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Potocki was a Polish nobleman; he was educated in Geneva and travelled extensively around Europe and Asia. He wrote in French.
17
Léon l'Africain
de Amin Maalouf
1,567 membres
36 critiques
3.9
Member
spiphany
18
La maison de la mosquée
de Kader Abdolah
1,300 membres
55 critiques
4
Member
spiphany
19
Vathek. Conte arabe
de William Beckford
1,297 membres
44 critiques
3.1
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Written in French, although Beckford generally wrote in English
20
Mort d'une héroïne rouge
de Qiu Xiaolong
1,278 membres
68 critiques
3.8
Member
spiphany
21
Lost Children Archive
de Valeria Luiselli
1,187 membres
62 critiques
3.8
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Mexican writer living in the US. This is her fifth novel and the first written in English.
22
Histoire de ma vie (Morceaux choisis)
de Giacomo Girolamo Casanova
1,051 membres
11 critiques
3.8
Member
spiphany
23
A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers
de Xiaolu Guo
1,040 membres
65 critiques
½ 3.5
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Raised in China and wrote several novels in Chinese. Now based mostly in London. This was her first novel written in English.
24
The Poor Mouth
de Flann O'Brien
972 membres
19 critiques
4.1
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Brian O'Nolan used the pseudonym Myles na gCopaleen when writing in Irish and Flann O'Brien when writing in English. "The Poor Mouth" is his only novel in Irish.
25
Ru
de Kim Thúy
868 membres
56 critiques
3.8
Member
spiphany
26
In Other Words
de Jhumpa Lahiri
739 membres
43 critiques
½ 3.7
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: US writer of Bengali heritage. Author of several works in English, moved to Rome as an adult, learned Italian, and wrote this novel in that language.
27
Floating in My Mother's Palm
de Ursula Hegi
715 membres
21 critiques
4
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Native language German; came to the US at 18, publications have been exclusively in English
28
Lost in Translation: A Life in a New Language
de Eva Hoffman
712 membres
13 critiques
½ 3.7
Member
spiphany
29
The Mountains Sing
de Nguyen Phan Que Mai
693 membres
52 critiques
4.1
Member
spiphany
30
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers: Stories
de Yiyun Li
675 membres
25 critiques
3.9
Member
spiphany
31
Le papou d'amsterdam
de Janwillem van de Wetering
654 membres
22 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Wrote in Dutch and self-translated/rewrote in English.
32
L'espoir est une chose ridicule
de Aleksandar Hemon
616 membres
19 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
33
Memory of Water
de Emmi Itäranta
607 membres
47 critiques
3.8
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Finnish writer living in the UK. She wrote each of her novels in both a Finnish and an English version.
34
La vie rêvée de Sukhanov
de Olga Grushin
605 membres
31 critiques
3.9
Member
spiphany
35
Syngué Sabour. La pierre de patience
de Atiq Rahimi
577 membres
40 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Afghan writer now living in France. Several early works in Dari. This is his first work written in French
36
Le grand cahier
de Ágota Kristóf
545 membres
20 critiques
4.2
Member
spiphany
37
Le Soldat et le Gramophone
de Saša Stanišić
505 membres
22 critiques
3.8
Member
spiphany
38
Deaf Republic: Poems
de Ilya Kaminsky
425 membres
11 critiques
½ 4.5
Member
spiphany
39
Le Grand Ménage du tueur à gages
de Hallgrimur Helgason
399 membres
24 critiques
½ 3.3
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Icelandic author of several novels in his native tongue. This novel was written in English.
40
Croisade sans croix
de Arthur Koestler
371 membres
5 critiques
½ 3.5
Member
spiphany
41
Damascus Nights
de Rafik Schami
356 membres
5 critiques
4.1
Member
spiphany
42
The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine
de Alina Bronsky
354 membres
26 critiques
½ 3.7
Member
Dilara86
Explications
Dilara86: Author of Russian origin who moved to Germany as a teenager. She writes in German.
43
L'Africaine
de Francesca Marciano
325 membres
12 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
44
On a Red Station, Drifting
de Aliette de Bodard
312 membres
33 critiques
½ 3.7
Member
Dilara86
Explications
Dilara86: French author who writes in English
45
The King David Report
de Stefan Heym
190 membres
2 critiques
3.9
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Switched back and forth between his native German and English several times, depending on where he was living at the time.
46
Poèmes français : vergers, les roses, les fenêtres, carnet de poche, poèmes épars
de Rainer Maria Rilke
186 membres
4.1
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Although German was Rilke's primary language, he wrote about 400 poems in French (as well as a handful in Russian)
47
There Are Jews in My House
de Lara Vapnyar
184 membres
5 critiques
4
Member
spiphany
48
Au plus noir de la nuit
de André Brink
184 membres
2 critiques
4
Member
spiphany
49
Lady L.
de Romain Gary
179 membres
2 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Wrote in French and sometimes in English, and self-translated several of his novels. Neither language was his mother tongue.
50
Le cheval d'orgueil. Mémoires d'un Breton du pays bigouden
de Pierre-Jakez Helias
166 membres
3 critiques
3.8
Member
Dilara86
Explications
Dilara86: The author wrote The Horse of Pride in Breton, then translated it into French himself.
51
Pas pleurer
de Lydie Salvayre
158 membres
11 critiques
½ 3.7
Member
Dilara86
Explications
Dilara86: Written in a mixture of French and Spanish.
52
The Trick
de Emanuel Bergmann
157 membres
11 critiques
4.1
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Author wrote first draft in English, then rewrote in German, then translated it back into English.
53
Crépuscule à Delhi
de Ahmed Ali
156 membres
6 critiques
½ 3.5
Member
spiphany
54
The Saint of Incipient Insanities
de Elif Shafak
149 membres
3 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
55
The Genius of Language: Fifteen Writers Reflect on Their Mother Tongue
de Wendy Lesser
137 membres
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
56
The Hostage
de Brendan Behan
132 membres
2 critiques
½ 3.3
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: "The Hostage" was written in Irish; the author also wrote an English adaptation. Behan's other works are in English.
57
Angel of Oblivion
de Maja Haderlap
128 membres
7 critiques
4.2
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Writes in Slovenian and German
58
The Face on the Cutting-Room Floor
de Cameron McCabe
113 membres
2 critiques
2.9
Member
spiphany
59
Sworn Virgin
de Elvira Dones
109 membres
4 critiques
3.8
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Writes in Albanian and Italian
60
Every Day, Every Hour: A Novel
de Natasa Dragnic
100 membres
10 critiques
½ 3.4
Member
spiphany
61
Le Pont de la corne d'or
de Emine Sevgi Özdamar
99 membres
3 critiques
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
62
The Appointment: A Novel
de Katharina Volckmer
93 membres
5 critiques
½ 3.5
Member
spiphany
63
On Borrowed Words: A Memoir of Language
de Ilan Stavans
83 membres
2 critiques
3.1
Member
spiphany
64
A Change of Tongue
de Antjie Krog
82 membres
3.9
Member
spiphany
65
Ada's Room
de Sharon Dodua Otoo
78 membres
4 critiques
½ 3.4
Member
spiphany
66
L'Ingratitude
de Ying Chen
72 membres
2 critiques
½ 3.4
Member
spiphany
67
Les Variations Goldberg
de Nancy Huston
62 membres
1 critique
½ 3.6
Member
spiphany
68
Two Murders in My Double Life: A Novel
de Josef Škvorecký
61 membres
2 critiques
½ 3.3
Member
spiphany
69
Cranes at Dusk
de Hisako Matsubara
57 membres
2 critiques
½ 3.4
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Born and raised in Japan, came to Germany as an adult. Writes mostly in German.
70
Änderungsschneiderei Los Milagros
de María Cecilia Barbetta
49 membres
2 critiques
2.8
Member
spiphany
71
Engelszungen
de Dimitré Dinev
48 membres
1 critique
3.9
Member
spiphany
72
Les Mots étrangers
de Vassilis Alexakis
44 membres
1 critique
3.9
Member
spiphany
73
The Alp
de Arno Camenisch
43 membres
1 critique
½ 3.3
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Swiss author. He has published mostly in German, sometimes in Swiss dialect. "Sez Ner" was written in Romansh and German.
74
Les Palimpsestes
de Aleksandra Lun
41 membres
2 critiques
½ 3.7
Member
spiphany
75
Magda
de Meike Ziervogel
39 membres
2 critiques
4.1
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Grew up in Germany, now lives in London and writes in English
76
Disputa de l'ase
de Anselm Turmeda
39 membres
1 critique
3.8
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Medieval author who wrote in both Arabic and Catalan
77
Nagori : la nostalgie de la saison qui vient de nous quitter
de Ryoko Sekiguchi
34 membres
4 critiques
3.9
Member
Dilara86
Explications
Dilara86: Japanese author - writes in French
78
Dúil
de Liam Ó Flaithearta
32 membres
4.2
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Wrote primarily in English, with the exception of this book, which was written in Irish.
79
Une langue venue d'ailleurs
de Akira Mizubayashi
30 membres
2 critiques
4
Member
spiphany
80
Juja
de Nino Haratischwili
30 membres
1 critique
3
Member
spiphany
81
The Village Indian
de Abbas Khider
29 membres
3.1
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Fled Iraq due to political activities; now a German citizen who writes in German.
82
Counting my steps; an autobiography
de Jakov Lind
25 membres
½ 4.3
Member
spiphany
83
Das Kamel mit dem Nasenring
de Salim Alafenisch
21 membres
3.8
Member
spiphany
84
Luft und Liebe
de Anne Weber
21 membres
3.2
Member
spiphany
85
Collected Body
de Valzhyna Mort
20 membres
5
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Poet who writes in Belarusian and English
86
A Room Where The Star-Spangled Banner Cannot Be Heard: A Novel in Three Parts
de Hideo Levy
20 membres
1 critique
2.8
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: American-born, educated in Taiwan and Japan as well as the US. Has written several novels in Japanese.
87
Child-and-Rose
de Gennady Aigi
19 membres
3.8
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: First poems written in Chuvash, later switched to Russian; also published translations into Chuvash
88
Le langage et son double
de Julien Green
19 membres
1 critique
½ 3.5
Member
spiphany
89
In Case of Fire in a Foreign Land: New and Collected Poems from Two Languages
de Ariel Dorfman
18 membres
5
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Argentinian/Chilean/American. Writes in both Spanish and English.
90
Überseezungen: Literarische Essays
de Yōko Tawada
18 membres
½ 4.3
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Japanese-born author who came to Germany as an adult. She continues to write in both German and Japanese
91
Black Sky, Black Sea
de Izzet Celasin
18 membres
3.8
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Turkish, came to Norway as a political refugee as an adult; author of one novel, written in Norwegian
92
L'enfant de poussière
de Patrick K. Dewdney
18 membres
½ 3.5
Member
Dilara86
93
A la source, la nuit
de Seyhmus Dagtekin
16 membres
½ 4.5
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Writes mostly in French, but also in Turkish and Kurdish
95
Dagny or a Love Feast
de Zurab Karumidze
16 membres
½ 3.5
Member
spiphany
96
Land Without Thunder
de Grace Ogot
14 membres
3
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Wrote in Luo and English
97
Elefanten im Garten: Roman
de Meral Kureyshi
12 membres
½ 4.5
Member
spiphany
98
Sogar Papageien überleben uns: Roman
de Olga Martynova
12 membres
1 critique
½ 3.7
Member
spiphany
100
The Sky is Changing
de Zoë Jenny
10 membres
2 critiques
½ 2.5
Member
spiphany
Explications
spiphany: Swiss native now living in London. Published several novels in German prior to this English-language novel.