…or a vocal plosive…or something my parents and teachers always frowned upon when used as a substitute for a ‘t’. To me it sounds like the name of a linguists’ favourite café – a place to take a break, relax, and delve into a good book. Welcome to The Glottal Stop: a bibliophile café where you get to be your own barista, but the book recommendations are all mine.
I’m a German – English translator with a chronic book habit. All books featured here are literature in translation; all (unashamedly biased) opinions expressed are my own.
The range of literature available in translation into English is woefully small – while my continental friends can settle down with the latest Dan Brown or George R R Martin translated into their own language, the chances of even the winner of another country’s book prize being published in English are fairly hit and miss. So here is my pick of translated fiction.
I like to think of a book as a literary sandwich: the setting and the story itself are the bread that gives its structure; the characters populating it are the filling; the language is the sauce to flavour the whole.
So whip up your favourite brew, whether that’s a Cortado, Milchkaffee or English Breakfast, and hit the menu button to stroll over to the Deli Counter for some international flavour to accompany it.
While you’re here, Anything Else With That? contains links to other sites for book recommendations (in translation or the original), as well as sundry other sites with a bibliophile connection.
The Glottal Stop 