Abandoned by their mother, adult siblings Salim and Sara rarely leave their house, while their father continuously pops in with bizarre advice as their grandmother lies dying. Funny, slightly insane, and completely absurd, The Endless Week by Laura Vazquez and translated by Alex Niemi has a place on my shelf of perfectly weird fiction. Think Samuel Beckett infused with David Lynch and a sprig of a much darker Wes Anderson.
–Cailtin, Island Books, Mercer Island, WA
Caitlin writes, “I gravitate towards translated literature because I like exploring different voices and experiences from countries around the world. Many thanks to the translators who’ve taken me to Mauritius, China, Japan, across Europe and Central and South America.” If you, too, are intrigued by translated works, shop at Island Books, ask about translated literature at your local independent bookstore, and explore the Cercador Prize: https://www.
