You asked, and I delivered. I ran a subscriber survey last month, and the overwhelming consensus was that readers yearn for more weird books and more recommendations for translated literature. Why not include both in one list?
Whether you want something weird and whimsical, or a book that leaves you thinking — there’s an odd little gem in these ten books for everyone. I’ll always sing praises for books that subvert our expectations, take risks, and are unapologetically weird. These books are inherently divisive, but they create discourse and discussion that I love!
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P.S. All books below are available through my Bookshop.org page (click the links below!), where you’ll support independent bookstores with every purchase. Since these are affiliate links, I’ll also receive a small commission for any books purchased.
The Novices of Lerna by Ángel Bonomini, Jordan Landsman (Translator)
I seldom gravitate towards science fiction, but after seeing a plethora of rave reviews for The Novices of Lerna, I was intrigued. This short story collection was written in the 1970s by an enigmatic Argentinian writer and only recently translated into English — it’s the type of obscure classic I love to see pulled from the archives and given a second life.
The collection is a psychological exploration of identity, parallelism, and doppelgangers. My personal favourite entries were The Singer, The Report and the CCC, but I think I’m in the minority given the titular novella tends to be the most beloved. Regardless, it’s a fantastically weird collection that deserves a read.
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