Rosario Traducciones continues the journey through the most translated literary books worldwide. On this occasion, we take you to the Balkan countries to learn more about the most translated books in the region.
The Balkan Peninsula, also known as the Balkans, is one of the three largest peninsulas in southern Europe. The peninsula is bordered by the Balkan Mountains (after which it is named) to the east and the Dinaric Alps to the west.
This region covers a combined area of over 212,356 sq mi and has a population of almost 53 million people. The Peninsula harbors the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and the Turkish region of East Trace.
Though not strictly part of the peninsula, Hungary, Moldavia and Ukraine are usually considered a part of the Balkans for historical and cultural reasons.
The languages spoken at the Balkans include Indo-European languages, mainly of the Slavic group (Bulgarian, Serbo-Croatian, Slovene and Macedonian), Greek, Albanian and a group of Romance languages (Romanian, Moldavian—identified with Romanian—and Aromanian—also known as Vlach). There are also small areas where Hungarian, German, Turkish, and Italian are spoken; scattered communities throughout the peninsula speak Romani (Gypsy communities) and languages related to Jewish communities (Yiddish and Ladino).
This is a territory where culture, people and religion diversity have always coexisted. For this reason, the literature of the different Balkan countries is multiple and varied in range: hypertextual fiction, crime fiction, and stories of war and exile, to mention a few.
1) The General of the Dead Army (Albania)
The General of the Dead Army, published in 1963, is the first novel by Albanian writer Ismail Kadaré. It was translated into English by Derek Coltman based on the 1970 French edition rather than on the Albanian original. A revised English edition was published in 2000 by The Harvill Press based on the revised French edition published by Fayard in 1998, and was reprinted by Vintage Press in 2008.
The story tells the difficult mission entrusted to a General, who must locate and repatriate the remains of his countrymen who died at war. The climate, the memories and the locals will not make it easy.
The novel has been translated into more than 46 languages.
2) Dictionary of the Khazars (Serbia)
Dictionary of the Khazars: A Lexicon Novel is the first novel by Serbian writer Milorad Pavić, published in 1984. It is a remarkable example of the so called hypertextual fiction and has been translated into more than 39 languages.
The main theme of the book (the religious conversion of the Khazard people) is based on a historical event that dates back to the last decades of the 8th century or the turn of the 9th century, when Khazard royalty and nobility converted to Judaism, followed by a major part of the population.
The book is structured as a dictionary divided into three parts. Entries are organized alphabetically and can also be read randomly. Each part explores the Christian, Muslim and Jewish foundation in relation to the Khazars.
3) The Book of Mirrors (Romania)
The Book of Mirrors is a detective novel by Romanian writer Eugen Chirovici, published in 2017. Originally written in English, the book has been translated into more than 37 languages. The story features literary agent Peter Katz as the protagonist and explores the power and fragility of memory in an unpredictable plot where one man’s truth is another man’s lie.
4) Under the Yoke (Bulgaria)
Under the Yoke is a historical novel by Bulgarian author Ivan Vazov that portrays the organization and implementation of the April Uprising in 1876, which led directly to the independence of Bulgaria. Published in more than 30 languages, this novel is one of the most widely known and translated Bulgarian literature book.
It was written in Odessa, where Vazov lived in exile after the coup d'état of 1886 led by Stefan Stambolov. Written in exile and dealing with such a symbolic theme as the life of the Bulgarian people in their fight for independence, the novel unfolds through an indoctrinating and touching language, providing a vivid depiction of the Bulgarian rural society of the time.
5) The Bridge on the Drina (Bosnia)
The Bridge on the Drina is a historical novel written by Yugoslav writer Ivo Andrić in Belgrade during World War II and published in 1945. This novel was published in more than 30 languages and earned its author the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961.
Set in the city of Višegrad and the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge on the Drina River, the story spans about four centuries, including the periods under the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian rule, and chronicles the relations and lives of the local inhabitants, especially the Muslims and Orthodox Christians from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
6) The Mountain Wreath (Montenegro)
The Mountain Wreath is a Serbian poem written by Prince-Bishop Petar II Petrović-Njegoš (1813-1851) and published in 1847. This Montenegrin prince, grandfather to the Queen of Italy, Elena of Savoy, accomplished the dream cherished by so many poets of creating a national epic poem of the Serbian people.
Folk and artistic, lyric, dramatic and epic poetry all converge, where people’s voices evoke the Battle of Kosovo and a number of other episodes of the Serbian epic. Translated into 14 languages, this poem became the expression of the national spirit and ranks as one of the most inspiring works of literature of all times.
7) Croatian God Mars (Croatia)
Croatian God Mars is a collection of short stories written by Miroslav Krleža after serving at the Galician front line during World War I. Considered one of the most powerful books of the Great War, it conveys the chaos and the fear of life on the front line, with Croatian village kids serving as cannon fodder for the Austro-Hungarian army.
Showing a great commitment to politics, literature and morality, Krleža is considered one of the most influencing authors in Croatian literature.
The book has been translated into more than 11 languages.
8) Minuet for Guitar (Slovenia)
Minuet for Guitar is a war novel by Slovenian writer Vitomil Zupan. Published in 1975, it is considered a masterpiece of Slovenian fiction, depicting the horror and little comedies of war and exploring the morality of this tumultuous period of European recent history.
The novel has been translated into more than 11 languages.
9) Christ Recrucified (Greece)
Christ Recrucified is a novel set in 1922 written by Nikos Kazantzakis and published in 1948. The author tells the story of how a group of refugees—whose city has been ravaged by the Ottoman Army—arrive in Lycovrisi, a fictional village deep in Anatolia, as the villagers are preparing to act in a Passion Play.
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