10 Books of Summer / Summer in Other Languages

~ Lory

Linked in Top Ten Tuesday at That Artsy Reader Girl

Summer is almost here, which means it’s time for 20 / 15 / 10 Books of Summer! I’ve packed my list of 10 with books for my reading goals/challenges this year: The #LoveHain readalong, #ReadingtheMeow in June, Read All Around the World, Spiritual Memoir Challenge, and StoryGraph Onboarding Challenge. If I manage all of these, it will give me a great sense of accomplishment. And if not, I will have given it a good try.

Do you know any of these? What’s on your summer reading list?

Alternate/additional books

The last two are for my own Summer in Other Languages, which helps me keep going with my studies in French and German. If you want to join, translated books are also fine!

I’m looking forward to a buddy read of Voyage au centre de la Terre by Jules Verne, with Emma of Words and Peace. Emma has set up a Discord group where we can discuss the book (in French); for the last few years, this has been a great motivator and excellent communication practice as well. If anyone would like to join, here’s the link. We’ll start on June 15 and read a chapter a day till the end of July (the book has 45 chapters).

This year I’m also going to attempt to finish Krabat by Otfried Preußler, which I started a year or two ago but found too difficult. Maybe my German skills are up to it now!

I hope some of you will be inspired to read books in (or translated from) other languages and to share your discoveries with me.

45 thoughts on “10 Books of Summer / Summer in Other Languages”

  1. I just discovered Ovidia Yu yesterday (for another series), so am reading that for this month’s personal Far East reading challenge. I loved Otfried Preußler as a child – Krabat is one of the more grown-up of his children’s novels, I was slightly frightened of it.

    1. I read it in English translation and loved it, but it is creepy! Not sure how I would have felt about it as a child. That is funny that you just discovered Ovidia Yu as well – I found her through the StoryGraph Community page (that’s one of the prompts on the Onboarding challenge). A cozy mystery set in Singapore sounds great, so I’m looking forward to that.

  4. Sounds like a great list. I have only read The Snow Goose, by Paul Gallico, but I was very much impressed.
    Really looking forward to reading Verne together!

  5. The only one I know is Voyage du centre de la Terre by Jules Verne, although I read the English translation, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, but I enjoyed it. Good luck and happy reading! 🙂

    1. Oh good, I’m glad to know that — it gets very mixed reviews so I’m a bit nervous. It will be interesting to see for myself in any case.

      1. It isn’t my favourite Verne, that is definitely Around the World in 80 Days, but I still enjoyed this one probably equal to 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea 🌋

  6. I scarcely dare consider another reading prompt, so I’m going to resist joining in any more this summer unless I casually pick up something that fits in! That said, if I happen across the Verne, who knows…

    I managed to get a reasonably priced secondhand hardback of The Telling online as it appears out of print in the UK; weirdly, most of the paperback editions are being offered for silly money, no idea why.

    Emily’s now read the Raynor Wynn memoir twice, the second time following an account by poet Simon Armitage of a near contemporaneous trek on the same coastal path. It’s only a matter of time before she re-reads the two sequels! (Yes, there’s more, if you enjoy The Salt Path…)

    1. No worries, you’ve got plenty on your plate for sure. I’m glad you got a hold of The Telling.

      The Salt Path seems like the perfect summer reading book and will surely fan up my wanderlust.

  7. I’ve read The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and Salt Path and thought they were both excellent, enjoy your reading!

  9. I am intrigued by the buddy read of Journey to the Center of the Earth. I’m not sure my French is good enough any more, but surely I could
    try in English? I am currently reading War and Peace, a chapter a day, with a group on Instagram (#whiskeyandperseverance), but let me think about this…and, thank you for visiting me.

    1. Of course you can read in English, only the Discord discussion will be in French. On peut toujours y discuter! My level is just intermediate and Emma is very accommodating so you’re welcome to drop in.

  11. Nice pile! I love The Girl with the Louding Voice and enjoyed The Salt Path. I would love to do one of my Three Investigators books in Spanish as part of 20 Books but fear it would then be a 1 Book challenge! Happy reading.

    1. Haha, yes I hope my goal of two books in other languages is not too ambitious. I hope to wedge some other reads in around the edges.

  13. That’s a lovely list. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything set in Syria before. And Verne is such good fun. Hope you enjoy Thomasina too😺

  14. Good idea to build your list from other challenges and reading projects. There are not two on your list that I’ve read – The Girl with the Louding Voice (loved this) and The Salt Path which is wonderful.

    1. I’m just finishing The Salt Path – it is truly wonderful and I am glad there are two more books to enjoy! My hold on Louding might not come in by the end of the summer, but I’m excited for that one too.

  19. That’s an ambitious list, Lory! I hope you enjoy them all.

    I’m curious about Summer in Other Languages. How proficient do you find you need to be to read a book in another language? I’m studying Spanish again, via Duolingo. I was reasonably fluent in my college years, but I’ve forgotten a lot of the vocabulary and advanced grammar. I don’t think I’m up to reading in Spanish yet, except perhaps for early children’s books.

    1. If you were reasonably fluent in college, I imagine you can get it back. I was in the same situation with French when I moved here and I started trying to read pretty early on; it was difficult but with lots of vocab help (e-books are great for that – just click on the word to translate), I was able to make progress slowly. But other forms of practicing the language also contributed – besides a certain amount of daily life practice, I also did a free course online designed for students who want to study in France, and I had a tandem conversation partner.

      I imagine it would be possible to find resources for Spanish, but it all takes time! Maybe even some other bloggers who would read with you. The book club with Emma has been wonderful. I have tried out Duolingo but it wasn’t enough for me. The context of reading helps, even though I may not understand everything it slowly starts to fit into place the more I do it. Good luck and do let me know if you’d like any more ideas. I want to support others language learning efforts if I can.

    1. Yeah, getting over that reading hump is tough. I wish I could speak Spanish at all, it’s a beautiful language.

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