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Belletrista - A site promoting translated women authored literature from around the world
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"The Four Hundred Pleats" by Greek author Amanda Michalopoulou

"The Wig Maker" by Welsh author Vanessa Gebbie

The Women of Nordic Crime: A Dozen Mavens of Murder

Welcome readers to our latest issue, filled, as always, with great writing by women from around the world. We are delighted to present two short stories for your reading pleasure. Additionally, we've put together an overview of twelve Nordic crime writers, and feature an intriguing discussion of Japanese author Banana Yoshimoto's short novel, Kitchen. Seventeen reviews by our global readers grace this issue, as do over sixty New & Notable books (we've given Canada their own New & Notable section). We are pleased to note that thirteen of the twenty 2011 Orange Prize longlisted books were featured on these pages during the course of the last year! We always aim to provide excellent reading and find interesting books for all of our devoted readers!

Reviews
Click on 'Reviews' to see the full list of this issue's reviews...
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FAREWELLS TO PLASMA
Natasza Goerke
Translated from the Polish by W. Martin

Twisted Spoon is an English language publisher of Eastern European literature, based in Prague. Their mission, according to their website, includes the translation of 'eclectic and unique' works previously denied to English readers. Enter Natasza Goerke.
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Reviewed by Andy Barnes
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THE SEINE WAS RED: PARIS, OCTOBER 1961
Leila Sebbar
Translated from the French by Mildred Mortimer

Paris, 17 October 1961: Tens of thousands of French Algerians descended upon Paris to engage in a peaceful protest against a curfew imposed upon them by Maurice Papon, the infamous Prefect of Police. The curfew was a response to a bombing campaign against …
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Reviewed by Darryl Morris
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VISITATION
Jenny Erpenbeck
Translated from the German by Susan Bernofsky

Home—a place where dreams are dreamt, lives are lived, and families grow. Homes are filled with joy, but also house tragedy. They are the places most integral to our existence, and yet …
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Reviewed by Caitlin Fehir
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THE BODY IN THE CLOUDS
Ashley Hay

Just as a good Danish pastry consists of layer upon layer upon layer of rich pastry, so The Body in the Clouds is formed from layers of rich storytelling. In her first novel, shortlisted for the 2011 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, Best First Book, Ashley Hay takes one moment in history and tells three different stories.
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Reviewed by Judy Lim
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FROM THE LAND OF THE MOON
Milena Agus
Translated from the Italian by Ann Goldstein

Every once in a while you come across a small gem of a novel, a novella really, that just captivates you: Rebecca West's The Return of the Soldier comes to mind or Chingiz Aïtmatov's Jamilia. They draw you in, mesmerize you a little and, before you realize it, you're on the last page. Milena Agus' From the Land of the Moon is just such a book.
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Reviewed by Tad Deffler


CONVERSATIONS:
Book Cover: Kitchen
Three readers discuss Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen
If Written By a Woman
Visit our new Belletrista blog!
The Caine Prize for African Writing 2011 – shortlist announced

The shortlist for this year’s Caine Prize has just been announced and three women are in the running for the prestigious award. This is always an exciting time of year – the Prize is a great way to discover short stories by excellent writers. Lucky for us, the Prize’s website links to a copy of …Read the Rest